They were childhood best friends, inseparable until fate tore them apart.
Years later, Avneet returns-hoping, longing-for even a flicker of recognition in Siddharth's eyes.
But he looks at her like a stranger.
Every memory... gone.
Every promise...
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Soon, Sonia—Avneet's mom—called everyone for dinner. They all gathered around the dining table, chatting and laughing as they dug into the food.
"Gosh, Sonia aunty, I missed your matar paneer so much. Thank you for making it!" Abhishek said, clearly delighted.
"Now you can come over anytime you crave some matar paneer, alright?" Sonia replied with a bright smile.
Abhishek nodded eagerly and helped himself to another serving.
---
Siddharth’s POV:
Everything feels... confusing.
I’ve never seen these people before, but somehow, everything feels so familiar—like I belong here. The taste of this matar paneer—I feel like I’ve had it before, like it’s tied to some memory I just can’t reach.
And why did Dada say he missed her cooking? Have we known this family for a long time?
My head hurts just trying to figure it out.
—End of POV—
---
After dinner, Vibha smiled warmly and said, "Thank you so much for the delicious meal. I have to admit, your cooking still tastes exactly the same. Honestly, I expected it to be a little more westernized after all these years, but clearly, I was wrong!"
Sonia chuckled at the compliment as everyone relaxed in the living room, enjoying each other's company.
Out of nowhere, Siddharth turned to Abhishek. “Dada…”
"Hmm?"
"What’s our… um, relationship with the Kaurs?”
Abhishek paused, just for a moment—long enough for Siddharth to notice. But instead of pushing, he let it go. Dada always caves eventually.
Abhishek cleared his throat. “Our dads were colleagues. That’s how our mom and Sonia aunty met and became best friends. That’s all.”
Siddharth nodded, pretending to be satisfied with the answer, though his instincts told him there was more to the story.
It was already 11:30 PM by the time the moms were done with their endless gossip. Avneet, sleepy and barely able to keep her eyes open, still managed to walk them to the door.
“Aunty, bye! Come back soon—it was so nice having you here!” she said cheerfully.
Vibha kissed her cheek. “We came to visit, now it’s your turn. Come to our house next time.”
Avneet nodded, and with that, they all left.
---
Next Day – At College
Lectures resumed like usual. Avneet, lost in her thoughts, didn’t realize she had sat on Siddharth’s seat. Her messy bun swayed gently as she focused on her notes, music playing in her ears.
---
Siddharth’s POV:
I was just entering the hall when I saw her—Avneet, sitting in my seat.
Her hair was tied up in a messy bun, sunlight spilling over her like something out of a dream. For a second, my heart skipped a beat.
She looked… perfect.
What the hell is wrong with me?
—End of POV—
Before he could say anything, someone suddenly back-hugged him from behind.
Startled, he turned around and saw Ashi—his girlfriend—smiling up at him. They embraced, drawing everyone’s attention. The crowd started cheering and teasing, which snapped Avneet out of her focus.
She looked up and saw them, and for some strange reason, something stung inside her. She quickly turned back to her notes, increased the volume of her music, and tried to shut everything out.
But her peace didn’t last.
Suddenly, someone snatched her paper and threw it back at her face.
Startled, she removed her earphones and glared. It was Ashi.
“Are you deaf or just stupid? This college isn’t for people who can’t hear, you know.”
Laughter echoed around them.
Avneet was about to reply when Siddharth stepped in. “Babe, don’t make a scene, please. And you”—he turned to Avneet—“go sit somewhere else, weirdo.”
Rolling her eyes, Avneet picked up her paper and moved to another seat.
But something snapped inside her.
She stood up again and shouted, “Do you two think you own that seat or something?”
Ashi shot up. “Shut up, bitch, before I smack that slutty mouth of yours.”
Without missing a beat, Avneet raised her middle finger at Ashi and sat down again, refusing to even look at her.
Ashi fumed, but Siddharth just watched, amused. He chuckled quietly.
“Babe! Why didn’t you say anything? That girl insulted me!” Ashi pouted dramatically.
Siddharth shrugged. “You could’ve handled it better. There’s a way to speak to people.”
Ashi’s tone sharpened. “Oh? So you’re taking her side now? Do you like her or something?”
Rubbing his temples, Siddharth replied, “Enough. Say one more word and I’m changing my seat.”
That shut her up.
Just then, the professor walked in, silencing the chaos.
“At the end of today’s lecture, we’ll start working on your assignment,” the professor announced. “You’ll be divided into teams of four—two girls and two boys each.”
˚˖𓍢🌷✧˚.🎀⋆
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