Sameera's POV:
A month passed quietly.
Not dramatically. Not painfully. Just… gently. Like life had decided to give me a breather.
After that day in the classroom—after Saharsh held me together when I was close to falling apart—things slowly slipped back into place. The tension faded. The silences disappeared. The doubts softened enough to breathe around.
Normal returned.
Or something close to it.
My days were filled with routine again—lectures that felt lighter, laughter that came easier, mornings that didn't start with dread. Saharsh was everywhere and nowhere all at once—walking me to class, stealing bites of my food, texting me in the middle of lectures just to say you look pretty when you concentrate.
I'd roll my eyes every time.
I'd smile every single time.
Rishita went back to Jaipur a week later, leaving behind her dramatic hugs and strict warnings for Saharsh to "take care of her or else." The house felt quieter after that, but Janhvi filled the silence easily—especially now that she wasn't hiding anything anymore.
Because Janhvi and Daksh… finally stopped pretending.
It happened in the college canteen, of all places.
We were all crammed around the usual table—plates half-empty, conversations overlapping—when Daksh suddenly stood up, cleared his throat, and said, "I have an announcement."
Everyone froze.
Janhvi groaned. "Daksh, if this is about attendance—"
He ignored her completely.
"I'm dating Janhvi."
Silence.
Then chaos.
Shreya almost choked on her cold coffee.
Aryan whooped loud enough to earn a glare from the next table. Saharsh leaned back, arms crossed, smug as hell. "Finally," he said. "I was getting tired of pretending not to notice."
Janhvi buried her face in her hands.
Daksh… smiled. Just a little. But it was enough.
I remember looking at them and thinking—maybe things do work out when you stop running from them.
Final exams came and went in a blur of notes, stress, and last-minute panic.
And then suddenly, just like that, we were done.
Graduation was all anyone talked about now.
Caps. Gowns. Photos. Parents visiting. That strange mix of excitement and fear that comes with the end of something familiar. My friends and I were stepping out of college for good—while Saharsh and his gang still had a year left to complain about assignments and attendance.
He pretended to be offended about it.
I pretended not to enjoy teasing him.
Even the pressure at home eased. Not vanished—but reduced. My parents stopped bringing up marriage every other conversation. The silence felt temporary, but I welcomed it anyway.
For the first time in months, my life felt… balanced.
Happy, even.
I was sitting on my bed scrolling mindlessly through my phone, Saharsh's last text still glowing on my screen.
What do you want as your graduation gift?
I smiled, about to reply, when another notification slid down from the top.
Subject: Regarding Your Interview – Bangalore Office
My breath caught.
Just like that, the room felt smaller.
The smile faded from my lips as my fingers trembled slightly around the phone.
I stared at the screen, heart pounding, knowing one thing with terrifying clarity—
Whatever was written in that mail…
Nothing was going to stay the same after this.
The notification stayed on my screen, unmoving.
If I opened it—and if I got selected—it meant everything I had worked for. Independence. A job I dreamed of. Proof that I could stand on my own. It meant choosing myself.
But it also meant distance.
Bangalore wasn't just another city. It was hours away from him. From Saharsh. From the life we were quietly building in stolen moments and shared silences. Late-night movies. Random kisses. The comfort of knowing he was just a floor away.
And if I didn't get it—
I already knew what waited for me.
Marriage.
A promise I had made in desperation. A deadline set by my parents. A life decided for me, not by me. A door that would close before I was ready, before I had even tried.
Either way, something would be lost.
My fingers hovered over the screen, heart racing, breath uneven.
Open it—and risk losing him.
Don't—and risk losing myself.
For the first time in months, that calm in my heart cracked.
And I just sat there, staring at the notification, wondering—
Which future was I brave enough to choose?
---
Graduation day arrived like a storm.
My room was a mess—makeup scattered on the bed, my graduation gown hanging crookedly from the cupboard door, my phone buzzing nonstop with messages I didn't have the energy to open. And right in the middle of all that chaos stood Saharsh.
Leaning against the doorframe. Arms crossed. Watching me like I was the only calm thing in his world.
"You know," he said, voice low and amused, "I've seen you code through all-nighters without blinking. But put you in a graduation gown and suddenly you forget how to breathe."
I glanced at my reflection and then at him. "Don't joke. I'm already stressed."
He walked closer, eyes soft. "You look beautiful."
I froze for a second.
The gown sat perfectly on my shoulders, the stole neatly placed, my hair finally behaving for once. But the way he was looking at me—like this moment was just as much his as mine—made my chest tighten.
"I'm nervous," I admitted. "About everything. Aai and Baba are coming. What if they notice you? What if they don't like—"
"Sameera."
He stepped closer, gently taking my hands. "Today is your day. Four years of hard work. Sleepless nights. Friendships. Growth. They're going to be proud. Trust me."
I swallowed. "Yeah, but… just—please be on your best behaviour if you want to stay on their good books."
He raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"And maybe," I rushed on, "try not to come near me too much. They don't like me talking to boys and you know how it is and—"
He kissed me.
Right in the middle of my sentence.
Soft. Slow. Unapologetic.
I melted before I could protest, my hands instinctively fisting his shirt as the world quieted around us. When he pulled back just a little, his forehead rested against mine.
"You look adorable when you stress," he murmured. "And don't worry. I'll be careful."
Careful didn't last long.
His lips found mine again, deeper this time. One hand slid into my hair, fingers tangling just enough to make my breath hitch. I forgot about parents. About ceremonies. About everything except the way my heart was racing under his touch.
Then suddenly—
"Wait."
I pulled back, eyes widening as I stared at the mirror.
"Oh my God," I groaned. "You've ruined my lipstick."
He looked genuinely offended. "Excuse me. I was helping you lighten it."
"And my hair!"
He shrugged, clearly unapologetic.
"That one's on you. You leaned in."
I tried to stay mad. I really did. But he smiled—that stupid, heart-stealing smile—and I ended up laughing instead, fixing my hair while he watched like he'd already won the day.
"Go," I said, pushing him gently. "Before you do more damage."
He leaned in once more, brushing a quick kiss to my forehead before leaving.
And just like that, my nerves eased.
Because no matter how big the day felt.
I wasn't facing it alone.
---
The college campus looked different today.
Familiar—but louder. Brighter. Like it knew something important was about to end.
I spotted my parents near the main entrance almost immediately. Aai was fussing over her pallu, Baba scanning the crowd like he was afraid he'd lose me in it. The moment they saw me in the graduation gown, both of them froze.
For a second, they just stared.
Then Aai smiled—the proud, emotional kind that made my throat tighten.
"There she is," Papa said softly. "Our graduate."
I hugged them quickly before the lump in my throat could betray me. Around us, cameras flashed, laughter echoed, names were being called out randomly—chaos in the best way possible.
"Sameera!"
I turned just in time to be swallowed by my girls.
Shreya, Sanskruti, Janhvi, Manjiri, Sneha—my constant six. We screamed, laughed, adjusted each other's gowns, took blurry selfies that none of us would ever delete.
"We actually survived engineering," Sneha said dramatically.
"And each other," Sanskruti added.
The boys arrived a minute later—Aryan, Ujwal, Atharva—pretending to act cool while clearly just as emotional.
While someone from the group volunteered to help my parents find their seats, my eyes automatically began searching.
I found him.
Saharsh stood a little away, with his group—and Gauri.
She was laughing about something, her short hair framing her face. Saharsh caught my gaze at the exact same moment.
Everything else blurred.
He smiled. That soft, grounding smile that always felt like home.
Come here, he mouthed.
I walked over, heart light.
Him handing his phone to gauri. Her saying "You called me just to make me your personal photographer?"
"You're good at it," he said easily. "And I want proper pictures. This is a big day."
He held me close. Our eyes lingered for a second too long. No words—just that silent conversation we were so good at.
You okay?
Nervous.
I'm here.
Then my name was called.
The ceremony began.
Time moved strangely after that.
I walked up when my turn came, my heart pounding as my name echoed through the hall. I accepted the degree with trembling hands, smiled for the camera—and instinctively scanned the audience.
I found my parents first. Aai was wiping her eyes. Baba was clapping slowly, proudly.
Then, in a darker corner, slightly hidden—
Saharsh.
Standing. Whistling. Clapping louder than anyone else, grinning like he had just graduated.
My chest swelled.
This was real. This was my life.
The applause faded. The ceremony ended. We were officially graduates.
As I stepped aside, my phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
I answered without thinking.
"Hello, this is Sameera Gayaki."
"Hi Sameera, this is Ardent Systems, Bangalore. We're calling regarding your interview."
My breath caught.
"Oh—yes. I'm so sorry, I haven't opened the mail yet."
"We wanted to inform you that you've been selected," the voice continued calmly. "We'll need a confirmation from your end to proceed with the offer."
Selected.
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"I—I'm at my graduation ceremony right now," I said quickly. "Can I get back to you later today?"
"Of course. Congratulations."
The call ended.
My head spun.
Dreams. Distance. Saharsh.
Before I could process anything, Aai appeared beside me—smiling far too brightly—with a man I had never seen before.
"Sameera," she said, "meet Anil."
He looked polite. Well-dressed.
Confident. Too confident.
"Congratulations on your graduation," he said, shaking my hand.
"Thank you," I replied mechanically.
I pulled Aai aside. "Who is he?"
She looked surprised. "I just introduced you."
"No. Why is he here?"
She hesitated only for a second.
"He's the one who asked for your hand."
The words hit like a slap.
My ears rang.
"What?"
"You delayed meeting him for so long," she continued. "So I thought—let him see you today. What better day?"
I couldn't breathe.
"I need—" I said, backing away. "I need to find someone."
Before she could stop me, I turned and ran.
I needed to find Saharsh first.
I want to tell him everything. About the interview. My parents marriage pressure. This guy.
I started looking for him through corridors. Lawns. Staircases.
My heart hammered one name.
Finally, I saw him.
Saharsh.
His back was facing me.
Relief flooded my chest as I moved closer—until I noticed her.
Gauri.
She stood too close. Close enough that my steps slowed. Close enough that my chest tightened.
I watched her reach for him.
Her hand curled into his collar.
She leaned in. And kissed him.
And whatever happened in that moment—
Whatever my eyes registered—
Was enough.
Enough for the noise to disappear.
Enough for my breath to stop.
Enough for the world to collapse around me.