Chapter 17
(A nameless evening, where the heart finds its own language…)
Today, the college feels a little different. The decorations from the spring festival haven't been completely taken down yet, yet there's still a colorful vibe in the air. Paper flowers hang on the corridor walls, handwritten greetings rest by the windows, and every face carries a mix of excitement and quiet anticipation.
Aishi slowly walks into the college. Her hair is left open today, a touch of kajal in her eyes, and a faint smile on her lips. No one can understand how each detail of her appearance hides a deep emotion meant for one person.
Ayush stands near the gate. There's a different glow in his eyes today. He watches Aishi approach, step by step.
"Standing like this again?" Aishi says, her bag slung over her shoulder.
"I like seeing the morning through your eyes," Ayush replies softly.
"Why do you always speak like a movie dialogue?"
"Because you are the story of my life. I only speak the lines."
Amid this light exchange, both of them are unusually quiet today. Neither has said why. But there's a different kind of pull between them—something they can both feel. It's as if familiar faces are showing unfamiliar emotions. As if a silent competition is going on—who will confess first?
Preparations for rehearsal are underway in the auditorium, but Aishi and Ayush go and sit on a small bench behind the library. The place is quiet—one of their favorites. They both know this place holds their unspoken world. Sitting there feels like creating a secret little universe of their own. No one is around, yet countless words pass between them—through eyes, silence, and heartbeats.
"Do you know, Ayush," Aishi suddenly says, "sometimes I think… if we belonged to the same religion, maybe there wouldn't be so much fear, so much hesitation. But then, you wouldn't be you. And maybe I wouldn't have loved you. Because to me, you are not an identity—you are a feeling. One that belongs only to me."
Ayush remains silent. Looking down, he gently nudges a dry leaf with his foot and says,
"When you say things like that, I feel like I'm not just a boy. I'm your shelter. Even if the world calls me wrong, with you I can still be myself."
Aishi whispers,
"I'm scared, Ayush. The day you're not there… how will I face the world?"
"I'll never leave you, Aishi—unless you ask me to. And I know… you never will."
Amid these quiet words, their story keeps moving forward. Society, religion, names—those are just outer labels. Between them, an invisible home has formed, filled only with their breaths, heartbeats, and unspoken love.
After college, they meet once more. The sunlight is soft now, dust floating in the air.
"Come," Ayush says, "let me show you a place."
"Where?" Aishi asks, surprised.
"Don't you trust me?"
They take a rickshaw to a quiet riverside at the edge of the city. The place is peaceful, almost deserted. The river is nearly dry, but white kash flowers sway all around. There's a softness in the air. Aishi pauses, placing her hand over her mouth.
"This place… it's so beautiful."
"I come here sometimes," Ayush says. "When I sit by this river, it feels like someone listens to everything I say… without asking questions."
Aishi smiles softly,
"From today, this place is ours. Here, you and I will exist together—without words, yet so clearly. You know, when I'm with you, it feels like all the pain in the world fades away."
That evening, Aishi writes—
"Today, Ayush took me to an unknown riverside. Sitting there, I found myself. There's a sense of peace in his eyes that I don't even find in my own family. I know this may never be complete, but there's a strange beauty in this incompleteness. We speak less, but feel more. Today I realized—love is not about saying, it's about understanding."
Ayush writes—
"Today I took Aishi to my private place. When she said, 'This place is ours now,' it felt like all the wars in the world had ended. I know our future is covered in fog, but in this moment, I know—we exist. We belong to each other. Aishi never asked me to change. She accepted me exactly as I am. And in that acceptance, I realized—this is not just love… this is my life."
Night deepens. Aishi sits by the window. Moonlight falls softly on her hair, creating an ethereal glow. Inside her chest, Ayush's name echoes again and again—like waves, one after another.
No one knows where the future will take them. But this moment will stay forever. By that unknown river, among the white flowers, two people silently told each other—"You are mine."
Society didn't hear it. Religion didn't see it.
But the sky, the river, and the wind know—
this love will never fade.
What happens next?
To find out, stay tuned for the next chapters…
To be continued…