The rhythmic ticking of the clock blended with the faint hum of voices outside. Dr. Aria Shrivastava had meant to take a five-minute nap, but the gentle warmth of her desk had made it impossible to get up. She stirred slightly, the cool wood pressing against her cheek.
BAM. A loud knock on the table jolted her awake.
"Dr. Aria."
She blinked groggily, looking up to see a senior resident towering over her, arms crossed.
"Yes, sir." She straightened, blinking rapidly to shake off her drowsiness.
The senior scoffed. "Is there an emergency, or do you always blabber nonsense in your sleep? "
Aria frowned, still half-asleep. "Maybe… yes, sir?"
The senior's brows twitched, clearly unimpressed. Aria, however, remained oblivious.
Shaking his head, he finally said, "There are new MBBS interns. Go help them settle in."
Aria sighed but nodded. "Okay, sir."
As she walked through the hospital corridor, she passed familiar faces. A few juniors greeted her, and she responded with polite nods. Her co-residents had already gathered in the meeting room.
She stepped inside, grabbing the microphone. The room quieted.
"Good morning, everyone. As first-year master's students, we know how overwhelming hospital life can be at first. We've been in your shoes, so feel free to ask for guidance."
Her friends began guiding the interns to their assigned areas. Aria leaned against the table, casually watching—until her gaze landed on one particular girl.
Anshika.
The world blurred for a moment, the familiar face pulling her into a memory.
Flashback: High School – The Betrayal"
Class, we have a storytelling competition," the teacher announced. "Prepare your stories by tomorrow, or your marks will be deducted."
As soon as the bell rang, Anshika slid onto Aria's desk, a teasing glint in her eyes.
"So, what's your story about?" she asked.
Aria shrugged. "Maybe… a one-sided crush."
Anshika smirked. "Oh, you and your endless crush on— well, message me your story tonight. I'll send you mine."
That night, Aria sent her story. Anshika never replied.
The next morning, during assembly, Aria whispered, "Why didn't you send yours? Haven't you thought of anything? Your marks—"
Anshika shrugged. "I don't know."
Aria frowned. Something felt off.
Then the teacher called Anshika up.
And in front of the entire class, Anshika read Aria's story.
Applause. Praise. The teacher smiled proudly.
And when Aria's turn came, she could only stand there, fingers fidgeting, staring at the girl who had taken her words.
"I… I didn't write anything," she finally mumbled.
The teacher scolded her in front of everyone. "Your marks are deducted, Aria. Learn some responsibility."
Anshika? She stood in the corner, guilt flickering in her eyes—but not enough to step forward.
Present: Hospital Meeting Room
A nudge on Aria's arm snapped her back.
"Finally," one of her friends whispered, grinning. "We have interns now! We'll finally feel like seniors."
Aria laughed lightly. "Just don't be too harsh on them."
Her friend walked off, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
Should I say hi? she wondered. It's childish to hold a grudge over something so small, right?
Before she could decide, a tap on her shoulder made her turn.
Anshika stood there, smiling hesitantly. "Hey. You're… Aria, right?"
Aria met her gaze, her expression unreadable. "Aria," she repeated, not bothering with pleasantries.
Anshika stumbled slightly. "Oh—I mean, Dr. Aria. "
Aria cut her off. "No need. Just Aria is fine."
Anshika chuckled. "Wow, you must have jumped classes. No doubt—you were always good at studies. Let's catch up sometime?"
Aria opened her mouth to refuse, but Anshika didn't wait. "Actually, you have to come! I'm celebrating my six-month anniversary with my boyfriend. Be there."
Without waiting for a response, she walked away.
Aria stared after her, not sure what irritated her more—the forced invitation or the fact that she hadn't changed.
Next Day: Hostel – Sneha's Dramatic Tantrum"
You're really going? To meet your ex-best friend? " Sneha huffed, arms crossed. "Am I not enough for you?"
Aria zipped up her purse. "You have to go through my body to stop me."
Sneha flopped onto the doorframe, arms spread dramatically. "Fine. Step over me. Betray me. "
Aria simply walked around her.
"Ariaaa!" Sneha whined as the door clicked shut.
Shaan & Nishant – Law Firm Escape
The ticking of an expensive clock echoed in the grand conference room of Kapoor & Associates, one of the most prestigious law firms in Delhi. Thick legal documents were spread across the mahogany table, but no one was actually reading them.
Instead, two senior partners—Mr. Kapoor and Mr. Khanna—were in an intense verbal war, each determined to prove the other wrong.
"The prosecution's case is weak, and the judge will see through it," Mr. Kapoor argued, tapping his pen aggressively on the table.
"Weak? Their argument is built on solid legal precedent," Mr. Khanna shot back, adjusting his tie.
Shaan Kapoor exhaled slowly, resisting the urge to drop his head onto the table.
Next to him, Nishant Khanna leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, expression blank. His face screamed I'd rather be anywhere else.
Shaan spun a pen between his fingers, murmuring, "I can't believe I gave up my Saturday night for this."
Nishant didn't even blink. "Correction—you gave up your Saturday night for another one of our fathers' prestigious, never-ending ego battles. "
Shaan smirked. "Right. How could I forget?"
Their fathers were still going at it, oblivious to the fact that their sons—and half the room—had checked out twenty minutes ago.
"We're going to be stuck here forever, aren't we?" Nishant muttered.
Shaan leaned forward, elbows on the table, voice mock-serious. "We could fake a medical emergency."
Nishant gave him a look. "You're a lawyer, not an actor."
"I'm versatile."
"You're full of shit."
Shaan's lips curled into a grin just as Nishant's phone vibrated. He glanced at it and sighed in relief.
"Aryan's at Blue Haven. Says we owe him a drink for ditching his last swimming competition."
Shaan raised an eyebrow. "We didn't ditch. We were legally unavailable."
"Try telling him that." Nishant pocketed his phone. "So? You in?"
Shaan considered it for half a second before pushing his chair back. "Let's get out of here."
Nishant eyed their fathers, who were still too absorbed in their argument to notice anything else. "And how do you propose we do that?"
Shaan smoothed his cuffs and stood. "Watch and learn."
He cleared his throat, instantly slipping into his perfect 'future lawyer' persona.
"Dad, Uncle," he said smoothly, "it's clear that this discussion requires fresh analysis. I propose we review the case separately and reconvene later."
For the first time in an hour, the room fell silent.
Mr. Kapoor hummed, considering. Mr. Khanna adjusted his glasses, nodding slightly.
"…That's actually reasonable," Mr. Khanna admitted.
Mr. Kapoor sighed, rubbing his temples. "Fine. We'll continue later."
Shaan didn't smirk outwardly, but Nishant could feel the energy of a victory.
The second they stepped out of the glass doors of the law firm, Nishant shook his head. "You could probably talk your way out of a murder charge."
Shaan smirked. "It's a gift."
The city lights flickered around them as Nishant unlocked his car. "Blue Haven?"
Shaan rolled his shoulders back, a rare glint of excitement in his eyes.
"Let's go.
Club – The Unexpected Twist
Aria froze at the entrance.
A club?
She glanced at the invitation message. Had she missed something?
Her introverted self screamed in protest. Maybe I should call Anshika first.
As she pulled out her phone, two familiar figures strode past her into the club.
Aryan. Nishant.
Aria's brows furrowed. What are they doing here? Are they still in touch?
Curiosity won over hesitation. She stepped inside, blending into the dimly lit crowd.
Her eyes landed on the celebration banner.
"Happy 6-Month Anniversary, Anshika &…"
Her breath hitched.
"Shaan"