š Scene: "Different Paths"
The school corridors felt louder than usual that day.
Everyone was talking about streamsāscience, commerce, artsālike their entire lives depended on it. Maybe they did.
Mira sat on the bench near the window, her notebook open but untouched. The breeze played with her hair, but her mind was somewhere else.
Fashion designing.
That's what she wanted. Not just wantedāfelt. Sketches, fabrics, colorsā¦ it all made sense to her in a way nothing else did.
But thenā
"Hey."
Hirsh's voice pulled her back.
He sat beside her, casually, like always. But today, even that felt different.
"You chose already?" Mira asked, trying to sound normal.
"Yeah," he said, a small smile on his face. "Computer science. No surprises there."
Mira forced a soft laugh. "Yeahā¦ of course."
There was a pause. Not awkwardājust heavy.
"Your turn?" he asked.
Mira looked down at her notebook, flipping to a page filled with dress sketches.
"I thinkā¦ fashion designing."
Hirsh leaned closer, genuinely interested. "That's amazing, Mira. You're actually so good at this."
She smiledābut it didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Hirshā¦ that means different colleges. Maybe different cities."
There it was. The thing she had been holding in.
He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked at herāreally looked at her.
"And?" he said softly.
"Andā¦ what happens to us?" her voice dropped. "Long distance soundsā¦ hard."
Hirsh exhaled, then gently nudged her shoulder.
"It is hard," he admitted. "But not impossible."
Mira stayed quiet.
"I'm not choosing CS over you," he continued. "And you're not choosing fashion over me. We're choosing our futuresā¦ with each other still in it."
She finally looked at him.
"But what if things change?"
"Then we deal with it. Together." He smiled a little. "You really think I'd let you go that easily?"
Mira let out a small laugh, her eyes softening.
"I don't knowā¦ you might get busy coding all day."
"Wow, rude," he grinned. "And you'll be too famous designing clothes to even reply to me."
She shook her head, but this time, her smile was real.
There was still a tiny ache in her chest. A quiet fear of distance, of change, of growing up.
But sitting next to him, in that momentāit felt okay.
Not perfect.
But possible.
Mira leaned her head slightly toward him.
"Okay," she whispered. "We'll make it work."
Hirsh didn't say anything dramatic.
He just stayed.
And somehow, that was enough.š Scene: "The Last Day, The First Step"
The school grounds had never looked more alive.
Laughter echoed everywhere, cameras flashed every few seconds, and students in graduation robes moved in groupsāhugging, clicking pictures, promising to stay in touch.
It was the last day.
And somehowā¦ the beginning of everything else.
Meera stood near the stage, her eyes scanning the crowd untilā
"Meera!"
Kitty ran up to her, almost crashing into her with a hug.
"We did it!" Kitty laughed.
"We actually did," Meera smiled, hugging her back tightly.
There was excitement in the air, but something else tooāuncertainty, maybe.
"Soā¦" Kitty said, pulling back, "I told you, right? Fashion designing."
For a second, Meera just stared at her.
"Waitāseriously?"
Kitty nodded, grinning.
Meera's face lit up instantly. "Kitty, that's amazing!"
She pulled her into another hug, this one even tighter.
"I thought I'd be all alone in this," Meera admitted. "This makes it so much better."
"Obviously," Kitty smirked. "You're not getting rid of me that easily."
They both laughed.
Across the ground, a small crowd had gathered around Harsh.
"Top grades, bro!" Aryan said, thumping Harsh on the back. "We're so proud of you!"
Harsh laughed, a little embarrassed but clearly happy. "Thanks, guys. Seriously."
Meera watched him from a distance.
There was something about seeing him like thatāsmiling, relaxed, surrounded by his friendsāthat made her heart feel full.
He did it.
And she felt proud. Really proud.
Not just because of his grades, but because of him.
Harsh looked up for a second, his eyes meeting hers across the crowd.
He smiled.
And just like that, everything else faded for a moment.
Perfect.
Simple.
Real.
Meanwhile, near the edge of the ground, Itasha stood slightly apart from everyone.
Not completely aloneābut not really with anyone either.
Her eyes wandered across the crowd before briefly landing on Kaiser.
There was a time she wouldn't have looked away so quickly.
A time when just seeing him would have meant everything.
Now?
She turned her gaze elsewhere.
If anyone asked, she'd say she didn't like him anymore.
And maybe she believed that.
Or maybe she was just tired of waiting for something that never really happened.
Stillā¦ there was something unspoken between them.
Something unfinished.
Back in the center, the laughter grew louder.
Photos, jokes, group hugsāeveryone trying to hold onto the moment just a little longer.
Because deep down, they all knewā
Things were about to change.
Different colleges.
Different dreams.
Different lives.
But right now?
None of that mattered.
Right now, they were justā¦ together.
And it was perfect.Scene: "Miles Apart, Still Close"
The goodbyes weren't dramatic.
No big speeches. No tears in front of everyone.
Just a quiet, tight hug at the station.
"Call me when you reach," Mira said softly.
Harsh nodded. "Obviously."
Neither of them said don't go.
Because they both knewāthey had to.
š Days Later
Two different cities.
Two different lives.
Same screen.
Mira sat cross-legged on her bed, fabrics and sketches scattered around her.
Her phone buzzed.
Harsh Callingā¦
Her face lit up instantly.
"Finally," she said, pretending to sound annoyed as she picked up. "Mr. Busy."
Harsh laughed from the other side. "Excuse me, you didn't reply for three hours."
"I was in class!"
"Hmmā¦ suspicious."
She rolled her eyes, smiling.
"What did you do today?" he asked.
Mira turned the camera toward her sketchbook. "Started a new design. Look."
Harsh leaned closer to his screen. "That's actually so cool."
"'Actually'?" she raised an eyebrow.
"Okay okayāit's amazing. Don't get an attitude."
She laughed.
For a moment, it felt like nothing had changed.
š Late Night Call
"Stay on call?" Mira asked quietly.
"Hmm?"
"I don't want to sleep yet."
There was a pause.
"Yeah," Harsh said softly. "Stay."
They didn't talk much after that.
Just the sound of each other breathing.
Comfortable.
Familiar.
Needed.
š A Few Weeks Later
The calls got shorter.
Assignments. Deadlines. New friends.
Lifeā¦ happening.
Chat:
Mira:You didn't call today.
Harsh:Sorry, had a lab. Got really late.
Mira:You could've texted.
Harsh:I'm texting now na.
There was a pause.
Three dots.
Gone.
Three dots again.
Mira stared at the screen, her chest feeling oddly heavy.
š The Tension
"You've changed," Mira said on call, her voice quieter than usual.
Harsh sighed. "Mira, I'm just busy."
"You were busy before too."
"Yeah, but this is different!"
There was silence.
Not the comfortable kind.
"I justā¦" Mira hesitated. "I miss you."
Harsh's tone softened instantly.
"I miss you too."
"Then why does it feel like you're not here anymore?"
He didn't have an immediate answer.
Because part of him knewā
She wasn't wrong.
š The Effort
The next dayā
Mira's phone buzzed.
A video.
She opened it.
Harsh, sitting in his messy hostel room.
"Okay so," he started awkwardly, "this is my life now. Disgusting, I know."
He flipped the cameraābooks everywhere, clothes on a chair.
"And I just realizedā¦ I haven't been showing you any of this."
He looked back at the camera.
"I'm sorry."
Mira smiled softly, eyes slightly watery.
šø Back to Them
"Look what I made today," Mira said on video call, holding up a half-stitched outfit.
Harsh clapped dramatically. "Designer Mira in action."
"Shut up."
"I'm serious. One day I'll say I knew you before you got famous."
She laughed.
"And I'll say you still owe me like 200 calls."
"Okay rude."
š Ending Beat
Different cities.
Different routines.
Different lives.
But stillā
"Goodnight," Mira whispered.
"Goodnight," Harsh replied.
"Call tomorrow?"
"Yeah. Promise."
This time, they both knewā
It wouldn't always be easy.
There would be distance.
Fights.
Silences.
But alsoā
Effort.
Laughter.
And moments that made it all worth it.š« Scene: "You Cameā¦ and Everything Felt Different"
Harsh had no idea.
That was the plan.
The campus was loud, aliveāstudents everywhere, laughter, bikes rushing past.
And near the entranceā
Mira stood with her bag, heart beating faster than usual.
This is his world now.
Before she could overthinkā
"Mira?"
She turned.
Harsh stood there, frozen for half a secondā¦ and then broke into a huge smile.
"MIRA?!"
He walked quickly toward her and pulled her into a tight hug.
"You actually came," he said, almost laughing. "You're insane."
"Surprise," she smiled into his shoulder.
"I missed you."
"I missed you too."
šæ A Few Minutes Later
As they walked insideā
"Wow," a familiar voice chimed in.
Mira turned and sawā
"Anya?!"
Anya walked up, grinning. "Ohh so now you remember me?"
Mira laughed and hugged her. "Shut up, I literally just came."
"Yeah yeah," Anya teased, "forgot friendship, straight to boyfriend."
Harsh smirked. "I support this decision."
"Both of you are annoying," Mira rolled her eyes, smiling.
For a momentā
It felt like everything was normal again.
āļø Afternoon ā Campus Hangout
They all sat together on the grassāHarsh, Anya, a few of his guy friendsā¦
ā¦and Shreya.
"Guys, this is Mira," Harsh said.
One of the guys immediately grinned. "Damn, Harsh, you never told us your girlfriend is this pretty."
Mira's cheeks flushed instantly. "Ohāstop."
"Seriously," another added, "you're really beautiful."
"Okay, okay," Harsh cut in, half joking, half serious, "relax. Stay away from her."
Everyone laughed.
Mira glanced at him, smiling softly.
That tiny protective toneā
she liked it.
But thenā
Shreya leaned casually toward Harsh, showing him something on her phone.
"Look at this," she said, nudging him.
Their shoulders touched.
They laughed at something Mira couldn't see.
It was small.
Normal.
But stillā
Mira noticed.
š Evening ā With Anya
Later, Mira sat with Anya on a quieter part of campus.
The sun was setting, the noise fading into the background.
Mira played with her fingers for a moment before speaking.
"Can I ask you something?"
Anya looked at her. "That serious tone already sounds suspicious. Go on."
Mira hesitated.
"Shreyaā¦ and Harsh."
Anya didn't look surprised.
"They're close, right?"
Anya exhaled lightly. "Yeah. They are."
Mira's chest tightened just a little.
"They're in the same classes, same groupā¦ so they spend a lot of time together," Anya added.
"And?" Mira asked quietly.
"And nothing," Anya said simply. "That's it."
Mira looked at her, unsure.
š” Anya's Reassurance
"Mira," Anya said, softer now, "I see them almost every day."
Mira stayed silent, listening.
"Shreya can beā¦ a bit clingy sometimes," Anya admitted. "Like, she's always around him."
Mira looked down.
"But," Anya continued, "Harsh? He's very clear."
Mira looked up.
"He loves you. Likeā¦ it's obvious."
"Is it?" Mira asked, almost in a whisper.
"Yes," Anya said firmly. "He talks about you. He waits for your calls. He literally lights up when you text."
Mira's expression softened.
šø The Truth
"You don't have anything to worry about," Anya said gently.
Mira nodded slowly.
"I think I'm justā¦ not used to this," she admitted. "His life here. New people. Newā¦ her."
"That's normal," Anya smiled. "You're human."
š Ending Beat
Later that nightā
Mira walked back with Harsh.
"Today was nice," he said.
"Yeah," she smiled.
He slipped his hand into hers naturally.
And just like thatā
Everything felt steady again.
But stillā¦
Somewhere deep insideā
That tiny, quiet feeling stayed.
Not loud enough to break things.
Just enough to remind herā
Things were changing.Ā
Hirsch was getting deeply annoyed by miras way of behaviour and he didn't know what to do but all he knew was that he had to do something to control the situation and that he could never lose Mira because he loved her a lot So he decides get into the car his own car and drive at 11:00 to Miras College which was in a different city and it would take him a lot of time but he'd reach there by 4:00 AM at least because the cities were not very far away So he drove And since no one was allowed to enter the college this early He decided to get in past the security He found it easier and decided to climb in Mira's dormitory He climbed up through the window but when Mira saw him she was shocked and thought that he was crazy She was like I don't wanna talk to you at all right now And you just don't understand things anymore and he was first kind of shocked so when he saw Kitty in the dormitory as well he pleaded with Kitty to help him out and Kitty was like mira your being inconsiderate He has come all the way for you and Mira was like whose team are you on Well basically Hirsh decided to wait in the car and he texted Kitty to make Mira come towards the driveway so that he could talk to her by doing anything or use anyway so Kitty was like please how can I do that you know she won't come but and he was like please please please I will owe you one please do this for me and it was a bit exasperated but she wanted to do this so she decided to tell meera that she had left something very important in the driveway which was her notes for fashion designing And she wanted Mira to come along because it was kind of late and she didn't want to go around alone And Mira was like OK fine So they went there well just as they were there waiting in the driveway Kitty said that hey wait a second I have to get something I forgot and Meera is like alright go then and then she Meera felt a little bit of push and shove and she was inside Hersh's car boy and she went what the **** Harsh let me go And hersh was like listen to me mira just listened to me for once I wanna explain things to you if you do not want me to be friends with Shreya I'll end the friendship nothing is more important for me than you how do you know it is about shreya metre hersh told her that told about Meera's jealousy towards shreya and thought she's such a treacherous friend But then she spoke calmly to him I know it's not your fault Hersh and I don't want to control your life but always am very worried that you will stop loving me and that was the time when Hersh looked at her eyes and kissed her on the lips He again and told her that there was nothing that would make him stop loving her he loved her so much she looked up at him with slight tears in her eyes She whispered I love you too so is it settled asked harsh and wiped the tears away from Meera's face She nodded Well you better go back now if the teachers find out that you were here inside the campus without the permission I will get a lot of scoldings Harsh laughed at this I will go then he got out and opened the car door for Mira so that she could go out Mira hugged her and told him she needed this so much and she was so happy that he cared enough to come all this way and she really appreciated the gesture Hush kissed her and told her that this was the bare minimum he could have done if she is ever angry with him again she should tell him so that he could resolve it and that she should always share her feelings with him because he cannot live with that she is not happy with him at any moment And at this mira goes oh come on Where is the sarcastic Hirsh that I know Well he is still here now go you should get some sleep before your class Mira said that Oh yeah definitely I do not think I am going to get any sleep because I have a class at 6:30 But I think you'll probably be missing your classes today Hersh said that he had a class and he would probably miss it but it wouldn't matter much because he could do the work later and it was easy lecture So he hasn't missed much as he studied that from before only mira laughed at this OK so you haven't changed anymore you still study a lot We have to keep up you know at IIT harsh said and drove away flashing her a lazy smileĀ