Chapter 3 – A Direction for the Future
The next morning, Anshul woke up earlier than usual.
Sunlight filtered through the curtains of his room, casting soft golden streaks across the walls. Normally he would have stayed in bed for another thirty minutes, scrolling through his phone or lazily preparing for the day.
But today was different.
His mind was clear.
Focused.
And filled with a strange excitement.
Because for the first time since his reincarnation, his life had a clear direction.
He sat up slowly and stretched his arms.
"San Francisco…"
The name still felt surreal when he said it out loud.
Somewhere in that city lived a girl named Mia Thermopolis, completely unaware that she would soon become the princess of an entire country.
And Anshul intended to meet her before that happened.
Not because of power.
Not because of the throne of Genovia.
But because… he remembered the story.
He remembered how lonely Mia had felt before everything changed.
And strangely enough, that memory made him want to help her.
The smell of breakfast drifted from the kitchen downstairs.
Anshul left his room and walked down the staircase.
The living room was already lively.
His grandfather sat on the sofa reading the newspaper while his grandmother arranged plates on the dining table.
His father was preparing to leave for court, already dressed in a crisp white shirt and black trousers.
His mother was pouring tea.
Their home was never quiet in the mornings.
"Good morning," Anshul said as he entered the dining area.
His grandmother immediately looked up.
"Finally awake?"
She placed a plate of parathas in front of him.
"You've been sleeping too much these days."
Anshul chuckled lightly.
"I was thinking, not sleeping."
His father glanced up from the newspaper.
"That sounds even more dangerous."
The family laughed.
Anshul smiled along with them, but inside his thoughts were already drifting back to his plan.
If he wanted to go to San Francisco, he needed something important.
A reason.
International universities didn't accept students randomly.
He needed excellent grades.
Strong academic results.
And probably extracurricular achievements as well.
His mother sat down beside him.
"Your exams are coming soon," she reminded him.
"You should focus on studying instead of daydreaming."
Anshul nodded calmly.
"I know."
But this time, he truly meant it.
Because studying was no longer just about passing exams.
It was a step toward reaching another continent.
After breakfast, he returned to his room.
His desk was already covered with notebooks and textbooks.
Mathematics.
Physics.
Computer science.
He opened his laptop again and began researching something new.
Universities in San Francisco.
Several institutions appeared.
Some were extremely prestigious.
Others were more accessible.
But they all had one thing in common.
High standards.
Anshul leaned back in his chair thoughtfully.
"If I want to get there… I'll need more than just decent grades."
He opened another tab.
Programming languages to learn.
Another tab.
Startup ideas for students.
Another tab.
Scholarships for international students.
Within minutes, his screen was filled with information.
Most teenagers his age would feel overwhelmed.
But Anshul had something they didn't.
The experience of another lifetime.
He understood how valuable certain skills were.
Programming.
Data analysis.
Technology.
Those fields were going to dominate the future.
If he started early, he could build something meaningful before even graduating.
An idea slowly formed in his mind.
"Maybe… a small tech startup."
Nothing too ambitious at first.
Just a project.
Something that could grow over time.
Something that might even attract attention from universities.
The more he thought about it, the more excited he became.
Anshul grabbed a notebook and began sketching ideas.
Simple software tools.
Educational platforms.
Data analysis programs.
It didn't matter which one he started with.
What mattered was taking the first step.
Hours passed quickly as he worked.
When he finally looked up from the notebook, the afternoon sun had already shifted across the sky.
Anshul stretched slightly and smiled.
For the first time in a long while, he felt truly motivated.
This wasn't just about reaching San Francisco anymore.
It was about building a future.
A future where he wouldn't simply follow the story of The Princess Diaries.
He would create his own path within it.
Somewhere across the ocean, Mia Thermopolis was probably living her ordinary life.
Going to school.
Struggling with confidence.
Completely unaware that a boy in India had just begun planning a journey that would eventually cross her path.
Anshul closed his notebook and looked out the window.
"Let's see how far this road goes."
The journey toward San Francisco had officially begun.