Silence Between the Notes
the first bell
Aarya stepped out of the house, feeling her father’s eyes on her from the doorway.
ram/ fl father
Beta *he called gently*
arya / fl
*She turned* yes baba
ram/ fl father
it's first day of college believe in you
arya / fl
*She nodded and hug her dairy close to her chest*
ram/ fl father
And also * he added with smile* open you tiffin I made you favourite parantha.
arya / fl
*She smiled her heart warm* thankyou baba
The street was still waking up. Newspaper boys on bicycles. Shop shutters half open. A woman drawing rangoli outside her door.
As she walked toward the bus stop, she repeated a silent prayer in her mind — for courage, for calmness, for the strength to belong somewhere.
She was waiting alone when a bright voice cut through the quiet.
Aarya turned. There was Ritu, hurrying toward her, her braid swinging behind her, eyes shining with excitement.
ritu
You are here I thought you left *ritu panted*
arya / fl
I..I was just early *she said softly*
ritu
Ofcourse my punctual queen * she teased while rolling eyes*
ritu
let's go don't be late at the first day of college
They climbed into the bus and found seats by the window. Ritu instantly began talking, her voice filling the space between them.
ritu
You are soo calm yrr I didn't sleep the whole night*she said dramatically*
ritu
I even feel that I am only remembering my roll number in my dreams too.
Aarya smiled, her fingers brushing the edge of her diary.
ritu
Aur tum kuch kahoge bhi ya mujhe yuhi dekhte rhogii
arya / fl
It's just the first day
ritu
*Ritu sighed and shook her head* you will never change.
Aarya looked out the window. The city rolled by — shops, billboards, the rising sun turning everything golden. For a moment, she let herself imagine her mother sitting beside her, wondering what she would have said.
When they got off the bus, the college gate loomed ahead — taller than Arya remembered. Students were pouring in, voices bouncing off the walls. Girls in bright Kurtis. Boys in jeans, calling out to each other. Someone was playing music near the canteen.
Ritu slipped her arm into Aarya’s and pulled her along.
They climbed the steps to their classroom, Ritu still talking without a pause.
Arya let her eyes wander near the busy corridor Near a window, a boy stood with a group of friends.
Tall, wearing a navy hoodie, sunlight in his hair as he laughed.
she can't look anywhere for sometime don't know why
ritu
*Ritu tugged her arm* arya ? What are you watching ?
arya / fl
Nothing* she quickly, lowered her eyes*
ritu
Really * she teased* already daydreaming.
Aarya shook her head, but her heartbeat hadn’t quite settled.
She didn’t know that the boy by the window had a name everyone seemed to know. And that her quiet world was about to change — note by note.
Amber
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