Love's perfect timing

Chapter5: The Universe's Sign

Two months had passed since Urvi first noticed Daksh, and what had once felt like a potential crush now simmered into something far more platonic.

The butterflies that had once fluttered in her stomach whenever she saw him had quieted, and she began to see Daksh for who he really was—a friend, nothing more.

Her senior friends, who had initially teased her endlessly about him, slowly eased up as they realized that the spark between Urvi and Daksh had faded into a comfortable friendship.

Urvi often reflected on how fleeting and unpredictable her feelings had been. At first, she had mistaken her interest in Daksh for something deeper, perhaps even a sign that she was finally ready to move on from the shadows of her past.

But with time, she understood that what she felt for Daksh was merely infatuation, a temporary distraction from the complexities of her own emotions.

She was relieved to feel herself returning to a state of normalcy, free from the emotional rollercoaster she had feared would take control.

Sitting with Srishti one afternoon, they shared a plate of fries in their usual corner of the college canteen. The two had become closer than ever since Srishti had switched her course, and despite the initial pain of separation, their bond had only grown stronger. As they chatted about their classes and the latest college gossip, Urvi's phone buzzed with a notification. She glanced down and saw a message from the dance society group chat.

"We have to perform for an upcoming event,"
the message read, and her heart skipped a beat.

Instantly, the memory of Samarth flooded back into her mind. She hadn't thought about him in months, not since her initial crush on Daksh had taken center stage. But now, as she stared at the message, all she could think about was Samarth—the way he moved when he danced, the way he had captivated her during that solo performance all those months ago. Was this a sign from the universe? She laughed at the thought, dismissing it as a silly coincidence, but deep down, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to it.

"We're going to have to practice like crazy," Urvi said, turning to Srishti with a grin. "You ready?"

"Absolutely!" Srishti replied, matching her enthusiasm.

As they made their way to the dance room, Urvi felt a pang of disappointment, realizing that she hadn't crossed paths with him in over three or four months. But as they entered the practice room, something shifted. She couldn't help but wonder if he would be there, if this was some kind of cosmic coincidence meant to bring them together again. But when they arrived at the dance room, her excitement was met with disappointment. Samarth wasn't there. The room was filled with other dancers warming up, but there was no sign of the one person she had been hoping to see.

Urvi sighed, mentally chastising herself for reading too much into things. "It's not a sign from the universe," she thought, feeling slightly embarrassed by her own anticipation. "I'm just overthinking it. This is all just in my head."
And then, as if the universe had heard her thoughts, the door opened, and Samarth walked in. For a moment, time seemed to stop. Urvi's heart skipped a beat, and she felt a strange sensation wash over her—something between excitement and disbelief. She couldn't take her eyes off him. He looked exactly as she remembered—poised, confident, and impossibly talented. It was like seeing him for the first time all over again.

As she watched him enter the room, she didn't even realize that the dance coordinator had walked up to her. "Hey, you're dancing, right?" the coordinator asked, snapping her out of her trance.

Urvi blinked, struggling to focus on the conversation. "Uh, yeah. Of course," she replied, her voice a bit shaky.

She quickly realized that Samarth wasn't there for the performance practice. He had come to shoot a dance reel for the college's social media page, and the song he was rehearsing was "Chaleya," a track that was all too fitting for the moment. Urvi found herself seated in a corner, watching as Samarth began to teach the choreography to the rest of the team.

The way he moved, the way he commanded the room with his presence—it was mesmerizing. Urvi felt like she was watching something magical unfold before her eyes, and she couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, this was the universe's way of giving her another chance. She sat there, silently admiring him, her heart pounding in her chest as memories of his previous performance came flooding back. How could someone be so good at what they did, so effortlessly captivating?

"Come on, join us," Srishti called out to her after a while, noticing Urvi's absence from the group.

But Urvi shook her head, not ready to give up her front-row seat to Samarth's performance. "I'll join in a minute," she said, her eyes still locked on him.

As she watched, she marveled at how someone could be so incredibly good at what they did. It was like he was born to dance, like every muscle in his body moved to a rhythm only he could hear. And as the practice continued, Urvi realized that those old feelings she had tried so hard to push aside were resurfacing. But this time, they felt different—deeper, more intense. It wasn't just a fleeting crush anymore; it was something more. She didn't know what it was exactly, but it scared her.

After practicing for a while, the group moved to the basketball court to shoot the reel. The sun was beginning to set, casting a golden glow over the campus, and Urvi found herself walking beside Srishti, lost in thought. Her mind was racing, filled with images of Samarth dancing, the memory of that first performance, and the possibility that maybe, just maybe, this was all more than just a coincidence.

Was it really a sign from the universe? Was she reading too much into things, letting her imagination run wild? She didn't know, and that uncertainty made her uneasy. The last time she had let her guard down, she had ended up with her heart shattered, battling anxiety and panic attacks. She wasn't sure she could survive that again.

As they reached the basketball court, Urvi's heart started pounding. She watched Samarth take his place in front of the camera, the rest of the team gathering around him to learn the routine he had choreographed. It was an elegant dance to the song "Chaleya," and as the music started, Urvi found herself getting lost in the rhythm once more.

Samarth moved with such grace, such precision, that it was impossible not to be mesmerized. Urvi sat down on the bleachers, her eyes following his every move. Srishti came over and nudged her gently, trying to get her to join in, but Urvi couldn't tear herself away.

"Just a little longer," she told Srishti, her voice barely above a whisper.

As the reel was being filmed, Urvi couldn't stop thinking about the last time she had seen Samarth, how she had tried so hard to forget about him. But now, here he was again, right in front of her, dancing like he had been sent by the universe to remind her of everything she had pushed aside.

After the shoot wrapped up, Urvi and Srishti headed back to their home. The whole way, Urvi's mind was filled with thoughts of Samarth—how he had looked, how he had danced, how her heart had skipped a beat when he walked into the room. It was like all those old feelings had come rushing back, stronger than ever.

That night, after a dinner Urvi lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop thinking about Samarth. His face, his movements, the way he commanded the room—all of it played over and over in her mind like a movie she couldn't turn off. She felt the familiar stirrings of hope and excitement but also the all-too-familiar pangs of fear and anxiety.

"What if this is a sign?" she wondered to herself. "What if the universe really is trying to tell me something?"

But as much as she wanted to believe that, the fear of getting hurt again was still there, lurking in the back of her mind. She knew she wasn't ready to jump into anything, not after everything she had been through. So, she resolved to keep her distance, to admire Samarth from afar, and to focus on her own journey.

With that thought, she rolled over, pulling the covers up to her chin, and closed her eyes. But as she drifted off to sleep, one last thought crept into her mind, unbidden and persistent:

Who knows what plans the universe has?