The Diwali diyas in Nandanpur had barely gone out, yet the festive glow still hung in the air.
The roads shimmered faintly with leftover lights, and the scent of marigold garlands still floated through the wind.
After a week of Diwali vacation, Devgarh High finally reopened.
The corridors buzzed with laughter, stories of firecrackers, sweets, and sleepless nights.
But for Abhay and Ishanvi, the morning felt heavier — the memory of that Diwali night at the Sudarshini Ghat still lingered.
Ever since their diyas had floated without burning out, something between them had changed — quiet, magnetic, and unexplained.
Their first class back was Science — a practical day. The topic: static electricity. Simple enough… or it should've been.
Mr. Rajeshwar, their teacher, was demonstrating with a Van de Graaff generator. When it was Abhay and Ishanvi's turn to try, she reached for the metal sphere just as Abhay's hand brushed against hers.
In that instant — crack! — a sharp, golden spark shot out. The lights flickered, glass beakers rattled, and a faint, humming energy pulsed through the room.
The class gasped. "Whoa—what was that?" said Aarav from the back, laughing nervously.
Mr. Rajeshwar frowned. "That shouldn't have happened… it wasn't even switched on."
Abhay quickly stepped back, rubbing his hand. "Static, maybe. Must be the dry air," he muttered, forcing a smile.
But Ishanvi wasn't smiling. Her fingers still tingled. And when she glanced at Abhay, she saw the same golden shimmer flash briefly in his eyes — the same glow she had seen in the flickering diyas by the Sudarshini.
As they left class, she whispered, "Abhay… did you feel that?"
He nodded slowly. "Yeah. And… it wasn't static."
The golden spark had returned — not from Diwali lamps this time, but from them.
And this time, it wasn't going away.