Author's POV
The final night came. All the girls were packing except Aravali. She was sad because she can no longer see Kartika. Poor girl. She will never be able to meet her type again. The other girls thought to give her some time and packed her things, while Aravali looking out the window staring at Kartikya's window as his window was just in front of Kartiya's but his windows were covered by curtains.
Aravali's POV
It was my bedtime, and I was not able to sleep, I switched my places, scrolled some reels and exercised (nighttime energy) but NO my don't want to sleep.
So, I decided to go down in the garden for some fresh air (and some mosquito bites).
As I was going past the library, I saw some light coming out. Everyone was sleeping, so who is in the library. I peeked through the door to see one and only KARTIKYA.
Oh, shit.
Oh, shit.
Oh, shit.
As I backed away from their. I stumbled upon a vase near the library door.
Thud.
Ouch!
I crashed straight in the vase. No Aravali why? My clumsiness again got me. As I was scolding myself in my thoughts, Kartikya came out to see from where the noise came from. Ugh, here we go again.
"Are you okay?" Kartikya asked me nonchalantly
"N-nothing I… I was just…umm going for water, and I was in half sleep, so I… I-" I was stuttering, but he cutted me off.
"Hey! Your hand is bleeding" He spoke still nonchalantly.
"Oh, It's okay. Today is a fest for mosquitos. I guess" I nervously laughed but in my mind I was scolding myself "Aravali how can you say these things right here with full confidence."
"No, come inside I will treat it" With that he pulled me inside the library and said "You wait here" I will bring the first aid kit"
I nodded. As he went, I was jerking my legs in air while giving the excited screams.
Kartikya's POV
It was midnight, and I was doing my college assignments. Yes, I am a student studying astronomy in the USA.
I heard a loud thud outside the room. When went to check her, I saw Aravali on the floor. When she got up she started blabbering things just then I saw her hand bleeding. Om my god. I took her in the library and made her sit there, and I went to take the first aid kit.
"How clumsy she is? She fell again. I remember she is the same girl who fell while watching her phone from a stone in New York." I thought then laughed and said "Clumsy but cute"
After I took the First aid kit, I went back to her and treated her wound.
Aravali's POV
"Done" he said and went back to do his assignments
"That's it I thought he is going to ask if I am okay or something. Oh poor me." I thought "But not this quick Aravali you have to take this chance" I thought
I went to him and sat in front of him.
"So, What are you doing?"I asked him, hoping for him to reply
" Doing my college assignments" he replied. YES.
"Oh what's your department?" I asked
"Astronomy" he replied
"So… astronomy, huh? You study stars?" I asked surprised
"Yes" He replied in short
" So, Why did you choose astronomy?" I asked him
""Because the sky doesn't change when people do." This line hits deep
I didn't replied immediately.
I felt it. That's enough.
I don't know why that one line just made my brain stop working for a second. "Because the sky doesn't change when people do." Like, damn. Okay, philosopher sir. My mouth opened, but no words came out, which is honestly new for me, since I always have something to say, even if it's stupid.
I nodded slowly, like some silent movie actress, and stared at the book in his hand. The library was quiet, but not awkward quiet. More like… warm quiet. Soft lamplight, rustling pages, distant crickets, and me trying not to embarrass myself any further.
I sat down properly, folding my legs, still clutching my bandaged hand like it was suddenly some sort of delicate artifact. "I… talk a lot when I panic," I said out loud before my brain could catch up and stop me. Nice. Amazing. Great job, Aravali.
Kartikya looked at me for precisely 2.5 seconds. Not like judgmental stare. Not like teasing stare. Just… observing. Then he nodded slightly, like I had just stated a scientific fact.
"It is okay," he replied simply. "Everyone has their way of handling silence."
That shut me up again. Because no one ever says things like that. Usually people tease, "Oh she's nervous" or "God she talks so much." But he just… accepted it. Like it wasn't something to fix.
I stared at the table. "You're really calm, you know that?
He flipped a page. "Not always."
And THAT right there? I don't know what it was. But it felt like he handed me a puzzle piece of himself. Tiny. But real.
And then we didn't speak after that. Weirdly, I didn't feel the need to, either.
Kartikya's POV
She sat silently. At last.
She didn't disturb the room; she just sort of. settled into it. Like she filled the space without forcing it. I continued working on my notes, but I could feel her eyes sometimes wander towards me, then away quickly. She was trying not to be obvious. She was failing.
But it was… endearing.
Aravali wasn't quiet because she had nothing to say. She was quiet because she was thinking. And she thinks in loud colors — in a way most people don't.
It is easy to tell when someone's mind is alive.
It seldom occurs.
And people like that-are hard to forget.
Author's POV.
After some time, Kartikya shut his book. Not loudly. Not dramatically. Just gently. He placed it back on the shelf and stood near the doorway.
He didn't look back while speaking.
"Be more careful next time."
Aravali didn't immediately reply. She merely sat and watched his silhouette go, watched the soft lamplight flicker, watched the space he had been.
For the first time in days, her chest didn't feel heavy.
But it didn't feel light either.
It felt… something.
She didn't name it.
She didn't have to. Furthermore, she sat there, staring at the warm glow of the lamp, as the night wrapped itself softly around her. And maybe — just maybe — sleep didn't feel so impossible anymore.