Kajal strolls along the riverbank, her steps slow and heavy. The chilly wind sweeps through her hair, but she feels nothing. Only Lata’s words echo relentlessly in her mind.
Her throat tightens with unspoken grief, but she refuses to let the tears fall in front of Lata. Lata has told her she does not want her at the wedding… that she should stay away.
Kajal gazes at the river’s restless currents, her expression vacant.
Once, she believed Lata was like a sister. But now? What is she to her? Has she truly lost everything because of one mistake?
She feels drained… completely hollow.
A sudden thought grips her. “If everyone believes I destroyed everything… what if I simply cease to exist?”
Slowly, she steps closer to the edge of the riverbank.
She inhales deeply… and moves one foot forward.
Just then—
“The water is freezing, you know. If you jump in, you’ll catch a cold!”
Kajal stiffens.
That voice— unmistakable. Too familiar!
She turns around slowly. Even in the dim light, she can make out a tall figure, standing with effortless confidence, amusement glinting in his eyes.
“Kush!”
Kushagra’s voice is calm, almost teasing. “Here’s a thought— why don’t you sit down first and reconsider? And if you must take the plunge, at least have a cup of hot tea beforehand. No point catching a cold in the process!”
Kajal shoots him an exasperated look. “What are you doing here?”
Kushagra smirks. “Keeping an eye on reckless people like you. Now tell me— are you really going to jump, or would you rather join me for a plate of steaming hot momos?”
Kajal stares at him, speechless.
There is no anger in his voice, no judgment in his eyes… as if he knew this was coming. And that is why.. he has arrived just in time.
Kushagra takes another step forward and says, “Listen, Kajal, life isn’t a movie where sad moments come with background music, and everyone begs you to return. In reality, no one does that… but I am. Because I know—maybe you made a mistake, but that doesn’t mean your story is over.”
Kajal stepped down from the riverbank, her thoughts in turmoil. Kush was right… but could she really forget everything and start again?
He moved closer, his voice gentle. “Do you know where I first saw you?”
She stayed silent, sorrow in her eyes.
Kush smiled faintly, lost in memory. “At a small ice cream shop. Lata was buying two cones, and you stood quietly beside her, smiling. I didn’t know then that your smile would change everything for me. I saw you every day, wanting to speak, but I never found the courage. Then one day you were gone… upset about your grades. That’s when I realized—”
Kajal’s eyes widened.
“You loved your books so much,” Kush said softly, a shy smile tugging at his lips. “I once thought of hiding a love letter in one… but then I was scared Lata might find it. So , held back. Instead, I told myself, I’ll prove my worth, I’ll make her see me. From that day, everything I did… was only for you. That’s how I became ‘Student of the Year.’”
Kajal remained silent, unsure of how to react, her heart heavy.
Kush’s voice took on a bittersweet edge. “I thought, now you’d finally notice me. But no… to you, I was still nobody.“
Kajal felt a small pang of guilt. She didn’t know he felt this way.
Kush continued, his voice almost apologetic, “Then I decided, no more waiting. I walked into the college canteen with a red rose in my hand, ready to tell you everything. But then, I saw you crying… for someone else.”
Kajal’s breath caught in her throat, her heart sinking. She remembered that day, the tears she couldn’t hold back.
Kush’s voice softened, tinged with sadness. “That day, I felt like I was too late. Someone else was already there, taking my place. So, I stepped back. I watched you, but I couldn’t gather the courage to go to you… I couldn’t tell you how I felt. How you were the girl of my dreams, Kajal.”
He took a step forward, his gaze steady, unwavering. “But I don’t want to wait anymore. If you can give me even the tiniest space in your heart… I swear, I’ll make you smile for the rest of your life. I won’t let you cry, I won’t let you fade away. I want to be the new beginning to your story, Kajal. Will you give me that chance?”
Kajal stood frozen, her heart racing in her chest. She didn’t know what to say. She wanted to speak, but the words didn’t come.
Meanwhile, Lata and Ankur ran through the streets, searching everywhere for Kajal. At last, they saw her near the river. Lata got so excited that she tripped and fell into the mud. Ankur rushed after her, still wearing his helmet, looking more ready for a fight than to help.
Kajal stared in shock. Lata was standing there, messy and barefoot, Ankur behind her. Both of them were waving and making strange gestures. Nothing made sense, it all felt too fast, too confusing.
At that moment, Kush blurted out,
“Ah… so this means… will you mar—”
Before he could finish, Lata’s angry voice rang out.
“What is going on here?!”
Kush straightened at once and moved protectively beside Kajal.
Lata stepped forward, eyes blazing. “So this is the truth? I knew it! All that flirting, all those looks… I should have guessed something was wrong!”
Kajal’s eyes flew to Kush, her heart in turmoil. She couldn’t believe what was happening, and Kush, looking down, began nervously kicking at the ground, clearly uncomfortable.
Lata grabbed Kajal’s hand suddenly, her grip tight, and yanked her away. “Let’s go! We don’t need to be here anymore!”
Ankur, frozen in shock, called out, “But…“
Lata didn’t even look at him. She shoved him aside as she pulled Kajal away. Kush and Ankur stood there, stunned, staring at each other, unable to process what just happened.
Kush’s voice was quiet, almost defeated, as he said, “So… how do we get an answer now?”
Ankur sighed deeply, shaking his head. ‘Bro, first, get Lata’s mood right, then you can think about getting an answer. If you survive this, you’ll get everything you want.’
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