Morning sunlight streamed through the dorm window, painting golden lines across Ishani's bed.She got up from the bed Feeling excited and screamed herself with joy , got up and swiftly took her bath and got dressed up. Her phone buzzed — "Amma calling."
She smiled, instantly feeling the warmth of home."Hello, nannaa... how is everything? Are you eating properly?" her mother's soft voice came through, layered with care and worry.
"Everything's perfect, Amma," Ishani said, slipping a small bindi between her brows as she looked into the mirror. "I love it here. I'll call you later, okay? I'm getting late for my first class."
Her mother sighed, as if wanting to say more, but only whispered, "Take care, kanna."
Ishani smiled and hung up, adjusting the hem of her yellow floral kurti. It hugged her frame neatly, paired with skinny jeans and a high ponytail that bounced with each step. She took a deep breath, grabbed her bag, and walked downstairs to where Mary and Joanna were waiting in the dorm lobby.
Mary turned the moment she saw her and blinked. "Ishuuu, girl—you're.... girl—"
Ishani frowned and looked down at herself. "Am I looking weird?"
Mary chuckled, shaking her head. "No, bro. You're looking pretty pretty. I love this style."
Ishu laughed in relief. Joanna barely lifted her head from her phone, muttering something inaudible.
"Come on," Mary said cheerfully, looping her arm through Ishu's. "Let's grab your schedule and books from the office before class."
The main hall buzzed with students, the scent of coffee and fresh print lingering in the air. Ishani collected her schedule, and Mary leaned in to scan it.
"Hmm… looks like you've got plenty of free hours this semester," she said.
Ishu peeked over her shoulder. "Really? Then I guess I should find something to fill the time. Maybe a part-time job?"
Mary tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I might know someone who can help with that. Let me call him."
After a short call, Mary grinned. "He's at the library. Perfect timing. You'll like him."
The library took Ishani's breath away — tall arches, rows of books, and a stained-glass dome glowing softly above. She was still admiring it when Mary suddenly waved. "Hey, Harsh! Over here!"
Ishani followed her gaze — and froze.
A tall guy in a baby-pink shirt and white pants sat casually on a table, sleeves rolled up, surrounded by girls laughing at something he said. His hair fell slightly over his forehead, his jaw sharp under the light. When he noticed Mary, his lips curved into a slow, knowing smile.
Ishani blinked, unable to stop the words that slipped out of her mouth. "Wow… hot."
Mary burst out laughing. "Isn't he?"
Ishani's eyes widened in panic. "What—no! I mean—it's so hot in here!" She started fanning herself dramatically, cheeks turning crimson.
Harsh walked toward them, his gaze steady and unreadable. "What's up, Mary Curie?" he teased, and then turned to Ishani. "And who's this?"
Mary grinned. "This is Ishuu — short for Ishani. Short name, short temper, and from India's Bahubali state."
Harsh raised an eyebrow, his eyes locking on Ishu's for a moment longer than polite.
"Andhra Pradesh, huh?" His tone softened.
"I'm Harsh. Half Malayali, half trouble," he said with a grin, extending his hand.
Ishani hesitated before taking it — his palm was warm, firm, and for a second, the world around her dimmed into background noise.
Her heart thudded a little too loud.
"Nice to meet you," she managed to say.
"Likewise," he replied, that dimple flashing again.
Mary clapped her hands. "So, Harsh, my girl here's looking for a part-time job. Think you can help?"
Harsh tilted his head, curiosity sparking in his eyes. "Already? It's barely been a day."
He licked his inner cheek thoughtfully. "But yeah… sure. I'll see what I can do."
"Perfect!" Mary said, handing Ishani her books.
"Also, help her with these, okay?"
Mary's phone buzzed, and she looked at the screen in alarm."Crap! I totally forgot about my group meeting! I gotta run!—Harsh, take care of her, okay?"
Ishani froze. Wait—no, don't leave me here with him! she screamed inside her head, but all that came out was a polite smile as Mary waved goodbye.
Before Ishani could protest, Mary had already dashed off, waving one last time before disappearing down the hall.
Now it was just her and Harsh. And the steady sound of her heartbeat, echoing like a secret she didn't want him to hear.
Ishani sighed, muttering under her breath, "Traitor…"
A voice suddenly whispered near her ear, low and amused."Shall we go now?"
She jumped a step back, clutching her books to her chest. "Oh God! That scared me!"
Harsh laughed, dimples flashing, clearly enjoying her reaction. "You scare easily, huh?"
Ishani rolled her eyes but smiled faintly. "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that."
He tilted his head playfully. "Duly noted,Chipmunk ."
"Chipmunk?!" Ishani tilted her head, her eyebrows knitting into a deep frown. "What the hell do you mean by chipmunk?"
Harsh let out a soft laugh at her reaction.
"Well, chipmunks are highly curious, always alert, and easily scared…" he said with an amused grin. "So, you're basically one."
He gently pushed her forehead with his index finger in a playful manner. Ishani immediately pouted, rubbing her forehead dramatically while glaring at him.
Then, with an easy stride, he picked up a few of the heavy books from her arms. "So… MBA, huh?"
Ishani nodded while scanning the shelves. "Yeah. I wanted to set up a café someday. I just need some business fundamentals before I start."
Harsh smiled in approval. "That's a solid plan."He paused, glancing at her sideways. "But why Canada? There are tons of good programs in India too."
Ishani crouched down to check the lower racks. Her voice softened as she spoke."Canada's been my dream place since childhood. The peace here… the way people live… I don't know, I just always imagined being here." She smiled faintly. "So—one stone, two birds."
"Nice," he murmured, watching her with something unreadable in his eyes.
Ishani sat cross-legged on the floor, flipping through the lower shelf. "Ugh, can't find this last one anywhere—"
"Hey," Harsh said, leaning slightly over her. "You mean this one?"
Before she could look up, his arm reached past her to the shelf just above her head.For a second, everything went still.
She turned instinctively — and froze.
Their faces were inches apart, his breath warm against her cheek, his hand still braced above her on the rack. Her eyes widened, his gaze steady — lingering, unreadable, but undeniably intense.
The air between them thickened; even their heartbeats seemed to sync in rhythm.Harsh's gaze flickered briefly to her lips, and Ishani felt her pulse spike.
Just then, Mary's name flashed across Harsh's phone screen, breaking the moment.He blinked, pulled back slightly, and handed her the book.
"Here. Your last one," he said casually, but his voice carried a faint roughness.
"Thanks," Ishani murmured, clutching the book — though her fingers trembled slightly.
He stacked all the books neatly into her hands and stepped back, drawing in a slow breath. "I'll text you about the part-time thing. What's your number?"
Ishani quickly took his phone and typed it in. "Here you go."
He nodded, sliding it back into his pocket. "Alright then… see you around."
Ishu smiled. "Thank you for the help."
He turned toward the door, glancing back once — eyes catching hers for the briefest moment — before saying quietly,"No mention,Chip"
Ishani rolled her eyes in annoyance and Harsh smiled playfully and turned back.
And with that, he walked out, leaving Ishani standing amid the tall shelves, her pulse still echoing in her ears.