Morning came quietly.
Aanya woke to sunlight.
Not the harsh kind that forced its way through curtains, but a thin, pale brightness slipping through the gap between them and slowly spreading across the room.
For a few seconds, she didn't move.
She was warm.
Comfortably warm.
The pillow beneath her head was softer than the one she usually slept on.
She shifted slightly.
Then stopped.
Something about the room felt unfamiliar.
Aanya opened her eyes properly.
She stared at the ceiling.
Then at the wall.
Then at the unfamiliar arrangement of furniture.
And slowly—
the memory returned.
Sagnik.
His room.
The couch.
Studying.
She had fallen asleep.
Aanya blinked.
She looked down at herself.
A blanket was pulled neatly over her.
She remembered being on the couch.
She didn't remember getting here.
A small crease appeared between her eyebrows.
She sat up.
Her hair was everywhere.
She pushed it away from her face and looked around again.
"Sagnik?"
No answer.
She listened.
Nothing.
She slipped out of bed.
Her feet touched the floor.
She stood there for another moment, still trying to piece together the night.
Then she noticed the time.
Her eyes widened.
She was late.
"Great."
She grabbed her phone from the bedside table and hurried toward the door.
The moment she opened it—
she almost walked straight into him.
Sagnik stopped.
Aanya stopped.
They stared at each other.
He was holding two cups of tea.
She looked at the cups.
Then at him.
"Good morning."
Her voice was still sleepy.
His expression softened.
"Morning."
He held one cup out.
Aanya took it automatically.
She looked at the tea.
Then back at him.
"You made this?"
"Who else would?"
She took a small sip.
Her eyes narrowed.
"Too sweet."
"You always say that."
"And yet you keep making it."
"You always drink it."
She tried not to smile.
Failed.
"Fair."
Sagnik leaned against the doorframe.
For a moment, neither said anything.
Aanya looked at him.
There was something different about the morning.
She couldn't explain it.
Nothing had happened.
At least, nothing she could remember.
But she felt...
lighter.
She took another sip.
Then looked down at herself.
"I need to go."
"Why?"
"I need a shower."
He nodded.
"Go."
She stared at him.
"That's your entire response?"
"What else should I say?"
"I don't know."
He smiled.
"Have a good shower?"
Aanya laughed.
"Idiot."
She walked past him.
Then stopped.
Turned around.
"Did you sleep?"
Sagnik's expression changed for the smallest fraction of a second.
"Yeah."
"Properly?"
"Enough."
She looked suspicious.
"You say that whenever you haven't."
He raised an eyebrow.
"You've started noticing."
"Unfortunately."
He smiled.
She shook her head.
"See you."
"See you."
The walk back to her room felt strangely easy.
Aanya kept thinking about the night before.
Not the details.
Just the feeling.
She remembered sitting with him.
Talking.
Watching him work.
Feeling her eyes become heavier.
And then waking up in his room.
She wondered how long he had stayed awake.
She wondered whether he had carried her carefully.
She wondered whether she'd said anything while half-asleep.
Then she stopped herself.
There was no point wondering.
She'd ask him if she really wanted to know.
Maybe.
Eventually.
For now, she was simply glad.
She reached her room.
Opened the door.
Aditi was already awake.
She looked up from her phone.
Her eyes moved over Aanya once.
Then toward the door.
Then back to her.
"You were at Sagnik's."
It wasn't a question.
Aanya dropped her bag.
"Obviously."
Aditi nodded as though that was the most ordinary answer in the world.
"Shower?"
"Immediately."
"Go."
Aanya picked up her clothes.
Then paused.
She looked at Aditi.
"What?"
Aditi had already gone back to her phone.
"Nothing."
Aanya smiled.
"You're learning."
"I've always known when not to ask."
"That's debatable."
Aditi laughed.
Aanya disappeared into the bathroom.
The shower started.
And for the first time that morning, she was alone with her thoughts.
Warm water ran through her hair.
She closed her eyes.
And smiled.
She didn't know exactly what had changed.
Perhaps nothing had.
Perhaps everything had.
But somewhere between yesterday evening and this morning, Sagnik's presence had become even more natural.
Not something she had to think about.
Not something she had to be careful around.
Just—
him.
And somehow, that was enough to make her morning feel different.
When Aanya came back out, dressed and ready, Aditi was standing by the mirror.
"You'll be late."
"I know."
"You always say that."
"Because I always am."
Aditi handed her a hair tie.
Aanya caught it.
"Thanks."
They gathered their things.
As they stepped outside, Aanya glanced back once at the room.
Then smiled faintly.
Aditi noticed.
But didn't say anything.
Neither did Aanya.
They simply walked toward class.
And somewhere ahead of them, Sagnik was probably already there.
Waiting.
Not because either of them had arranged it.
Not because they had to.
It had simply become what they did.