The festival night had finally arrived.
Fairy lights hung across the courtyard, soft music floated in the air, and the campus shimmered like a dream.
Meera wore a simple pastel dress that made her glow under the golden lights. She laughed with her friends, trying to keep her thoughts away from Aarav — but her heart refused to listen.
She hadn't seen him in three days.
Three long, silent days.
---
Meanwhile, Aarav stood near the food stalls, dressed sharply but withdrawn. His eyes scanned the crowd unconsciously — until they found her.
For a moment, the noise faded.
Her laughter, her eyes, the way she moved — everything drew him in like gravity itself.
He took a step forward… but then he saw Kabir approaching her, holding out a paper lantern.Kabir: "Make a wish, Meera."
Meera (smiling faintly): "What should I wish for?"
Kabir: "Something impossible. Those are the best ones."
Their fingers brushed as they lit the lantern together, and Aarav's chest tightened painfully. He turned away before anyone noticed the flicker of emotion in his eyes.
---
A few minutes later, Meera spotted him standing alone by the music stage. She hesitated, then walked over.
Meera: "You've been avoiding me."
Aarav (coldly): "You seem fine. You have company."
Meera: "Kabir is just a friend!"
Aarav: "Sure. Keep telling yourself that."
The sharpness in his tone made her heart sting.
Meera (angrily): "Why do you care, Aarav? You keep pushing people away, then act like you're the one hurt!"People nearby began to glance their way, sensing tension.
Aarav: "Because I don't like watching you with him."
Meera (shocked): "Then maybe you should've said that instead of judging me!"
Her voice cracked. For a second, silence.
Then she turned away, tears glimmering in her eyes.Later that night, after the crowd had gone, Meera sat alone on the steps near the garden. The lanterns floated above her — hundreds of tiny lights against the dark sky.
Footsteps approached behind her. She didn't turn.
Aarav (quietly): "You were right. I don't know how to say things… not the right way."
Meera stayed silent.
Aarav: "I've never had to explain myself to anyone. But with you… I just can't stand the thought of losing you."
Her heart trembled.
Meera (softly): "Then stop pushing me away."
He took a slow step closer. The distance between them felt fragile — one word could break it, one could save it.
Aarav: "I'll try."
For a long moment, they just sat there under the floating lanterns, not touching, not speaking — but both knowing that something inside them had changed forever.Their bond begins to heal after the festival, Aarav opens up about his past for the first time, and Meera starts realizing her true feelings.