Aarav hesitated as he reached into his bag, his fingers brushing against the pair of glasses. He wanted to return them, but a nagging thought held him back. What if she thinks I'm some creep? What if she freaks out? Fate—or something like it—had brought them together again, but the timing felt all wrong.
"Damn it, why is this seat so tight? I'm getting crushed here!" he muttered under his breath.
The girl beside him shrank into herself, stealing nervous glances at him before quickly looking away.
Taking a deep breath, Aarav forced himself to smile as gently as possible. He wasn't some weirdo, and he needed her to see that.
"Here! You dropped this yesterday. I'm that guy from before, by the way—"
Before he could finish, she suddenly cut him off in a panicked voice.
"It's not what you think! I swear!"
Aarav blinked, confused. Why was she freaking out?
Carefully, he patted her shoulder in what he hoped was a reassuring gesture.
"You don't have to explain to anyone. Really, I understand what you're going through. Short hair, loose clothes—I know you want to be a boy! And that's totally fine! You can be anything you want to be, no shame in that."
Then, as the words left his mouth, his brain caught up with what he had just said. His eyes widened in horror.
"Wait—I'm not saying I'm into that stuff—No! I mean, I am straight! I like girls! That's what I meant!"
The girl stared at him, completely deadpan.
Aarav wanted to disappear into the seat. Why am I like this?
For a few moments, silence hung between them.
"Damn it, I'm such a loser. Just because I have a good physique doesn't mean whatever I say is funny… or even makes sense. What the hell am I thinking? What does my body have to do with anything? She probably thinks I'm weird. Where are these stupid words even coming from?" Aarav scolded himself internally.
The girl studied him for a second, then took her glasses from his hand and gave a small nod.
"Thanks."
Her voice was calmer now, more composed. She hesitated for a moment before speaking again.
"I'm sorry for overreacting… but I just didn't want you to think I was some sort of…" She bit her lip, struggling with the word before finally sighing. "Slut. Just because I went into the men's restroom."
Aarav's amused expression faded, his face turning serious.
For a second, there was another pause—then, as if trying to lighten the mood, she spoke again, her voice a little flustered.
"By the way, I also like… I mean—I'm straight!"
Her face turned red instantly.
Aarav stared at her, processing what she just said. Then, as the realization hit, a slow, knowing grin spread across his face.
"I thought I was weird, but this girl… she's just stupid. Her words don't even make sense." Aarav reflected on what he had said just moments ago and sighed internally. "No, I'm even more stupid."
"Oh, good for you! Congra—" He stopped mid-sentence. "What the hell am I saying?"
Clearing his throat, he tried again. "I mean, you must have your reasons." Raising both hands slightly, he quickly added, "You don't have to tell me."
The girl stole a glance at him, her expression still flustered. After a moment of hesitation, she muttered,
"A janitor."
Aarav's demeanor shifted, his casual curiosity giving way to something more serious.
"A janitor?" His brow furrowed. "What did he do?"
She hesitated before replying, "He was… cleaning."
Aarav's expression darkened. "Are you fucki..—" He caught himself, inhaling sharply before regaining his composure. "Isn't that what a janitor is supposed to do?"
"It's not like that!" she insisted, her face turning a deeper shade of red. "I was late and really had to go. When I opened the restroom door, he just… smiled at me." She clenched her hands slightly. "I panicked and shut the door."
Aarav exhaled, finally piecing it together. "So you went into the men's restroom instead."
She gave a small, embarrassed nod.
Aarav burst into laughter. "Sorry, I'm really sorry—A smile!" He kept laughing, unable to contain himself.
Alisha, irritated, playfully smacked his shoulder. "Idiot!"
For a moment, the awkward tension between them vanished, replaced by a lighthearted air. But soon, silence settled again.
Aarav broke it first. "I'm Aarav, third year."
"Alisha, second year."
They continued talking—about classes, subjects, and their future plans. The conversation flowed naturally until Alisha's expression shifted. A mix of concern and curiosity flickered in her eyes.
"By the way… your back?"
Aarav, still enjoying the conversation, grinned. "Oh, so you did see my body yesterday! My back, huh? Muscular, right? You liked it?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, he froze. What the fuck?! Why did I say that?!
Alisha turned bright red. "No, you idiot!" she snapped, covering her face.
Then, her voice softened. "I meant… the scars. What's with those scars?"
Aarav's expression shifted as he calmed himself, his tone turning more serious.
"Oh… that."
He tried to brush it off, forcing a smile. "It's nothing. Happened a long time ago. I don't even remember when."
But as the words left his mouth, his mind betrayed him. Images flickered—being tossed around, mocking laughter ringing in his ears. His jaw tightened, teeth gritting unconsciously.
Alisha noticed.
Without thinking, she reached out and gently held Aarav's hand. Her touch was warm, grounding.
Her cheeks flushed slightly, but her voice was steady, sincere. "You can tell me… What happened?" She offered a small, genuinely concerned smile.
Aarav's mind froze as if time itself had stopped. He looked at Alisha's flustered face, her delicate features glowing under the dim auditorium lights.
An angel… Is she?
Maybe it was the cold, repetitive nature of his life—the endless cycle of routine, the isolation—that had made him numb, detached. He had long convinced himself that no one cared. Yet, here she was, looking at him with genuine concern.
Something inside him shifted, like a veil lifting from his mind.
Improving myself… this hellish routine… all this pain… for what? For who?
His gaze locked onto her mesmerizing eyes, and his heart started pounding.
Meanwhile, the large girl beside him shifted, pressing in closer, making the already tight space even more suffocating. But Aarav barely noticed. His entire being was consumed by the warmth of the moment, the electricity between them.
Their eyes met. Their faces flushed. Aarav felt like his heart was going to burst.
If this girl trusts me… I'll give my life for her.
His mind spiraled, letting his imagination run wild.
Falling in love.
Getting married.
Coming home from work to see his children greet him.
Watching them grow, get married.
Dying by her side in old age.
Alisha, unaware of his inner turmoil, swallowed hard and spoke hesitantly. "You… you can tell me."
Without thinking, Aarav muttered, "It was something people did to me…"
As he spoke, he shifted slightly—and his elbow brushed against her chest.
Silence.
Both of their faces turned crimson. Aarav, realizing what had just happened, fought the urge to self-destruct on the spot. Alisha's breath hitched as she, too, processed it, her hands instinctively pulling back.
Desperate to regain control, Aarav forced a cough. "I-I'll tell you some other day."
Their eyes met again. A deep, unspoken connection hung between them.
And then, at the same time, as if driven by fate, they both blurted out—
"Are you single?"
Their words mirrored, hanging in the air, exposing everything they had yet to admit.
Looking back, it was too perfect. Like a dream where everything falls into place a little too easily.
At the time, I thought life had finally started working in my favor. My asshole uncle had gotten cancer, which meant I'd soon inherit the business. I'd be rich. Maybe I'd finally get a girlfriend—maybe even a wife. Everything was going smoothly.
Too smoothly.
"Hey, Aarav… are you hungry?"
I snapped out of my thoughts. My eyes flickered to Alisha's lips—clear, glossy. I swallowed hard.
A smirk almost crept onto my face, but I forced it down.
Then, the speaker crackled.
"007 Aarav Nashit! Aarav Nashit!"
Shit. Why now?
Alisha smiled. "Your presentation."
I sighed. "Yeah…"
"Good luck!"
I patted my pockets and groaned. "Oh no! I was going to buy something, but I forgot my wallet. I can be really careless sometimes."
She giggled. "No problem, it's my treat!"
I grinned. "Let's go then."
Standing up from the bench, I turned back for a second. She was still sitting there, smiling at me—warm, genuine.
I smiled back.
At the time, I thought it was the best day of my life.
Walking toward the auditorium, I moved through the crowd with a quiet confidence. Reaching into my pocket, I felt the folded notes. I looked down at them.
Still smiling.
If only I knew.
A tree? A damn tree?!
Aarav blinked, his breath hitching. Where…? Just a moment ago, he had been standing on stage—the mic in his hand, the crowd before him, the lights glaring down. But now—
It was all gone.
No people. No stage. No sound.
Only trees. Endless, towering trees.
The ground beneath him was rough, uneven. A broken drainage line stretched ahead, water trickling through it, dampening his bare feet. Bare feet.
His breath quickened as a new horror dawned upon him—he was naked.
His eyes darted around, his body tensing. No clothes. No trace of civilization. It was as if the very concept of modern life had been stripped away from him.
His pulse pounded in his ears. This isn't real. This isn't real!
Panic clawed at his chest. His hands trembled before curling into fists. He clenched his teeth, then slapped himself—hard.
Pain. A sharp sting burned across his cheek. But it didn't fade.
The pain lingered, hanging onto his skin longer than it was supposed to. His jaw stiffened, his muscles locking up as if his body refused to shake it off.
And yet, no voice escaped his lips.
His breathing grew erratic. Desperation took over, and he struck himself again. More pain. More confirmation.
His knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the cold dirt. His breath came in ragged gasps, his fingers digging into the soil as his shoulders sagged.
Then, in a hoarse whisper, he finally spoke—
"Where the hell am I?"