October 1990, Came. Only a week remained before the shooting of Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin would begin.
For the first time in months, life felt peaceful to Adil. There were no interviews, no premieres, and no endless promotional activities. The success of Aashiqui had changed everything, but these few weeks before starting his second film allowed him to breathe again.
Of course, "normal" had a different meaning now. The front gate of D. G. Ruparel College was almost permanently occupied by curious fans and photographers. Some days reporters from Screen and Stardust magazines waited outside hoping to get a photograph or a small comment from the young sensation of Aashiqui. The principal had long accepted the situation and arranged for Adil to use the back entrance whenever necessary.
Inside the college, however, everyone had gradually returned to their normal routine. His classmates no longer surrounded him every morning asking for autographs. To them, he was simply Adil again.
And somehow, during those quiet weeks, Aishwarya Rai had become a natural part of his everyday life.
Neither of them could say exactly when they had become close. Perhaps it started with exchanging notes. Perhaps during lunch breaks. Or maybe during those ordinary walks after classes. Whatever the reason, they had become comfortable around each other.
She no longer saw him as the famous actor from Aashiqui. And Adil, despite knowing the incredible future waiting for her, found himself enjoying the company of the simple seventeen-year-old girl sitting beside him in class.
One morning before Professor Menon's chemistry lecture, Sameer Malhotra sat beside Adil and smiled mischievously.
"Brother," he whispered dramatically, "half the college thinks something is going on between you and Aishwarya." Adil nearly dropped his pen.
"What nonsense?" he asked. Sameer pointed toward the windows where Aishwarya was laughing with her friends.
"You spend time together, You leave together. And she smiles every time she sees you." Adil rolled his eyes and said. "Nothing is happening."
"Of course," Sameer replied."As if I am blind, I can't see." Adil threw his notebook at him while Sameer burst out laughing.
By lunch break, Sameer had somehow disappeared, leaving Adil alone in the canteen. A few moments later, Aishwarya arrived carrying two cups of tea. "Peace offering," she said with a smile.
Adil raised an eyebrow and asked. "For what?"
"For tolerating Sameer every day." She replied. Both of them laughed.
As they sat down, Aishwarya seemed quieter than usual. After several moments, she finally spoke.
"Can I ask you something?" Adil nodded. "Of course."
She hesitated for a moment. "I recently received a modeling offer."
Adil looked surprised. "Really?"
Aishwarya nodded. "It's not something huge. Just advertisements and a few photo shoots. But my family isn't sure. Some relatives think I should focus only on studies."
"And what do you think?" Adil asked softly. She looked down at her tea. "I don't know." After a brief silence, she smiled helplessly. "It sounds exciting. But honestly, it scares me."
Adil smiledand said. "Everything worth doing is scary." She looked at him curiously and said. "Weren't you scared when you started acting?"
Adil laughed softly. "I still get scared."
Aishwarya stared at him in disbelief. "You?"
"Yes, me." Adil said.
"But everybody thinks you're confident." Aishwarya said.
"If only they knew," Adil replied with a smile. "Half the time, I'm nervous."
That answer made her laugh. "So what should I do?" she asked.
Adil remained silent for a moment. Then he asked softly,
"What does your heart say?"
"My heart?" she repeated. Adil nodded and said. "If modeling excites you, then try it. If you love studying more, choose that. Just don't live according to someone else's dreams."
She looked at him quietly. "And what if I fail?"
Adil smiled. "Then you'll learn something."
"And if I succeed?" She asked.
"Then you'll learn something too." Adil replied simply. Aishwarya laughed and said. "You always sound like a professor."
Adil scratched his head then they laughed together.
Two days later, Mumbai was hit by unexpected rain. Students rushed everywhere looking for shelter while Adil and Aishwarya stood under the college entrance waiting for it to slow down.
"I forgot my umbrella," Aishwarya said.
"So did I," Adil replied.
They watched the rain silently for a while. Then Aishwarya smiled mischievously and said. "Mr. Superstar, do stars melt in rain?"
Adil laughed and replied. "Depends."
"Depends on what?" she asked.
"Depends on whether Miss Future Model is asking." Adil said.
Aishwarya asked."Future model?"
"You never know." Adil said.
She looked outside again. "And what if I become nothing special?"
The question surprised him. Without thinking, he replied softly, "Why you need that, You already are." The words escaped before he realized them.
For a brief second, both became quiet. Neither looked away. Neither said anything. And somehow, neither needed to. The silence wasn't awkward. It simply felt comfortable.
Over the next few days, they spent more time together. Sometimes they studied in the library. Sometimes they discussed assignments. Once, while trying to solve a difficult mathematics problem, both arrived at different answers and spent nearly twenty minutes arguing before Professor Menon himself came over and informed them that both answers were wrong.
Even Professor Menon laughed. "Mr. Ali, Miss Rai, perhaps cinema and beauty have distracted both of you."
The entire class burst into laughter. Sameer nearly fell from his chair laughing.
Another afternoon, Sameer sat beside them and shook his head dramatically.
"I swear, when you both get married, remember I introduced you."
Before he could finish, both Adil and Aishwarya threw books at him.
Sameer escaped laughing. "You see?" he shouted while running. "Even your aim is perfect together!"
Despite his jokes, neither Adil nor Aishwarya denied anything.
Not because there was something to deny. But because neither truly understood what was happening.
They weren't lovers. Not yet. But they had become more than ordinary friends. There was trust, Comfort. And strange happiness.
One evening, while walking toward the gate after classes, Aishwarya suddenly asked,
"When does your shooting start?"
"October fifteenth," Adil replied.
"So soon?" She asked.
Adil nodded and said. "I submitted my leave application today."
Aishwarya became quiet and asked. "You'll stop coming to college?"
"Not completely. I'll continue studying on my own. Whenever I get time, I'll come." He said.
She smiled and said. "Trust the class topper to worry about studies while becoming a movie star."
Adil laughed and teased. "And trust Miss Future Model to laugh at him." Aishwarya just smiled.
Neither noticed Sameer standing a few feet away. Watching them with folded arms, he shook his head and muttered to himself. "Idiots." Then he smiled. "Both of them are complete idiots."
And perhaps he wasn't wrong.
Because somewhere between shared notes, cups of tea, ordinary conversations and simple promises, something had quietly begun between Adil Ali and Aishwarya Rai.
Not love. Not yet.
But something neither wanted to lose.
And seven days later, as cameras rolled for Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin, Adil would discover that becoming a star was easy.
Understanding his own heart was far more complicated.