"From Rivals to Forever: A Journey of Love"

Chapter 31

Aditi's Perspective

As Kabir stood up to leave, he casually picked up his phone and keys, giving me a small smile, but before he could say anything, Chachi appeared in the doorway.

"Where are you going, bacha?" she asked, looking at Kabir with the same motherly warmth she always had. "Stay for dinner. It's already late."

Kabir looked a little flustered. "Oh, I didn't want to intrude—"

"Nonsense," Chachi cut him off with a wave of her hand. "You've been here for hours anyway. Just stay, it's no trouble at all. We'll call your family too and make it a nice dinner together."

Kabir smiled, clearly touched by her offer. "I'd love that, Aunty, but let me check with my mom first."

Chachi nodded, already reaching for her phone. "I'll call her myself. She won't say no to me!" She gave him a wink, leaving the room to make the call, not giving him any more room for protests.

Kabir sat back down, laughing softly. "Well, I guess that's settled."

I smiled, appreciating how easily Kabir fit into our family. I watched Chachi disappear into the next room before turning to Chacha, who was sitting quietly, reading something on his tablet.

"Papa?" I said softly, trying to get his attention.

He looked up, raising an eyebrow. "Yes, beta?"

"I've been going over the CLAT syllabus," I started, "and, well, I kind of realized... I've already covered most of it. In fact, I went through it all before I even finished 11th grade."

Chacha's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and then a proud smile slowly spread across his face. "Really now? You finished it that early?"

I nodded, feeling a little bashful. "Yeah. I mean, I've always been interested in law, and I kept reading ahead whenever I had the time. But now, I think I need an extra book—something more advanced, maybe something on mock tests or strategies."

Chacha tilted his head, looking at me thoughtfully. "You've been putting in a lot of effort, Aditi. I'm really proud of you."

"Does that mean you'll get me the book?" I asked, a teasing smile playing on my lips.

Chacha chuckled. "Of course. We'll go this weekend, or if you want, you can pick it up yourself."

My heart lifted. "Actually, I was thinking about going now. The bookstore will still be open for another hour or so."

"Now?" Chacha looked at me, then glanced toward the window where the evening light was fading. "Alright, if you're sure. Just be careful."

I stood up, grateful. "Thanks, Papa. I'll be quick."

Turning to Kabir, I smiled shyly. "Hey, um... would you like to come with me? For a walk, while I pick up my books?"

Kabir looked up at me, his eyes soft and full of understanding. He smiled that lopsided smile of his, the one that always made me feel at ease. "Sure. I'd love to."

We grabbed our things and made our way outside. The cool evening air hit us gently as we stepped out of the house, the streetlights just starting to flicker on. The bookstore wasn't too far from the house, just a short walk away, and the streets were relatively quiet this time of evening.

For a few moments, we walked in comfortable silence, the sound of our footsteps blending with the distant hum of traffic. The breeze felt nice against my skin, and after everything that had happened today—the emotional release, the conversation with Chacha—I felt lighter. Like I could breathe a little easier.