If We Ever.

| 6 |

"Thhe tukdo mein jee rahe,
tum jo mili toh, judd gaye.
Pankh laga ke udd chala mann mera..."

*

Vedant nestled deeper into the cocoon of his blanket, feeling the warmth envelop him like a shield against the cool evening air. From the cosy position he found himself in, he observed Samarth, who was completely engrossed in scrolling through Ananya Shirke's Instagram profile. Samarth's focus on the screen was so intense that Vedant couldn't help but marvel at the level of concentration, a trait one could wish Samarth would exhibit in his studies.

"Bhai, look at her," Samarth exclaimed softly, his whistle punctuating the silence of the room as he zoomed in on a particular picture, his gaze fixed on Ananya's face.

"Dude, you're lucky as hell," he murmured, causing a faint frown to crease Vedant's otherwise relaxed face.

"Why would I be lucky now?" Vedant inquired, his mind drifting back to his limited interactions with Ananya from section A. She was unmistakably the top-performing student in their class, known not only for her academic achievements but also for her unfailingly amiable nature, and being the teacher's favourite.

Samarth shot Vedant a narrowed look, his eyes twinkling amazedly, before erupting into laughter. "She's so into you, saale," he chuckled, playfully shoving the phone screen right into Vedant's face, eager for his friend to witness the evidence of the girl's apparent beauty in him.

Vedant, slightly exasperated, huffed and swatted his friend's hand away.

"Could be you too," Vedant retorted with a smirk, "you're always with me, kamine." He laughed, brushing aside his friend's words, but inwardly, a flicker of curiosity danced in his mind, wondering if there might be a grain of truth in Samarth's jest.

Why would, anyone, in their right mind, not want to be with someone as confident and beautiful as Ananya?

Samarth, with a small thud, fell back into the pillows, his gaze drifting up to the ceiling. "Saale if she were into me, I wouldn't have bothered telling you this," he laughed, the jovial tone masking the subtle acknowledgement of Vedant's allure to Ananya.

Despite his playful banter, Samarth couldn't ignore the signs of Ananya's infatuation with Vedant. It was kind of evident in the way she seemed to always be present in the same places as Vedant, her subtle pursuit not escaping Samarth's observant eye.

Vedant let out a wistful sigh, his gaze fixed on Ananya's profile photo as he searched her account. "If I get to have Ananya, my life's all set," he mused, his thoughts drifting into a realm of possibility. Should he send her a follow request? The idea lingered in his mind, tempting him with the prospect of a connection. It wouldn't be too bad, would it? Especially considering what Samarth had just implied-perhaps Vedant did have a chance after all.

Yet, Vedant couldn't deny that his interest in Ananya wasn't driven by any serious romantic intentions. It was more about her being pretty and nice, qualities that would make even having her as a friend a valuable addition to his life. Until now, he had never really considered any woman from a romantic standpoint, not that he had time to ever think of girls that way, it was always fun to tease the opposite gender from his viewpoint, especially that one girl- Aarohi. He had viewed them more as acquaintances rather than potential partners. But with Ananya, there was a subtle shift, a hint of possibility that intrigued him. He was seventeen, and maybe Ananya could be his first crush? Or more?