Sealed Memories

The Boy Everyone Noticed

There were three things Aahana Sharma wanted from the first day of her second year.

A seat near the window.

A time table that did not contain an eight AM lecture.

And absolutely no unnecessary drama.

"Babe, your sitting on my bag"

Vahani looked down. She was, indeed, sitting on Aahana's bag.

"I was just saving you a seat"

"With my bag underneath you?"

"Well it worked, didn't it"

Aahana took her bag and dropped it onto the empty chair besides.

The classroom was already overflowing with students exchanging vacation stories, timetables and planning the upcoming year.

Aahana preferred holidays. Not because she disliked college, but due to the chaos surrounding college.

New clubs, gossips, relationships, and heartbreaks that somehow everyone seemed to be going through by October.

Aahana wanted no part in it at all. Vahani, on the other hand believed other people's romantic lives were a form of public entertainment.

She grabbed Aahana's arm.

"You missed it."

"I've been here for eleven minutes, the college just stared ?"

"Exactly. You missed it eleven minutes ago !"

Aahana looked towards Aaru sitting on the other side with the look of confusion and uninterest.

Aaru didn't look up, and focused on her book session.

"A boy."

"of coursssee, as usual" Aahana sighed.

"A very attractive boy, if i might correct !" Vahani corrected.

"Still a boy."

"Aahaannaa, he came in a BMW. On the first day! Can you imagine"

That finally made Aaru look up.

"Apparently the car is an important personality trait."

"On the first day." Aahana said with sarcasm.

"You two have no appreciation for beauty!"

"Well i came eleven minutes ago, i haven't seen your prince charming yet."

"I showed Aaru !!" Vahani argued.

"And ?"

Aaru considered.

"Well... he has a face." 

Aahana laughed and began taking her notebook out.

"I'm sure god will be upset to hear how we don't appreciate his beautiful creation."

"Yah, i don't think so. Vahani half of the college already does, I'm sure god wont mind us minding our business."

By lunchtime, Aahana had heard the name

Vishant Rathore

six times. And four out of those was from Vahani herself.

"He's a fresher, his birthday is on 21st April 2007,  he lives in York Street Mansion and he's doing Business administration" Vahani announced, stealing one of Aaru's fries.

"Wow! Life changing information." Aaru looked at Vahani in fury.

"Why do you know all that?" Aahana asked.

"People talk."

"Your eavesdrop?"

"I listen Aahana." 

Aahana ? Well she just wasn't interested.

Aaru reached for another fry. Her fingers landed on the empty plate. She looked at Vahani.

"You ate all of them ?!"

"I was emotionally distracted."

"Buy your own then."

"I love you."

"Buy me more then !"

By three in the afternoon, Aahana had forgotten about him. Mostly.

Vahani linked her arm through Aaru's, while Aahana walked with Tea in her hand. They crossed the courtyard towards the main building. It had turn cloudy, promising rain.

Aahana loved this part of the campus. Old trees bordered the pathway, their branches leaning over, the cold wind with the smell of faint wet soil even before it rained.

A few minutes later someone bumped into her from behind. Her elbow struck the paper cup in her hand. Tea splashed towards her.

Before she could react, another hand caught the cup.

He steadied the cup before setting it on the ledge besides.

"You Okay?" his voice was lower then she expected.

"Aaa~ Yes." she step back.

He was tall.

Dark hair, slightly messy.

Sharp features.

Vahani made a suspicious choking sound behind them.

He glanced at them, then looked back at Aahana.

"Sorry about your tea."

"You didn't spill it."

"No."

"Thank You for saving it tho."

"Pleasure."

A pause.

When Aahana looked back, he was already leaving.

Something about the conversation bothered her, she couldn't identify what.

By five pm it started raining. Not politely.

Aahana stood beneath the roof searching her bag.

Notebook. Wallet. Earphones. Even packet of biscuits she'd forgotten existed.

No umbrella. Of course.

Vahani came sprinting from building.

"Aahana! Bus!"

The bus was beginning to move.

"Oh Shit."

Aaru appeared behind them at questionable speed.

By the time they could do something, the bus had already left the sight.

"Its fine, im calling my driver. It'll take an hour." Vahani said.

They returned towards the academic block, irritated and somewhat tired.

Aahana walked towads the classroom. Thunder rolled. For some reason, she stopped.  A chilled wind passes. She rubbed her arms.

"Stop being dramatic." She muttered.

Footsteps sounded behind her. She ignored until they became loud. Before she could turn, someone caught her arm.

"Finally Found You."