Ah, finally—Saturday! A weekend, my escape from the mundane routine of waking up early and rushing to the office. I stretched lazily, savouring the slow morning, and stepped out of my room.

As I walked into the living room, I saw my mother sitting at the dining table, a stack of papers spread in front of her. She was marking them with her usual focus, her reading glasses perched on the bridge of her nose.

I plopped down beside her, resting my head on her shoulder. She sighed, removing her glasses, and patted my head affectionately.

"Ma, why are you correcting these papers?" I asked, noticing the red ink she was using.

She smiled warmly. "The math teacher already has too much on her plate, so I told her to give me some work. It’ll help lighten her load."

I shook my head with a smirk. "Other principals assign work to teachers, but here you are, doing their work for them."

She chuckled. "Maithili, not everything is about authority. Sometimes, helping makes things easier for everyone."

I rolled my eyes playfully, but her kindness never failed to amaze me. "Alright, ma. By the way, I’m starving."

"I kept breakfast on the table. Go freshen up and eat," she instructed.

Nodding, I went to my room, washed up, and returned to have my breakfast. Just as I took the first bite of my toast, my phone vibrated with a message.

"Hey Maithili."

I frowned. The number was unknown. Who could this be?

I hesitated for a moment before typing back. "Who’s this?"

Almost instantly, another message popped up.

"You forgot me? My heart bleeds knowing Maithili forgot me."

What the hell? My instinct told me to ignore it. Random messages like these didn’t deserve my attention. I was about to block the number when another text appeared.

"Hey, don’t Ignore my message ! I’m Rahul. Rahul Sharma. Same college, same team. Remember?"

I blinked. Rahul Sharma?

A wide smile spread across my face as I quickly typed back. "You should’ve just said your name earlier! You were seconds away from being blocked!"

His response came with a laughing emoji. "I knew it! 😂"

I shook my head, amused. "So, how are you? And why this sudden nostalgia?"

"I never forgot you in the first place, Maithili," he replied. "I lost my contacts. Big, long story. But now that I found you, let’s catch up! Any plans today?"

I thought for a moment. It had been years since we last talked.

"Sure, why not?" I typed back.

"Great! Lunch sounds good?"

"Perfect."

He sent the time and venue, and I responded with a thumbs-up.

As I put my phone down, a strange excitement bubbled within me. Rahul Sharma. The name alone brought back a flood of memories.

Back in college, I used to have a small crush on him—not that he ever noticed. He was one of the most handsome guys on campus, effortlessly charming and, of course, the most wanted among the girls. Whenever we had group projects, I secretly hoped he'd be in my team. And when that happened, I would feel an undeniable thrill, even though I always played it cool.

After college, we naturally drifted apart. Life happened. But now, talking to Rahul again had unearthed all those silly moments and that long-buried crush I had on him.

"Maithili, what do you want to eat today?" My mom's voice pulled me from my thoughts.

Keeping my phone aside, I looked at her and said, "Ma, I have plans for lunch. I’m going to meet a friend."

She raised an eyebrow. "A friend? Who is this friend?"

I smirked. "You know him, Ma."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Him? You're going to lunch with a boy? Is it Shivam? Because he’s the only male friend you have."

I chuckled. "You remember Rahul, Ma?"

She paused for a second, then realization struck. "Rahul... the basketball player? The one you used to talk about in college?"

I rolled my eyes but couldn't hide my smile. "Yes, the same basketball player."

"And the same little crush of yours?" she teased, her lips twitching with amusement.

I let out a laugh. "Ma, that was years ago! Teenage times. It was nothing serious."

She nodded, a knowing smile on her face. "Okay, okay. Enjoy your lunch with your first crush."

I shook my head, chuckling at her reaction. She never let me live anything down.

After freshening up, I stood in front of my wardrobe, staring at the rows of clothes, suddenly unsure of what to wear. It was just a casual lunch, so why was I overthinking it?

"Thinking so much about what to wear for a casual meeting? That’s so unlike you, Maithili," my mom teased, standing at the doorframe.

I turned, rolling my eyes. "Ma, stop it. It’s just two old friends catching up after a long time. Nothing more."

She walked in and sat on my bed, a playful smile on her face. "Maybe. But you're meeting your crush the only crush of yours after all these years, so it’s natural to be a little excited."

I let out a dramatic sigh. "I swear, you’re more excited about this than I am, Ma."

She laughed; I turned back to my wardrobe. After a few moments of indecision, I finally pulled out a simple yet elegant blue cotton kurti with white ankle-length pants. Something comfortable, nothing too dressy—just perfect for a casual lunch.

After changing, I stood in front of the mirror, running a brush through my hair. I gathered it loosely and secured it with a small clip, leaving a few strands to frame my face.

I tilted my head slightly, assessing my reflection. Not too much, not too little. Just right.

"Perfect," I murmured to myself, taking a deep breath.

This was just lunch. Nothing more.

Just two old college friends catching up.

So why was my heart racing just a little?

I bid my mom goodbye and headed out, grabbing my car keys. Sliding into the driver’s seat, I took a deep breath before starting the engine. As I pulled out of the driveway, I turned on the FM, letting the music fill the car.

"Dil Yeh Dhokha Dhadi..."

I sighed, shaking my head as a smile tugged at my lips. Of all the songs, really?

Mentally scolding myself, I muttered, "Maithili, what the hell is wrong with you? Why are you feeling like a crazy teenager? It’s just lunch. He just wants to catch up. Who knows? He might even be married by now!"

I exhaled, gripping the steering wheel tighter. Okay, calm down. Don’t overthink this.

Pushing all unnecessary thoughts aside, I focused on the road. Before I knew it, I had reached the venue. I pulled up to the entrance and handed my keys to the valet.

Taking a moment, I adjusted my bag on my shoulder, grabbed my phone. I took a deep breath stepped inside.

"Maithili!"

I heard my name being called and instinctively turned around. There he was—Rahul Sharma.

Dressed in a black shirt and jeans, he looked effortlessly handsome, just like he did back in college. If anything, time had only made him look better.

"Hey," I greeted with a smile.

He stepped forward, about to give me a side hug, and at the same time, I extended my hand for a handshake.

For a brief second, we both froze, realizing the mismatch in our greetings. Then, simultaneously, we smiled and adjusted—he took my hand for a shake, and I leaned into the hug.

Okay, that was awkward and weird.

I had never been awkward in my life, but there I was, messing up a simple hug. Seriously, Maithili? I mentally facepalmed but managed to keep my smile intact.

Rahul chuckled softly. "That was smooth," he teased.

I laughed, shaking my head. "Yeah, first time having an awkward hug. I took my seat, and he sat across from me.

The air between us felt light but carried an unspoken nostalgia. This is going to be interesting.

There was a moment of silence between us, not uncomfortable, but noticeable.

"So, how’s life?" Rahul finally asked, breaking the quiet.

I smiled. "Busy but good. What about you?"

"Same. Work keeps me occupied," he said with a shrug.

Curious, I leaned forward slightly. "So, what’s the sudden meeting about? And more importantly, how did you get my number?"

He chuckled. "You haven’t changed, Maithili—always straight to the point."

I grinned. "Nothing like that. Just curious."

Still smiling, he leaned back in his chair. "I ran into Shivam at the mall yesterday—completely by accident. We started talking, catching up, and somewhere in between, he mentioned that you, he, and Aarthi are working in the same company. So, I asked for your number."

"Oh," I said, my lips forming a small circle. Of course, Shivam. Always the messenger.

"So, where do you work now?" I asked, genuinely interested.

"I work as a tech developer at ARS Group of Industries," he replied casually.

My eyebrows raised slightly. "Oh wow, I actually tried applying there in the past, but I didn’t get selected."

"Really?" He looked genuinely surprised. "Send me your details. If we have any openings, I’ll refer you."

I smiled. "I appreciate that, but I’m quite comfortable in my current company. I’m getting great exposure, and once I feel ready, I’ll try again. The first time I applied, I realized I needed to improve my skills, so I’m working on that."

Rahul nodded, a soft smile playing on his lips. "You really haven’t changed a bit, Maithili. Still ambitious, still determined."

I returned his smile. Before I could respond, a waiter approached.

"Sir, your order?"

I picked up the menu, scanning through the options. But before I could make up my mind, Rahul spoke up.

"I’ve got this," he said, placing the order confidently.

I raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me? What if I wanted something else?"

He smirked. "Trust me, I come here often. They have amazing dishes, and I ordered the best for both of us."

I shook my head, amused. "Fine, I’ll trust you on this one." Setting the menu aside, I looked back at him. "So, how’s everything at your end? Work, family… life?"

Rahul took a deep breath, his smile faltering just a little. "Everything’s fine… just different now."

Something in his tone made me pause. Different how?

Soon, our lunch arrived, beautifully plated and steaming with rich aromas. I picked up my spoon, taking the first bite with anticipation.

And immediately, I wanted to cry.

Not because it was bad—no, not at all. But it was bland.

Completely opposite to my palate. I loved spicy food. The kind that set my tongue on fire, the kind that made my taste buds dance. This, however… this tasted like boiled hopes and dreams.

Rahul watched me expectantly. "Isn’t it the best, Maithili?"

I forced a smile, nodding. "Yeah… really good," I managed, struggling to swallow.

He grinned, clearly pleased with himself. Great. Now I have to eat this without letting him know I’d rather drown it in chili flakes.

I took small bites, my enthusiasm fading with every spoonful. Just as I was trying to come up with an excuse to stop eating, Rahul spoke.

"Maithili, there’s a reason I wanted to meet you today."

I paused, mid-bite. Okay, here it comes. The real reason behind this sudden lunch invitation.

I put my spoon down and looked at him, curiosity piqued. "I’m listening."

Rahul put his spoon down and looked at me, his expression serious.

"Maithili, I know you hate people who beat around the bush, so I’m telling you directly."

I frowned slightly, sensing the weight in his words.

He exhaled before continuing, "Shivam told me that you’re single. And Maithili… only I know how happy I was to hear that."

I blinked, caught off guard. Happy?

Rahul ran a hand through his hair, his gaze locked on mine. "After college, I tried to get your contact from so many people, but no one had it. And you… you were nowhere on social media. It felt like you just disappeared."

I bit my lip, suddenly aware of how true that was. He wasn’t wrong. I had always been an introvert—someone who kept her circle small. Shivam and Aarthi were the only friends I had from college, and even at work, I spoke to people only when necessary. Social media? Never had the patience for it.

I snapped out of my thoughts as Rahul continued.

"But then, by God’s will, I ran into Shivam yesterday. And the first thing I asked him was about you."

I stared at him, my heart doing something it really shouldn’t be doing.

Why was Rahul searching for me all these years?

Rahul took a deep breath, his eyes locked onto mine.

"Maithili, when my parents started looking for an alliance for me, the only person I could think about was you. My thoughts were always about you."

I stared at him, my heart beating just a little too fast.

"You were everything I ever wanted in a wife, in a partner," he continued, his voice steady yet filled with emotion. "But I thought… you wouldn’t be mine. That maybe I had lost my chance."

He glanced up at the sky, a small, almost grateful smile on his lips.

"But it’s all written there," he said, pointing upward. "He plans everything."

A soft smile tugged at my lips. This wasn’t happening. Was it?

Rahul leaned forward slightly; his expression sincere. "So, Maithili, I’m asking you. I want you to be my wife. My life partner."

He took a deep breath.

"What do you say?"