Chapter 1: The Wrong Side of the Bed
[7:14 AM — Ayaan’s Phone Buzzes]
Aarush 💬: “Rise and shine, loser 🌞”
Ayaan stared at the message longer than he should’ve. He smiled, the kind of smile you save for someone who doesn’t know they’re your whole world.
He typed back: “Morning. You wish.”
Then paused. Deleted it.
Typed again: “You always text first. Obsessed much?”
Deleted that too.
Eventually, he just sent: “Shut up.”
The moment it was delivered, another ping came through.
Aarush 💬: “Pick me up? I’m running late. Again. I owe you coffeeeee ☕💛”
Ayaan sighed, already grabbing his keys. He’d have picked him up even without the coffee. Even without the message.
---
[At the Campus Entrance]
Aarush practically jumped into the passenger seat. Hair still damp, shoelaces untied, and that same crooked grin that always made Ayaan’s chest tighten.
Aarush: "You're a lifesaver. I swear, you're the reason I'm still in college."
Ayaan (teasing): "No, I'm the reason you're always late. You rely on me too much."
Aarush: “Because you love me too much.”
He winked.
Ayaan's heart skipped, choked, twisted—then fell flat again.
He laughed. Pretended it didn’t sting.
Ayaan: “Yeah. Sure. Let’s go with that.”
---
[Later, in the college canteen]
Aarush was scrolling through his phone, grinning like an idiot.
Ayaan: “Who’s got you smiling like that?”
Aarush: “Oh! You remember Diya from Economics class? I think she likes me. She laughed at everything I said yesterday.”
Ayaan blinked.
Ayaan: “Maybe you were actually funny for once.”
Aarush: “Wow. The betrayal.”
Ayaan (forcing a grin): “Seriously though… you like her?”
Aarush (shrugging): “Maybe. She’s cute. But you know how I am. I suck at dating. I’m gonna mess this up.”
Ayaan wanted to scream: You already are.
Instead, he just stirred his cold coffee.
---
[Flashback – Age 15]
It was raining. Their first sleepover. Aarush had his head on Ayaan’s shoulder, half-asleep, mumbling nonsense.
Aarush: “If I ever get married, you better be my best man.”
Ayaan: “Of course.”
But that night… Ayaan stared at the ceiling long after Aarush fell asleep.
That was the night he realized—
He didn’t want to be the best man.
He wanted to be the groom.
---
[Present]
Aarush: “Anyway. If I do ask her out, you’ll help me plan something, right?”
Ayaan looked at him.
At those eyes that had never really seen him.
Ayaan (softly): “You’ll make her really lucky.”
Aarush smiled and slapped his shoulder.
Aarush: “You’re the best, bro.”
Ayaan’s thoughts:
> "When he hugged me goodbye that day, I held him like it was the last time.
But he didn’t even notice.
He just said, ‘Thanks, man.’
And I heard, ‘Love you.’"
To be continued.....
