The walk to college continued at its usual pace.
Neither of them was in any particular hurry.
The campus was beginning to wake properly now.
Students moved along the pathways in groups, some already complaining about the morning lecture, others trying to finish assignments before class.
Aanya walked beside Sagnik, occasionally adjusting the strap of her bag.
She still hadn't completely gotten used to the fact that she had woken up at his place.
Not because it felt strange.
That was the strange part.
It didn't.
There had been no awkwardness when they woke up.
No uncomfortable silence.
No moment where either of them had suddenly wondered what they were supposed to do.
They had simply gotten ready.
Had breakfast.
And walked to class.
Just like they always did.
Only now, there was a small memory between them that hadn't existed before.
The morning.
The quiet room.
The fact that she had stayed because she wanted to.
Aanya glanced at him.
He was looking ahead.
"You know..."
He turned slightly.
"What?"
She hesitated.
"Nothing."
His mouth curved.
"Again?"
She smiled.
"Maybe."
"You've said this the second time since yesterday"
"You're counting?"
"I notice things."
Aanya looked away.
"That's dangerous."
"Why?"
"Because then you'll notice everything."
"I already do."
She looked at him.
For a second, neither said anything.
Then Aanya smiled and looked ahead again.
Their classroom was already filling up when they arrived.
They took their usual seats.
Aanya opened her notebook.
Sagnik placed his bag beside his chair.
The professor entered a few minutes later.
The room settled.
And the day began.
Nothing about the morning looked different from any other morning.
Except that every now and then, Aanya would catch herself looking at him.
And every now and then, she'd find him already looking at her.
Neither mentioned it
By lunchtime, the morning had disappeared into a blur of lectures.
Aanya closed her notebook and stretched her fingers.
"Finally."
Sagnik looked at her.
"That was only three hours."
"Exactly."
"You're dramatic."
"I'm tired."
"You woke up at seven."
"Exactly."
He smiled.
They packed their things and went to lunch with the others.
The conversation around the table was loud enough that neither of them had to contribute much.
Aanya ate while listening.
Sagnik occasionally leaned toward her to say something only she could hear.
She laughed once.
Then nudged his knee under the table.
He looked at her.
She pretended nothing had happened.
It was easy.
Almost too easy.
Later, when the afternoon had begun to settle, they found themselves back at Sagnik's place.
There wasn't any particular reason.
They had some work to finish.
And neither had objected when he suggested going there.
Aanya dropped her bag near the sofa.
Sagnik walked inside.
He stopped halfway.
Frowned.
Then looked around.
"What?"
Aanya noticed immediately.
"I can't find something."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Again?"
He looked at her.
"Again."
"What is it?"
"My sketchbook."
Aanya stared at him.
"Since when do you even have a sketchbook?"
Sagnik shrugged.
"Since forever."
"And you lost it?"
"I didn't lose it."
"You just can't find it."
"That's different."
"How?"
He didn't answer.
Aanya smiled.
"Where did you last see it?"
He thought for a moment.
"I don't remember."
"That's helpful."
"I know."
She looked around the room.
"Okay."
Sagnik looked at her.
"Okay what?"
"We're finding it."
"You don't have to."
"I know."
She walked toward the shelves.
"But I'm going to."
He watched her for a second.
Then smiled faintly.
"Fine."
They started with the obvious places.
The desk.
The shelves.
The drawers.
Aanya checked underneath a pile of books.
Nothing.
She checked beside the sofa.
Nothing.
She opened a drawer and found several pens, an old charger and a packet of something she couldn't identify.
She held it up.
"What is this?"
Sagnik looked over.
"I don't know."
"You live here."
"Apparently not well."
She laughed.
He shook his head and continued searching.
They moved around the room together.
Every few minutes, Aanya would find something that clearly hadn't been where it belonged.
A book upside down.
A loose sheet of notes.
A pair of headphones.
A single sock.
She held it up.
"Again?"
Sagnik looked at it.
"I don't know how that happens."
"You're a disaster."
"You knew that."
"Not to this extent."
He laughed.
The search continued.
Eventually, they ended up sitting on the floor.
The room looked slightly more chaotic than it had fifteen minutes earlier.
Aanya leaned back against the sofa.
"We're never finding it."
"We will."
"You sound very confident."
"I know where my things are."
She gave him a look.
"You've spent 15 minutes looking for one book."
"It's not a book."
"What is it?"
"A sketchbook."
"Still."
He smiled.
Aanya sighed.
Then stood again.
"Let's check the bedroom."
Sagnik followed.
She moved toward the shelf.
Pulled out a few notebooks.
Nothing.
Then another.
Nothing.
She crouched down.
There were several books stacked toward the back.
She reached toward them.
"Wait."
Sagnik's voice came from behind her.
She stopped.
"What?"
He stepped closer and moved one of the books aside.
There.
A dark cover.
Partially hidden beneath the stack.
His expression changed.
"Found it."
Aanya looked at it.
Then at him.
"That's it?"
"Yeah."
He pulled it out.
A simple sketchbook.
Worn around the edges.
Used.
Clearly old.
Aanya smiled.
"Finally."
Sagnik held it in his hand.
For a moment, he looked down at it.
Something unreadable passed across his face.
Then it disappeared.
Aanya noticed.
She tilted her head.
"What?"
"Nothing."
She smiled.
"Can I see?"
He looked at her.
There was a tiny pause.
Then—
"Maybe later."
Aanya narrowed her eyes.
"Why?"
"It's nothing interesting."
"Now I definitely want to see it."
Sagnik shook his head.
"You'll get bored."
"I don't get bored easily."
"You do."
"I don't."
"You do."
She smiled.
"We'll see."
He tucked the sketchbook under his arm.
Aanya looked at it once more.
She didn't ask again.
Not yet.
They had found it.
That was enough.
For now.