Safe Haven

“If I lose my stethoscope one more time, I am literally going to drop out and open a momo stall,” Yashika groaned, frantically turning her oversized canvas tote bag inside out right in the middle of the crowded medical college courtyard. In her panic, three pastel highlighters and a pack of hair pins slipped from her bag, clattering onto the concrete.

“Relax, dummy. It’s right around your neck,” Meera said with a soft chuckle, reaching out to steady Yashika before she could clumsy-walk her way straight into a muddy puddle. Meera picked up the fallen highlighters, her calm, grounded energy acting as the instant anchor for her friend’s morning chaos. At 22, Meera was the undisputed protective shield of their trio—fierce, unyielding, and completely unflappable.

“Oh,” Yashika blinked, her face instantly softening into a sweet, slightly sheepish grin as she felt the metal chestpiece resting safely against her collarbone. She saved this childish, bubbly side strictly for her two best friends. The second a random male batchmate walked past them and tried to look her way, Yashika’s smile vanished, her posture stiffening into a guarded, almost icy shield.

“Don’t worry, Yash, you look cute anyway,” Preksha chimed in smoothly. She was holding up a small pocket mirror, carefully applying a fresh layer of her signature strawberry-scented lipgloss. With her effortless curls, flawless skin, and pretty girl-next-door charm, Preksha was the undisputed crush of the entire medical campus. But beneath the lipgloss and sweet demeanor, she was fiercely loyal. “Besides, we have to look alive today. The new clinical professor takes over our batch this morning, and word on the street is he’s an absolute tyrant.”

Meera hooked her arms through both of theirs, pulling them toward the massive lecture hall. “Then let’s go. We aren’t being late on day one.”

The main lecture hall was buzzing with nervous energy as the three girls slid into their usual middle-row seats. Preksha was completely relaxed, humming a tune as she capped her lipgloss.

“I still can’t believe you’re married, Preshu,” Yashika whispered, leaning over. “Like, you literally had a massive traditional wedding two weeks ago, and now you’re just... back in pathology class.”

“Honestly, it doesn’t even feel real yet,” Preksha whispered back with a shrug. “My parents picked him, and since they said he was a ‘teacher,’ I literally pictured some sweet, nerdy guy who teaches 7th-grade science and checks homework all day. He’s been so quiet and busy moving his stuff into his apartment that we barely even talked after the vows.”

Suddenly, the heavy wooden doors of the lecture hall swung open. The entire room went dead silent.

A tall, imposing figure stepped up to the podium. Preksha’s breath jammed tightly in her throat. Her pocket mirror slipped from her fingers, clattering loudly against the desk.

Standing at the front of the room was Dr. Aditya. He was 28, drop-dead gorgeous, with sharp jawlines and an elite, commanding aura. He wore a perfectly tailored, crisp charcoal formal shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, a premium stethoscope tucked into his pocket. He didn’t look like a middle school teacher; he looked like a god.

Aditya adjusted the mic, his piercing, dark eyes sweeping across the sea of students. For a fraction of a second, his gaze locked directly onto Preksha’s wide, completely shocked eyes. His expression didn’t change at all. He gave a completely professional, unbothered nod, treating her like an absolute stranger.

“Good morning,” Aditya’s deep, velvety voice boomed through the speakers, cold and authoritative. “I am Dr. Aditya, your head of clinical medicine. In my classroom, cell phones are off, assignments are early, and incompetence is not tolerated. Let’s begin.”

Preksha sat frozen, her heart hammering against her ribs.My husband is my professor.

“I am going to faint,” Yashika muttered three hours later as they navigated the bustling, chaotic corridors of the hospital wing for their practical rounds. “Dr. Aditya’s lecture literally drained my last remaining brain cell.”

“He’s strict, but he knows his stuff,” Meera noted, checking a patient chart.

Yashika turned around to reply, but because she wasn’t looking where she was going, her foot caught the edge of a rolling stainless-steel medicine trolley. “Whoa—!” she gasped, her hands flailing as she lost her balance, almost capsizing the entire tray of glass vials.

Before disaster could strike, a strong, steady hand shot out, catching the edge of the trolley with absolute ease, while another arm firmly gripped Yashika’s elbow to stop her from hitting the floor.

“Easy there, junior. The hospital is for healing people, not creating new patients,” a smooth, teasing voice chuckled.

Yashika looked up, her face flushing as she met the warm, hazel eyes of Zayan. He was a 24-year-old final-year senior, incredibly popular, effortlessly charming, and the guy half the girls in their batch secretly swooned over. He flashed her a dazzling, dimpled smile, keeping his hand lightly on her elbow. “You alright?”

The moment Yashika realized a senior guy was checking her out, her internal defense walls went up like iron shutters. She instantly yanked her arm away, her expression turning completely cold and defensive. “I’m perfectly fine. I don’t need a savior, senior. Move, please.”

Zayan blinked, thoroughly amused. Usually, girls looked for excuses to talk to him, but this clumsy, sweet-faced girl was looking at him like he was a annoying mosquito. “Just trying to help,” Zayan said, raising his hands in a playful surrender, a smirk playing on his lips. “I’m Zayan, by the way.”

“Didn’t ask,” Yashika snapped rudely. She grabbed Meera and Preksha’s hands, dragging them past him without looking back.

Zayan stood in the corridor, watching her retreating figure, his smirk widening.Well, well. The clumsy one has claws.

By 6:00 PM, the rain began to patter against the windows of the small café near the campus where the three girls always wound down. Preksha was still recovering from the shock of Dr. Aditya, and Yashika was still venting about “arrogant seniors,” but Meera was unusually quiet, staring intensely at her phone screen.

“Meera? Earth to Meera,” Preksha said, waving a hand in front of her face. “You’ve been spacing out since we left the wards.”

Meera let out a heavy breath, locking her phone. “My mom called. The wedding dates are officially locked for next month.”

Yashika’s eyes widened. “Next month? Bro, that’s so fast!”

“You know how my mom is,” Meera said, a rare trace of vulnerability slipping into her voice. “She runs the house like a military camp. I’ve spent my whole life being too terrified to ever break a rule or even think about getting into a relationship. When she brought Vivaan’s proposal, I just... said yes because saying no wasn’t an option.”

“But what is he even like?” Preksha asked softly, leaning in.

“He’s a Merchant Navy Officer. 27 years old. He sails on massive cargo ships,” Meera explained, her fingers tracing the edge of her coffee cup. “My mom likes him because he’s disciplined. The catch is his schedule—he goes out to sea for six months straight with zero contact, and then comes back home for a six-month holiday.”

Just then, Meera’s phone buzzed with an incoming call. The caller ID read:Vivaan.

Meera’s posture automatically straightened. She cleared her throat and slid the answer button. “Hello?”

“Good evening, Meera,” a deep, incredibly steady, and disciplined voice echoed from the receiver. There was a crisp, commanding edge to his tone, yet it held a distinct layer of profound respect. “I hope I’m not disturbing your studies. I just finished my pre-sailing medical clearances at the port. I wanted to check in on you.”

“No, you’re not disturbing me at all,” Meera replied, her voice brave and formal, though her heart gave a nervous flutter. “How are the preparations going?”

“All set. Once our wedding rituals are complete next month, I have to board the vessel within forty-eight hours for a six-month deployment,” Vivaan said calmly. “I know this arrangement isn’t easy, Meera. But I promise you, when I am ashore, you will have my undivided attention. Take care of yourself until I see you.”

“You too, Vivaan,” she whispered.

As the line went dead, Meera looked out at the pouring rain. A strict professor husband for Preksha, a persistent senior for Yashika, and a Navy officer about to disappear to the ocean for six months for her.

okay busy people so here is the new book and yea this book would probably be my favs I mean yea do let me know if you like it , do comment , like and review would help a lot for the efforts I am putting in the books

and yea till then this is your tara signing off