"Ah!" Yash bolted upright, his scream echoing against the cold hostel walls. He sat there gasping for air, his heart hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird. He looked around frantically, realizing he was back in his room, safe and alive. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and whispered to the empty space, "I never want to remember that again. Never."
Yash pulled himself out of bed and started getting ready for college, the images from his dream still clinging to him like a shadow. Suddenly, his phone buzzed on the desk. He walked over and picked it up. "Are you feeling better, my son?" his mother's voice asked, filled with worry.
"Is the fever finally gone?" Yash took a deep breath, trying to steady his hands. "Yes, Mumma, I'm fine now. But that fever took three whole days out of me." He hung up, grabbed his bag, and headed to college, still shaking off the chills.
As Yash stepped out, a hand suddenly reached out and intercepted him. Before he could react, he was pulled into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry, Yash," a voice whispered. "It was all my fault." Yash stood there, his body stiff with the lingering stress of his nightmares. He looked at Akasa with a hollow, haunted expression. "It's alright," Yash said, his voice low. "I made mistakes too, Akasa. We're even." He gave a small, tired pat on Akasa's shoulder and kept moving.
Suddenly, Adi, Kumar, and Nagul burst onto the scene, throwing their arms around Yash and Akasa in a massive group hug. Their uproarious laughter filled the air. Yash looked up at the radiant, clear sky, a genuine smile finally touching his face. "We really are friends."
The group swarmed the mess table, their voices echoing off the walls. Yash sat down, still feeling a bit dazed, as Adi sat close and leaned in with a smirk. "You missed a lot in those three days, Yash," Adi whispered loudly. "Meet the man of the hour—Akasa here finally got us a sister-in-law!" Akasa turned red as the others started whistling and cheering.
"Look at him! Akasa's turning bright red!" Adi shouted, pointing and laughing. Akasa kept his eyes glued to his plate, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "It's not like that," he muttered, finally looking up at Yash. "I just... I proposed, and she said yes." He searched Yash's face for a reaction. Yash didn't say a word; he just gave a knowing smile and a slow, supportive nod.
"Wow, Akasa. You proposed and didn't even wait for your 'father' to wake up?" Yash teased, his voice booming over the sound of clinking plates. Akasa stammered, "Wait, Yash, it's not what you think!" Yash just kept nodding, his grin widening. "Seriously, if my fever had lasted three more days, you'd probably be a father by now." Adi and the others lost it, doubling over with laughter as Akasa buried his face in his hands.
"Alright, alright, I'll tell you the whole story," Akasa said, leaning across the table as the others leaned in to listen. He gave Yash a pointed look. "To be honest, everyone in the hostel knows the details except for you." Yash set his fork down. "Fine," Yash said, resting his chin on his hand. "I'm listening. Start from the beginning."
(Akasa's love story)
Three days ago, as a shimmering pink dawn began to bleed into the sky, Akasa stood alone on the balcony. His mind was heavy with regret. "It was my fault," he whispered to the cool morning air. "I shouldn't have done it. I have to apologize to Yash—he's the only one who truly understands me." But just as he resolved to fix things, his eyes caught a flash of colour below. A girl in a vivid yellow dress was walking past.
Akasa scrambled down the stairs, his feet hitting the ground floor at full speed. A bright, peach-coloured smile lit up his face—the first time he'd felt happy in days. But when he burst through the hostel gates and reached the open courtyard, the girl was gone. "Where is she?" he muttered, spinning around. "I lost her again!" He spotted Kumar nearby and grabbed his arm, frantic. "Kumar! That girl I was looking for... you know her, right? Please tell me you know who she is!
"I don't know her personally, but I've seen her in N-Section," Kumar told him, shrugging. "You should ask Adi. I think he's friends with one of her roommates." Akasa didn't waste a second.
"Thanks, man!" he called out over his shoulder as he bolted toward Adi's room. They talked for over half an hour, Akasa pacing the floor while Adi listened. Finally, Adi just laughed and shook his head. "Look, man, just go for it. Ask her out. There's nothing wrong with just approaching her and saying hello."
Akasa burst back into his room, where Kumar was sprawled on the bed, mindlessly scrolling through reels. "I'm going to do it. I'm going to confess to her," Akasa announced, his eyes bright. "And I've got the perfect plan." Kumar stopped scrolling and looked up, narrowing his eyes in pure disbelief. "Are you out of your mind? You haven't even spoken to her once, and you're already jumping to a confession? You're insane, man."
"Trust me, my feelings are real," Akasa insisted, his grip tightening on the white sheets of paper. "I've already wasted a whole semester hesitating. I'm not losing another day." Kumar stood up, finally putting his phone away. He could see that Akasa's resolve wasn't going to break. "Alright, if you're that sure of yourself, then go for it. But let's hear it—what is this 'foolproof' plan of yours?"
"I've got it all ready," Akasa said, fanning out the pages. "A handwritten letter and a bouquet. It's classic." Kumar groaned, burying his face in his hands. "Akasa, man, think about this. You're a stranger to her! She'll think you're a stalker." But Akasa's gaze was steady. "I've thought about it. And I'm going through with it."
"Look at these drawings I made for her," Akasa said, handing them over. "I want you to digitize them and make them look perfect." Kumar sighed, but he was already opening his editing software. "Alright, let's see if AI can make these look like a professional art portfolio." After a few minutes of tweaking the lighting and lines, he looked at Akasa. "If you're going to give her a letter, it should at least be the best-looking letter she's ever seen. Let's make this legendary." Akasa's eyes lit up. "Yes. It has to be."
They threw themselves into the work. Akasa spent hours pouring his soul into beautiful English poetry, his pen moving fast as he tried to capture every feeling he'd kept hidden for a semester. Meanwhile, Kumar took the digitized files to the local stationery shop to get the high-quality prints they needed. By the time they were finished, an entire day had slipped away in the pursuit of perfection.
"Okay it's time now Akasa, get up you have to go her class and give it to her." And Akasa went to bath and
"You're coming with me," Akasa shouted from the bathroom, his voice muffled by the sound of splashing water. Kumar groaned from the bed. "No way, man. This is your mission, not mine." Akasa poked his head out, dripping wet. "You're coming anyway! Don't say another word." Kumar finally stood up and looked at the gift on the table. His eyes went wide with horror. "Are you serious? You wrapped it in a Man Matters box? Ah! I swear, I have to do everything myself!"
The Man Matters box was now hidden under elegant ribbons and craft paper. Akasa looked ready, and they set off for campus with empty stomachs. Midway there, Akasa spotted the vibrant college garden. "Kumar, get me some of those flowers!" he hissed. Kumar just kept walking. "Get them yourself, Romeo. I'm not getting arrested for your love life." Determined, Akasa crept into the garden, keeping a sharp eye out for the guards as he gathered a bouquet of "stolen" flowers.
They reached the main building, and Kumar pointed toward the elevators. "Come on, let's take the lift. Her class is all the way on the fifth floor." But Akasa, despite the winter chill, was drenched in a nervous sweat. "No, the lift will take too long. We're taking the stairs!" Before Kumar could argue, Akasa grabbed his hand and dragged him up five flights of stairs at a full sprint.
hand clutching his chest. "I can't do this, Kumar. I need a miracle." Kumar grabbed his shoulders and gave him a reassuring squeeze. "You don't need luck, you've got heart. If she says no, she says no—at least you'll know." He gave Akasa a playful shove toward the door. "Now go on. Show them what you're made up of, tiger."
He stepped inside, his eyes locking onto her immediately—she was sitting at the end of the second row. Suddenly, Akasa's hands went ice-cold. He started fidgeting with his fingers, his movements awkward and jerky. A few girls in the class turned to look at him, whispering as they noticed his strange behavior. Akasa felt their eyes on him, but he blocked them out. "It's now or never," he thought, taking a shaky breath. "I have to take the plunge."
He walked straight to her desk while she was busy scrolling through her phone. Without a word, he set the gift and the flowers down in front of her. She looked up, her eyes wide with surprise. "Is... is this for me?" she asked, bewildered. Akasa didn't trust his voice, so he simply nodded, maintaining a steady, bright smile. Before she could say another word, he turned and made a quick exit. As he reached the doorway, he looked back one last time, smiling broadly and giving her a confident wave before disappearing into the hall.