Fragrance of love

33. TUM HE MERA PEHLA PYAAR HO

Ikshit clapped his hands and leaned forward, eyes twinkling with excitement, "Alright, Saransh, let's start! The first word is... *love*."

Saransh grinned, not missing a beat. "*Heart*," he said confidently.

Armaan raised an eyebrow, chuckling, "Okay, okay... *Pulse*."

Saanvi smiled softly, her eyes distant. "*Life*."

Shruti's turn. She thought for a moment, then said, "*Journey*."

Finally, Shanaya, who had been watching everyone intently, said with a mischievous smile, "*Adventure*."

Ikshit laughed, "Wah wah! Aisa lag raha hai jaise hum koi philosophy ki class mein baith gaye hoon! Let's make it a bit trickier." He paused dramatically, before saying, "*Heartbreak*."

Everyone went quiet for a moment, the mood shifting slightly. Saransh scratched his head, trying to think of something.

Saransh cleared his throat, hesitating before he said, "*Pain*."

Armaan nodded, his face turning serious for a moment, "*Memories*."

Saanvi, feeling the weight of the word, whispered, "*Healing*."

Shruti smiled softly, "*Growth*," she said, eyes twinkling with a sense of quiet resilience.

All eyes turned to Shanaya. She twirled a strand of her hair, pretending to be deep in thought. With a dramatic sigh, she said, "*Freedom*."

Everyone looked at her, surprised. Ikshit leaned forward, intrigued. "Freedom? How did you get *freedom* from heartbreak?"

Shanaya grinned mischievously, "Arre bhai, jab dil toot jata hai na, tabhi toh samajh aata hai ki hum apne aap ke liye jee sakte hain. No more drama, no more stress. Total freedom!" She threw her hands up in mock celebration, making everyone burst out laughing.

Ikshit, wiping a tear of laughter, shook his head, "Wah, Shanaya, you've got a unique take! But let's make it even more interesting. Next word is... *Dreams*!"

Saransh, now back in the game, quickly said, "*Hope*."

Armaan nodded, "Destiny."

Saanvi, eyes sparkling with imagination, softly said, "*Wings*."

Shruti, smiling at the poetic turn, added, "*Sky*."

And then came Shanaya again, with her signature flair. "Yaar, sky ka toh koi limit hota hai. So, my word is *Universe*."

Everyone groaned, half laughing, half impressed by her out-of-the-box thinking.

Ikshit leaned in, a playful grin on his face, and said, "Alright, the next word is... *World*."

Without missing a beat, Saransh, with a casual shrug and an almost too-cool expression, replied, "*My first love*."

The room fell into a stunned silence. Everyone's eyes instinctively shifted towards Shanaya, trying to piece together the unspoken story behind Saransh's words. The air was thick with tension, curiosity swirling in every corner.

Shanaya, feeling the weight of all those gazes, shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She gave a small, awkward smile, as if trying to brush it off casually. Her eyes darted towards Saransh for a split second, and then she quickly looked away, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

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NEXT MORNING

Saransh was deeply engrossed in his work, eyes fixed on the laptop screen, his fingers flying over the keys. Just then, Shanaya walked into the cabin. He noticed her out of the corner of his eye and said, without looking up, "What happened?"