Dreams are funny.
Most of them disappear before you even open your eyes.
This one stayed.
The first thing I remember is a classroom.
Not my classroom.
Not any classroom I had ever seen before.
Just... a classroom.
Sunlight was spilling through the windows, students were scattered across desks, and somehow everyone seemed interested in only one thing.
Results.
Apparently CUET results were about to be announced.
Only the toppers'.
Which made absolutely no sense.
But dreams don't care about logic.
They never have.
I was busy wondering whether my score would be embarrassing when my eyes landed on him.
And immediately my stomach dropped.
What is he doing here?
Of all places.
Of all people.
Why him?
The last thing I wanted was for him to know my score.
What if he scored better?
What if I scored worse?
What if—
Actually, no.
Let's not think about that.
I forced myself to look away.
He was sitting at the last desk in the corner.
I was sitting at the last desk in the middle row.
Far enough to pretend I wasn't looking.
Close enough to know exactly where he was.
Which was a problem.
A very serious problem.
Because every few minutes my eyes kept finding him.
And then, as if he could sense it, he leaned forward and said something to a girl sitting a few benches ahead of me.
I don't remember what he said.
I only remember suddenly feeling the need to get up.
There was a file lying beside me.
Did it need to be moved?
No.
Did I move it anyway?
Absolutely.
I walked all the way there, placed the file down with unnecessary seriousness and returned.
Mission accomplished.
Had he noticed me?
Probably not.
Did that stop me?
Also no.
Then the dream changed.
The way dreams always do.
Without warning.
Without explanation.
One blink and the classroom disappeared.
The next blink and I was home.
There was some sort of function happening.
The house was full.
Voices echoed from every room.
Someone was laughing downstairs.
Someone was calling for plates.
Someone was definitely shouting at children.
Normal family function things.
But what wasn't normal...
Was him being there.
And not just there.
Sleeping....
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There was some sort of function happening.
I don't know whose.
I don't know why.
I don't even know how we got there.
The house was full of people, voices bouncing from one room to another, laughter mixing with the sound of utensils from the kitchen. Relatives were everywhere, children were running around, and somehow, in the middle of all that chaos...
He was there.
And apparently nobody found that strange except me.
At first I couldn't find him.
Which was ironic because a few moments ago I had been trying to find someone else.
Now suddenly he was the one missing.
My feet carried me through the house, past crowded rooms and half-open doors until I reached one at the end of the corridor.
The door wasn't fully closed.
Just enough for me to peek inside.
And that's when I saw him.
Sleeping.
I don't know why that surprised me.
People sleep.
That's a very normal thing.
But somehow seeing him asleep felt different.
The room was quiet.
Peaceful.
My little sister was sleeping beside him, completely unaware of the fact that she had somehow stolen the best spot in the room.
And there he was.
Curled up on one side.
Wearing blue.
Fast asleep.
Not talking.
Not teasing anyone.
Not looking at me.
Not leaving.
Just...
There.
For once.
I stood at the door longer than necessary.
Much longer.
Because honestly?
Nobody tells you how unfairly adorable people look when they're sleeping.
Especially when it's someone you're already trying very hard not to think about.
His hair was slightly messy.
One arm was stretched above his head.
His face looked softer somehow.
Younger.
And for the first time in forever, there wasn't a wall between us made of awkwardness and things left unsaid.
I could have woken him up.
I should have.
The function was already going on outside.
Everyone else was awake.
Instead, I quietly stepped back and left.
Because if he stayed asleep...
He'd stay a little longer.
And I liked that idea more than I should have.
The next morning everyone gathered around breakfast.
Or maybe lunch.
Dreams aren't very good with time.
All I know is that my mother had somehow managed to prepare enough food to feed an entire village.
There was halwa.
Chhole.
Poori.
Kheer.
The table looked like a festival.
"Go wake him up," I told my brother.
He disappeared.
Returned a minute later.
And immediately started laughing.
"What happened?"
"He asked where the rolls are."
I blinked.
"What?"
"Rolls."
"ROLLS?"
The entire room burst into laughter.
Out of everything available in the house...
That was what he wanted?
"No."
I stood up immediately.
"I'll go."
When I entered the room, he was finally awake.
Or at least half awake.
He stretched lazily, eyes still heavy with sleep.
Then looked around.
And the first thing he asked wasn't about breakfast.
Wasn't about the function.
Wasn't even about where he was.
"Where's your sister?"
I stared at him.
Seriously?
That was his first question?
"Outside."
I folded my arms.
"Also, you're not eating rolls."
He frowned.
I continued.
"My mom made actual food."
Silence.
"Good food."
More silence.
"Very good food."
A sigh.
Then finally—
"Okay."
Victory.
When I walked back outside and announced that he had agreed to eat what everyone else was eating, my mother looked up from the kitchen.
"The halwa is finished."
I laughed.
"It's fine."
He wasn't that serious about it.
At least...
I hoped he wasn't.
The day slipped away after that.
The way happy days always do.
Too fast.
People arrived.
People left.
Music played somewhere in the background.
Children screamed for absolutely no reason.
And at some point...
He appeared again.
This time wearing a suit.
I don't remember whether it was navy blue or black.
I only remember the white shirt underneath.
And the fact that for a second...
I forgot what I was saying.
Not because I was dramatic.
Not because I was obsessed.
But because some people have a very annoying habit of looking unexpectedly good.
And apparently he was one of them.
Later he found me standing near one of the rooms.
And without warning began explaining who was coming.
His uncle.
His aunt.
His sister-in-law.
One by one.
As if it was important that I knew.
As if it mattered.
And maybe that's why I listened so carefully.
Not because of the information.
But because he was the one telling me.
The function slowly began winding down after that.
People started gathering their things.
Cars were being called.
Goodbyes floated through the air.
The evening sun faded into gold.
And before I knew it...
He was leaving too.
I found him outside.
Bending slightly as he tied his shoelaces.
Preparing to go.
Something inside me immediately disliked that.
"Do you really have to leave?"
He didn't answer.
Not immediately.
I frowned.
"Seriously?"
Still nothing.
"Are you still upset?"
That made him look up.
"No."
Just one word.
Soft.
Simple.
Honest.
But somehow it wasn't enough.
I wanted him to stay.
Even for a little longer.
Even for a few minutes.
Even for no reason at all.
And then...
The sky interrupted us.
At first it was only one streak.
A flash of silver cutting across the darkness.
Then another.
And another.
And another.
Until suddenly the entire sky was alive.
Shooting stars.
Everywhere.
Hundreds of them.
Maybe thousands.
Silver trails stretching endlessly across the night.
Bright enough to steal everyone's attention.
Beautiful enough to make the world stop.
Nobody spoke.
Not at first.
I simply stared.
The stars looked impossibly close.
As if someone had scattered diamonds across the sky and forgotten to pick them up again.
And somehow...
I could hear them.
A soft twinkling sound.
Gentle.
Magical.
Almost impossible.
Slowly I turned toward him.
He was already looking up.
The silver light reflected in his eyes.
The night wrapped around us like a secret.
And for a moment...
Everything else disappeared.
The people.
The function.
The noise.
The goodbyes.
Everything.
"Make a wish."
The words escaped before I could stop them.
He smiled.
Just a little.
Then looked back toward the sky.
And so did I.
I closed my eyes.
Not because I knew what to wish for.
But because for once...
I didn't need to.
The answer was standing right beside me.
When I opened my eyes again, another shower of silver streaked across the darkness.
The stars continued to fall.
The night continued to glow.
And somehow...
For one impossible moment...
It felt like the universe had paused just long enough for two wishes to reach it together.