📍Army Medical Institute

The sun cast its warm glow over Pune, bathing the city in a soft, golden light. A gentle breeze rustled through the trees, sending birds flitting about, their sweet melodies filling the air. The atmosphere was alive with the vibrant hum of activity, a symphony of sounds that ebbed and flowed like a living entity.

At the Army Medical Institute, the morning bustle was in full swing. Cadets hurried across the grounds, their footsteps echoing off the buildings as they rushed to join their respective classes and some were busy in the preparation of upcoming event. The air was filled with the murmur of voices, a cacophony of discussions that spilled out of classrooms and into the corridors.

On the grounds, groups of cadets played sports, their laughter and shouts mingling with the sounds of the institute.

Despite the chaos, there was a sense of order, a feeling that every individual knew their place and purpose. The environment was alive, pulsing with energy and potential, a sweet blend of discipline and camaraderie that defined the institute's spirit.

A group of students clustered in front of the notice board, their eyes scanning the list with bated breath. The air was electric with anticipation as they eagerly awaited the announcement of the top five students who would receive the Excellence Award in their final year of MBBS. The excitement was palpable, with whispers and murmurs rippling through the crowd as they speculated about the identities of the high achievers.

As they pored over the notice, their faces reflected a mix of emotions - hope, anxiety, and determination. Some students leaned in closer, their eyes scanning the list with an intensity that bordered on desperation, while others stood back, their expressions calm and confident.

Suddenly, one of the girls couldn't contain her excitement. Her eyes widened, and a radiant smile spread across her face as she spotted the names on the list. Without warning, she took off, her feet pounding the ground in a joyful sprint as she dashed towards the Hostel room.
She burst into the hostel floor, her footsteps echoing down the corridor as she shouted "Niyatiiiiiiiiii!!!! Niyatiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!" she rushed to her  Hostel room, tapping urgently on the door. When it swung open, she stood there, breathing heavily, her eyes wide with excitement. "Niyati kaha hai jaldiii baata!" she demanded, her voice barely above a frantic whisper.

Her friends exchanged confused glances, shaking their heads. "I don't know Vaishnavi, aaj class bhi nhi hai and when I woke up Niyati wasn't in the room," one of them said, concern etched on her face. The other one said,"kyu kya hua,why you are so in hurry?"

Vaishnavi's face fell, but only for a moment. "I need to tell her something!" she exclaimed, her urgency renewed. "Where issssss sheeeeee?

When her friends admitted they didn't know Niyati's whereabouts, one of them suggested, "She might be in the ground where,event preparations are going on."
Vaishnavi's eyes lit up but then reality hits her"Impossible! Miss Niyati Sinha apna routine break karke ground mein enjoy kare jaakar,ho hi nhi sakta....wait lemme check her schedule list"

She strode over to the table, her hands fluttering over Niyati's diary. As she flipped through the pages, her eyes scanned the to-do lists and her routine, her face set in concentration.

Suddenly, her eyes locked onto something, and a triumphant smile spread across her face. "Library!!!!! Dekha kaha tha...padhne gyi hai madam!! aaj bhiiii...aaj itne saalo baad jab weekdays peh pehli baar humari class nhi hai...iss ayetihasik din peh bhi madam padh rhi hai" she exclaimed, snapping the diary shut.
The other girls erupted into laughter.

Without another word, she took off.... ,her other friends' bewildered questions trailing behind her. "Why were you shouting btw? What happenedddd???"

Vaishnavi called out over her shoulder, "baad mein aake bataungiiiiiii" as she sprinted towards the library.

📍Library

In the library, a girl sat at a corner table, bathed in a warm patch of sunlight. A gentle breeze rustled the pages of her book as she pored over diagrams of human physiology, her eyes scanning the intricate illustrations with intense focus. Her uniform was immaculately worn.....and she was fully engrossed in her book giving her a studious air.
That girl was none other but

'NIYATI SINHA'💓

The atmosphere of the library was serene, with the soft hum of concentration filling the air. Fellow students sat absorbed in their own studies, the only sound the occasional rustle of pages or soft scratch of pen on paper. The girl's quiet demeanor blended perfectly into the peaceful environment, her serious face a testament to her dedication to her studies.

As she sat engrossed, lost in the world of anatomy and physiology, time seemed to stand still. Her focus was unwavering, her mind completely absorbed in the complex diagrams and notes. The soft light and gentle breeze seemed to fade into the background, leaving only the thrum of knowledge and understanding.

Suddenly,

The library's peaceful atmosphere shattered as Vaishnavi burst through the door, shouting "Niyati, tu tohhhh chhaaa gyiiiiii." Her excitement echoed through the room, disturbing the studious silence. All eyes turned toward the commotion, and Niyati's face flushed as she tapped her forehead in exasperation.

Vaishnavi quickly realized her mistake and cut her tongue in embarrassment, her eyes darting toward the librarian. From the back of the room, the librarian's stern voice boomed, "Silence!"

Vaishnavi's face fell as she walked toward Niyati, mouthing "Sorry, ma'am" to the librarian. The librarian's disapproving gaze lingered before she shook her head.

Vaishnavi swiftly made her way to Niyati's table, plopping down beside her with a sheepish grin. "Sorry," she whispered, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Niyati rolled her eyes good-naturedly, and Vaishnavi leaned in, eager to share her news.

Niyati said,"Tu yaha kya kar rhi hai.. aaj class toh hai nhi...and library  mein padhne toh tu exams mein bhi nhi aati...toh aaj kaise hnnn!!!
So tell me,madam aap library mein kar kya rhi hai??"

Vaishnavi replied,"hehehehe!!! Ab mai itni bhi khasss nhi.....aacha leave all this...tujheeee paataaaa haiiiiii!!"

To this Niyati said,"kya paata hai?"

Vaishnavi again said,"Tujheeeeee paata haiiiiiii."

But as soon Niyati could say anything this time... her eyes widened in surprise as Vaishnavi grasped her hand, shaking it excitedly. "You made it to the top five list for the Excellence Award!"

Niyati's eyes sparkled with excitement as she asked, "Reallyyyy???like for reaallll...aacha!!!!Tell me more naaa! Who are the other four? Give me all the details!"

Vaishnavi made a face and said,"Yeh good news nhi haiiii...behen!!!woh toh pahele seh hi clear thaaa...that you will obviously win....ab tujh jaise padhaku nhi jeetenge toh aur kaun jeetega mujh jaisa cool cadet...hnnn!!."

Niyati also made a face in response and said,"kyaaa??"

Vaishnavi said,"obviously!!!".....now with excitement she added,"Good news toh yeh hai ki as a Speacial guest Capt. Annirudh Shrivastava is comingggggg hayeeeeee!!!!!! and usse bhi zaada aachi baat yeh hai ki....those 5 cadets will get a chance to talk to all these bright officers.... especially mere Annirudh ji seh👉🏼👈🏻."

Niyati teasingly said,"ohhh...mereeeee I seeeee....waise thoda sa apne oxytocin hormone koh break peh laga kyuki....I will talk to him na as he will discuss with those 5 who will win...aap kyuuu khush ho rhi haiiii madam!!!."

Vaishnavi irritatingly blurt out," zaada mat bann...mereko bhi saath rakhna... keh dena I supported you through your tough times in this MBBS journey and I deserve to be with you on this special day, seeing you getting this prestigious award...waise bhi winners can take 4 people with them in that event...so tere Papa, mummy, tera bhaiiii aur maiiiiiii...teri pyari aur supportive Sakhiii." She said...pointing her index finger towards herself.

As Niyati heard the words, her body betrayed her calm exterior. Her hands began to shake, and sweat broke out on her skin. Her legs trembled beneath the table, but she exerted immense self-control, gripping her uniform tightly to steady herself.

With a forced smile, Niyati attempted to compose herself. "Hmmmm okay," she said, trying to sound nonchalant. Swiftly changing the subject, she added, "Aacha chal hostel room mein chalte hai, I am already so tired after this long study session!!!"

Her words were laced with an effort to conceal her true emotions, as she struggled to regain her composure.

Vaishnavi's words poured out in a rush, a mix of casual conversation and affectionate teasing. "Accha theek hai," she said, as if wrapping up a discussion. Then, with a playful tone, she added, " waise baadi jaldi maan gayi tu...yeh hoti hai ek saachi sakhi ki nishani..."

Her voice softened as she continued, "myyyyyy best friend. I love you."

Vaishnavi's words took a more serious turn as she explained her reasoning. "I could've asked Shagun to take me with her, but you know she's coming with her family, and obviously, her boyfriend will be there too. So, that's four people already."

With a smile in her voice, Vaishnavi added, "And then I saw your name in the list, and I knew you wouldn't have a boyfriend, right?......Kyuki Niyati Sinha koh pyar shabd seh hi nafrat hai
So, you'll definitely take me, my best friend – I love you." Her words were laced with affection and an assumption about Niyati's relationship status.

Niyati's body betrayed her as she struggled to maintain a facade of calmness. Her legs trembled uncontrollably, her hands and feet were slick with sweat, and her face glistened with perspiration.

Despite her growing anxiety, Niyati forced a smile, trying to match Vaishnavi's infectious enthusiasm. She pretended to be fine, but her physical symptoms intensified, threatening to expose her true state.

The disparity between her outward appearance and inner turmoil grew, making it increasingly difficult for Niyati to keep up the charade.

As they packed up and left the library, Vaishnavi's excitement spilled over. "This is perfect!" she exclaimed. "I'll get to meet your family – your parents and your little brother, whom I've only talked to on the phone."

She bubbled with enthusiasm. "And your mom's famous handmade pickles! I miss them, and I will love telling her how much I adore them."
Vaishnavi's face lit up with anticipation. "I'm so excited to meet everyone and tell your mom how much I love her cooking."

As they walked, Vaishnavi's joy was infectious, filling the air with warmth and friendship.

With each mentions by Vaishnavi, Niyati's facade crumbled further. Her attempts to appear normal and happy were failing, but she clung to composure with immense effort.

Her heart ached, and an old emotional wound seemed to reopen. Every word was a struggle, her voice barely escaping her constricted throat. Fisting her hands and digging her nails into her palms, Niyati concealed her turmoil.

With a Herculean effort, she managed a single, strained sentence, masking her anguish behind a fragile smile,"Hann Hann!!ab chup ho ja...chal canteen chalte hai...letz go and eat something."

Niyati, struggling to keep up the facade, managed to steer the conversation away from sensitive topics.

When they reached the canteen, Niyati excused herself, citing a need to visit the washroom. "I'll be back in two minutes," she said, relieved to have a brief escape.

Vaishnavi nodded, distracted by a group of friends inviting her to join. She began to head towards that group and then engaged with the group, unaware of Niyati's growing distress.

As Niyati burst into the washroom, she slammed the door shut behind her, the sound echoing through the small space. She collapsed onto the cold floor, her body wracked with sobs. Tears streamed down her face, soaking her knees as she buried her face in them.

Her breath came in ragged gasps, and her shoulders shook violently as she wept. Sweat slicked her skin, and her heart felt like it was shattering into a million pieces. Old memories threatening her, painful voices whispering in her mind like a cruel mantra.

Niyati's hands flew to her ears, as if she could physically block out the torment. Her fingers dug deep into her hair, and she pulled, desperate for a distraction from the anguish.
Her palms pressed over her mouth, muffling her cries, but the pain seeped out in raw, guttural sobs.

The sound of her own despair was almost deafening, a cacophony of sorrow that threatened to consume her. In this small, isolated space, Niyati's emotions poured out, unbridled and unrelenting, as she confronted the demon she'd been trying to keep at bay.

𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆🌷͙⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ

Dear readers,🎀

Thank you for embarking on this journey with me! Chapter one has set the stage, and I'm excited to share more of this story with you. This tale is close to my heart, and I'd love to hear your thoughts. If you enjoyed it, please comment below and show your love. Your feedback means the world to me. Let me know what you thought of this chapter –  what questions you have after reading the 1st chapter, and what you're looking forward to next.

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