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We often look at our own reflection through the lens of our deepest fears, forgetting the strength we carry inside. Yet, the moment that self-doubt is met with unshakeable faith, the shadows fade, allowing us to finally see our true potential and step into the power we always possessed.

Arohi leaned back, sipping her tea, before nudging Yash with her hand. "Vaise, Mr. Popular... tumhare college ke dosto se kab mila rahi ho mujhe? Kam se kam unki photos toh dikhao. Mujhe bhi dekhna hai kaun jhelta hai tumhein roz."

("By the way, Mr. Popular... when are you introducing me to your college friends? At least show me their pictures. I also want to see who tolerates you on a daily basis.")

Yash chuckled, pulling his phone out of his pocket. "Nobody tolerates me, Di. They are blessed to have me. Wait, let me show you."

He unlocked his phone and opened his gallery, scrolling through a recent album. He leaned closer to her, showing a group selfie from the campus canteen first.

"Okay, so this is Akshat-the decent one in our group for professors although he is not so with us. And that's Shivansh, your childhood bestie.He flipped to the next set of pictures, his eyes lighting up with fond memories. And these are from our recent trekking trip."

Arohi laughed heartily, scrolling through the trekking photos herself. The group looked incredibly tight-knit, smiling against the backdrop of misty green peaks. But as she swiped to the next slide, her fingers paused.
It was a candid shot.

Yash was laughing at something off-camera, and right beside him stood Riya, her eyes wide, mid-argument, pointing a finger at him with a fierce but remarkably beautiful expression. The lighting from the setting sun hit Riya's face perfectly, catching the gold detailing on her kurta.

Arohi's teacher instincts instantly kicked in. She glanced from the screen to Yash's face, catching the tiny, subtle softening in his eyes as he looked at that specific photo.

"Aur yeh kaun hai?" Arohi asked, her voice dropping into a teasingly slow murmur.
("And who is this?")

Yash cleared his throat, quickly pulling the phone back slightly, though he kept his tone effortlessly casual. "Oh, that's Riya. Our Class Representative. Pure drama queen. She thinks she rules the department, but her actual job is just to argue with me twenty-four seven."

Arohi didn't miss the way and immediately started teasing, "muje to kuch aur hi lagra hai kahi yeh nafrat mohabbat na ban jaye waise hi mein bol rahi hoo.You know nafrat pass aane na de mohabbat door jane na de waise hi"

Then yash said , "Shhh.. shuru hogayi phir se teri iss pyaar ko kya naam.doon ka jap. Side effects of watching too much drama . Then arohi says bhoolo mat tum bhi interest se dekhte the wo drama. "

Yash replies,"woh isliye kyun ki mere pass koi aur option nahi tha and then they closed the convo here."

The following week, the college campus was transformed into a vibrant hub of colors, lights, and booming bass. The annual cultural fest had officially commenced, and the energy in the air was absolutely electric.

In the backstage green room, the atmosphere was chaotic. Performers were tuning instruments, applying makeup, and pacing back and forth in sheer panic.

Among them was Akshat, staring at his guitar as if it were a foreign object, his hands visibly trembling.

While the rest of the boys were busy handling logistics, Purvi took a deep breath, broke away from the crowd, and walked straight up to Akshat. Seeing his pale face, she didn't offer a generic "you can do it."

Instead, she stepped right into his personal space, her eyes fiercely locked onto his.
"Akshat," Purvi said, her voice steady and full of an unshakeable belief.

Akshat looked up, his throat dry. " Purvi... bohot zyada crowd hai bahar. Mujhe lag raha hai main lyrics bhool jaoonga."

("Purvi... the crowd is huge out there. I feel like I'll forget the lyrics.")

Purvi reached out, gently but firmly grasping his hands to stop their trembling. She looked deeply into his eyes, her expression soft yet demanding.

"Mujh par bharosa hai na tumhein?"

("Do you trust me?")

Akshat blinked, the chaos around them suddenly fading into background noise. He nodded slowly. "Yeah. More than anyone."

"Toh agar bharosa hai... toh please, do it for me today. Go out there and show them who you are."

("Then if you trust me... then please, do it for me today. Go out there and show them who you are.")

Those simple words acted like a magic spell. The nervous fog in Akshat's brain cleared instantly, replaced by a fierce determination. He gripped his guitar tightly and nodded, his smile finally returning.

Out in the audience section, Shivansh turned to Isha as she walked back to the group. "Isha, tum iss baar perform nahi kar rahi?"

("Isha, aren't you performing this time?")

Before Isha could answer, purvi, who was standing beside her looking slightly distant but protective, gently intervened. "Nahi yaar, uska mood nahi hai iss baar."

("No dude, she's not in the mood this time.")

"Next performer on stage-Akshat Sharma!" the emcee's voice boomed through the speakers.

The crowd erupted into cheers. The lights inside the auditorium dimmed into a deep, velvety blue. When the spotlight hit the center of the stage, Akshat was standing there, the guitar strapped over his shoulder.

He took a microsecond to scan the front rows until his eyes found Purvi, who gave him a reassuring nod.

Akshat closed his eyes, his fingers gently strumming the first chord. The hauntingly beautiful, resonant melody of ***Saiyyara*** filled the hall.

Tu Paas Hai Mere Paas Hai Aise

Mera Koi Ehsaas Hai Jaise

Tu Paas Hai Mere Paas Hai Aise

Mera Koi Ehsaas Hai Jaise

Haaye Main Mar Hi Jaaun

Jo Tujhko Na Paaun

Baaton Mein Teri Main Raatein Bitaaun

Honthon Pe Lamha Lamha

Hai Naam Tera Haaye

Tujhko Hi Gaaun Main Tujhko Pukaaroon

Saiyaara Tu Toh Badla Nahin Hai

Mausam Zara Sa Rootha Hua Hai

Saiyaara Tu Toh Badla Nahin Hai

Mausam Zara Sa Rootha Hua Hai

The moment his voice hit the microphone, a collective gasp ran through the crowd. It wasn't just a performance; it was raw, unfiltered emotion pouring out of him. His voice carried a beautiful, soulful depth that resonated through every corner of the auditorium.

The entire college was completely spellbound. Students stood up, turning on their phone flashlights, waving them in unison until the auditorium looked like a sea of stars.

"Oh my god, Akshat is literally killing it!" Riya whispered excitedly, clapping her hands.

Yash leaned back, a proud, triumphant grin on his face as he watched his best friend own the stage like a total rockstar.

As the final note echoed and the lights flared up, the crowd went completely wild, chanting Akshat's name at the top of their lungs. The thunderous applause followed him all the way as he walked off the stage and descended into the quiet, dim hallway behind the seating area.

He was breathing heavily, his adrenaline rushing at an all-time high. The moment he stepped into the corridor, he saw Purvi running toward him, her face radiant with absolute joy.

Without a single thought, driven by pure, overwhelming emotion, Purvi lunged forward and threw her arms tightly around his neck. Akshat's breath hitched, but his arms automatically wrapped around her waist, lifting her slightly off the ground as he held her close against his chest.

It was a tight, desperate, beautiful hug-a silent exchange of gratitude and an unsaid connection that had been brewing between them for months.
For a few seconds, the world completely stopped.

Suddenly realizing what they had done, Purvi's eyes went wide. She quickly detangled herself from him, stepping back as a fierce, burning crimson blush rushed to her cheeks.

Akshat rubbed the back of his neck, his own cheeks turning a light shade of pink as a soft, completely smitten smile played on his lips.

"Ahem... ahem!"

A loud, highly dramatic throat-clearing sound shattered their sweet bubble. Shivansh and Yash were standing at the entrance of the hallway, their arms crossed, identical grins of pure mischief plastered across their faces.

Standing slightly behind the boys, Riya and Isha exchanged a knowing glance, their faces lighting up with beautiful, genuine smiles as they watched them.

For a moment, the heavy clouds of reality completely vanished, replaced by the pure magic of college romance.

The day after the grand success of the fest, the campus had returned to its casual, lazy rhythm. Yash, riding high on the group's good mood, marched up to the girls' usual hangout spot near the courtyard.

"Hey people! Let's go and play something together today. The weather is perfect," Yash announced, swinging his bike keys on his finger.

Isha leaned against the stone bench, shaking her head softly. "*Mood nahi hai yaar aaj bilkul."

("I'm really not in the mood today, dude.")

Shivansh, who was leaning against the pillar nearby, glanced at Isha's quiet demeanor and immediately backed her up. "Yeah, I even have some pending assignment work to complete. You guys carry on."

Riya looked at Purvi, who was practically glowing after yesterday's events, and then at Yash's overly confident face. A mischievous spark lit up in her eyes. "Haan, thik hai. Chalte hain.Let's go to the recreation room."
("Yeah, okay. Let's go. Let's go to the recreation room.")

With Isha and Shivansh opting out, the remaining four-Yash, Akshat, Purvi, and Riya-headed straight to the student activity center. They pulled up a wooden table and set up a large, smooth carrom board right in the center.

"Okay, let's divide into teams," Riya declared, tapping her striker against the wooden border. "Me and Purvi versus you two geniuses."

"Oh, please," Yash scoffed, sitting down opposite Riya with a triumphant smirk. "You're playing against the undisputed king of carrom. Akshat and I are going to destroy you within ten minutes. Right, Akshat?"

Akshat, who was sitting directly opposite Purvi, was barely listening. His eyes were entirely fixed on Purvi, who was currently tying her hair into a messy bun, a stray strand falling perfectly against her cheek.

"Huh? Yeah, yeah... whatever you say, Yash," Akshat murmured dreamily.
Yash broke the coins, scattering them beautifully across the board. The game began, and for the first few rounds, it was a tight match. But as the board cleared, a hilarious pattern began to emerge.

Whenever it was Akshat's turn to strike, he would position his striker in such way that it shouldn't strike the coin and he was so careful in not to even touch the coin.

And just like that, Akshat's internal tracking system completely collapsed.

He intentionally aimed the striker away from the pocket. He deliberately skipped dead-easy shots, intentionally hitting the border or passing the coin directly into Purvi's striking zone.

Yash, who was watching his championship title slip away, was losing his absolute sanity.

"Akshat! Kya kar raha hai yaar tu?! Itna easy white coin tha! Tera dhyan kahan hai?!" . Yash yelled in disbelief as Akshat missed a completely straight, un-missable shot.

("Akshat! What on earth are you doing dude?! That was such an easy white coin! Where is your focus?!")

"Ah... my finger slipped, bro. Smooth powder," Akshat lied horribly, clearing his throat.

Taking full advantage of the internal sabotage, Riya lined up her striker and smoothly pocketed the final black coin, followed by the red queen.

"And that's game!" Riya shouted triumphantly, slamming her hand on the table as she jumped up from her chair.

History had officially repeated itself. Because of akshat, Yash had lost yet another match to his ultimate rival.

Riya leaned across the carrom board, resting her chin on her hands, her face just inches away from Yash's deeply frustrated, pouting face.

A spectacular, highly mocking smirk danced on her lips as she winked at him.
"What happened, Yash? Didn't you say you were the undisputed king?"

Riya teased, her voice dripping with playful arrogance as she held up her fingers.

"**Yash: One. Riya: Two.** Don't forget the official score, Mr Over The Top*!"

Yash groaned dramatically, burying his face in his hands while Akshat and Purvi laughed softly in the background.

The score was changing, but the chaotic rhythm of their hearts was staying exactly the same.

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