Maybe in next life

chapter 33

Ruhi

The morning sunlight filtered into the tent, waking me up. I stretched, feeling the cold breeze against my face. Today was the day we were leaving Switzerland, and my heart felt heavy. I didn’t want to go. I loved it here—the snow-covered mountains, the chilly air, the warmth of all my friends, and… Mihir. Everything here felt so magical, so different from the chaos of life back home.

With a deep sigh, I forced myself to get ready. After breakfast, we all packed up and headed to the airport. I tried my best to mask my sadness, but the thought of leaving this place was weighing me down.

As we sat on the bus, the laughter of my friends surrounded me, yet I felt a little out of place. Mihir, sitting next to me as usual, noticed. He nudged me lightly, his voice low yet teasing, “Ruhi, why are you sulking? Missing Switzerland already, or is it something else?”

I smiled faintly, shaking my head. “Nothing. Just… I don’t want to leave.”

He tilted his head, his sharp eyes softening a little. “You can’t carry the snow back home, Ruhi. But I can keep you smiling. So, tell me, what’s bothering you?”

I shook my head again, brushing it off. He let out a small sigh, then leaned closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Fine. If you won’t talk about that, then tell me something else. What were you and the girls laughing about the other day while watching Rohan?”

That caught me off guard, and I burst into laughter. “Oh, that!”

“Yes, that!” Mihir said, feigning impatience. “Come on, spill it. What’s so funny about Rohan?”

I struggled to suppress my giggles as I began explaining. “Well, you won’t believe it, but… he and Mayra are together now.”

Mihir blinked, his usually composed expression giving way to genuine shock. “What?”

“Yes! Apparently, he sent her the cheesiest messages ever, like ‘You are my moonlight in this cold winter,’” I said, barely able to contain my laughter.

Mihir looked appalled, then cracked a grin. “Rohan? The same guy who can’t even spell ‘romantic’ correctly?”

“Yes, him!” I said, doubling over in laughter. “And now he’s sending poems and quoting love songs. Can you believe it?”

Mihir shook his head, a rare smile spreading across his face. “Wow. Never thought I’d live to see this day. But honestly… good for them. He might be goofy, but he’s loyal. Mayra deserves that.”

I nodded, still laughing. “Exactly! And Mayra was blushing like crazy when we teased her about it.”

Mihir leaned back in his seat, chuckling softly. “Well, I’ll admit, Rohan is full of surprises. But you girls better take it easy on him. He might faint from embarrassment.”

We spent the rest of the bus ride gossiping and laughing, the sadness in my chest lifting slightly. For a little while, it felt like the end of this trip wasn’t as bad as I had imagined. With Mihir by my side, things didn’t feel so heavy anymore.

As we reached the airport, the excitement of the trip slowly began to fade into a bittersweet quiet. Everyone was busy with their check-ins and last-minute selfies, but my mind was a mix of emotions. Switzerland had been a dream, and I wasn’t ready to wake up.

After clearing all the formalities, we boarded the plane. As always, Mihir sat next to me, his presence comforting even without words. I gazed out of the window as the plane began to taxi, the snowy landscapes shrinking in the distance.

As the plane began its ascent, I stared out the window, the view of Switzerland slowly fading behind me. A strange feeling of emptiness washed over me. I didn’t want to leave, but I knew I had to. I could feel Mihir sitting beside me, his quiet presence almost like a comfort, but also reminding me that things were about to change again.

Mihir turned to me, his expression serious as usual. "You know," he began, his voice a little colder than I expected, "now that we’re back, exams are coming up soon. You should probably start focusing more on that."

I looked at him, slightly surprised by his sudden shift in tone. "I know," I replied, a small sigh escaping my lips. "But I’m not exactly looking forward to it."

"Of course not," Mihir said with a smirk, "Who would? But you have to, Ruhi. You've had your fun here, and now it’s time to get serious. No more distractions."

I chuckled at his bluntness. "I’m not that bad, am I?"

He raised an eyebrow, glancing at me with that usual cool stare. "You can be when you’re not focused. I’ve seen you. You get caught up in the moment, forget about everything else."

I couldn’t help but smile at his honesty. "I guess you’re right," I said, shifting in my seat to face him. "I’ll focus more. But I’m not going to pretend I’m not going to miss Switzerland. This trip has been everything I needed."

Mihir glanced at me, his lips curling into the slightest smirk. "I know you will. But you’ve got to get back to reality. Focus on your studies, focus on what’s next."

I nodded, agreeing with him, though I couldn’t shake the feeling of dread about the upcoming exams. "I’ll do my best. I promise."

Mihir leaned back in his seat, glancing out the window, seemingly lost in thought. "I know you will. You’ve got potential, Ruhi. Don’t waste it."

His words, though cool and distant, meant more than he realized. I wasn’t used to hearing such encouragement from him, but somehow, it felt like he genuinely cared.

"I won’t waste it," I said softly, a small smile tugging at my lips.

Mihir didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he just nodded and stared out the window, his expression unreadable. There was something about the way he spoke that made me feel like he was pushing me, not because he had to, but because he wanted me to be better, to focus on my future.

As the plane continued its journey, I felt a renewed sense of determination settle within me. Maybe Mihir’s cold, serious nature was exactly what I needed to stay on track. I glanced at him, knowing that despite his aloofness, he was always watching out for me in his own way.

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Thank you for reading! 🌻🦋💗🌸🌼In this chapter, as Ruhi prepares to leave Switzerland, Mihir's cold but caring side emerges, reminding her to stay focused on her goals as exams approach. Their bond grows stronger with each passing moment, and despite the distance, they continue to share meaningful moments. What do you think—will Mihir’s advice help Ruhi stay on track, or will their connection pull them in a different direction? Let’s find out together!💗🌸