Running Late, Running Into Fate

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Aashna groaned as the shrill alarm blared through the small 2 BHK apartment in Lower Parel. She turned over, burying her face into the pillow, but before she could steal another minute of sleep, her mother's voice rang through the room.

"Aashna! Wake up! You're going to be late again!"

Her little brother, Aryan, stirred beside her, mumbling in his sleep. Unlike her, he had another hour before he needed to wake up for school. Aashna sighed, throwing off the blanket and dragging herself to the bathroom.

She rushed through a quick shower, letting the cold water jolt her awake. The moment she stepped out, she was met with another dilemma-what to wear. She rifled through her wardrobe, finally settling on a pink kurta and jeans. Just as she was about to leave, she remembered something important.

"My book," she muttered, scanning the room frantically. The new novel she had bought just the other day-where had she kept it?

The next fifteen minutes were spent turning the room upside down. Clothes piled on the bed, drawers left open, her study table a mess-but the book was nowhere to be found.

"Aashna! Breakfast is ready, hurry up!" her mother called from the kitchen.

"I'm coming!" she yelled back, frustration mounting. Just as she was about to give up, she spotted the book peeking from under her pillow. "Found you," she sighed in relief, tucking it into her tote bag.

Rushing to the dining table, she barely had time to sit when her mother, dressed in her crisp saree, set a plate in front of her. "Eat," she ordered firmly.

"I'll eat something at college," Aashna mumbled, grabbing her bag.

Her mother's eyes narrowed. "You say that every day, and then you don't eat until afternoon. Not today. Here." She wrapped a chapati roll stuffed with bhaji and thrust it into Aashna's hand.

Just as she was stuffing it into her bag, her father walked into the living room, adjusting his tie. "Aashna," he said, his voice carrying that familiar note of displeasure. "How many times do I have to tell you about punctuality? You're always rushing at the last minute."

"I know, Baba. I just lost track of time," she said, avoiding his sharp gaze.

"Lost track of time doing what?" He raised an eyebrow.

"She was looking for her book," her mother replied with a sigh.

Her father sighed, shaking his head. "You need to get your priorities straight, Aashna. College isn't just about literature and novels. If you want to do well, you need discipline."

Aashna bit back a retort. There was no use arguing. "I'll be careful next time," she muttered instead.

Her father gave her a pointed look before nodding. "Good. Now go."

Not waiting for another word, Aashna rushed out of the apartment, stuffing the chapati roll in her bag as she sprinted to the station.

The morning sunlight bathed the small house on the outskirts of Dadar in a golden glow. Inside, Dhruvin Deshmukh was already awake. The rhythmic clang of weights in the gym filled the air as he powered through his morning workout, sweat trickling down his temple. Routine kept his mind in check-it always had.

After an hour, he wiped his face with a towel and headed home. As he stepped into the garden, he spotted his Aaji and Aajoba sitting on their usual chairs, sipping chai amidst the riot of flowers and greenery that his Aaji so lovingly nurtured. The garden was small but lively, filled with roses, hibiscus, and a towering mango tree that had stood for decades.

"Aalas tu," Aaji smiled as she saw him. "Gym shivay tujhya jivanat kahi nahi ka?"

[Here you are.] [Is there nothing else in your life other than gym?]

"Aata tari suru nako karus," Dhruvin sighed, stretching his arms. "Mi lavkar uthlo aaj!"

[Don't start now] [ I woke up early today!]

Aajoba chuckled, setting his newspaper aside. "Come sit with us, have some chai." [chai- tea]

Dhruvin obeyed, sitting beside them. He sipped on the tea Aaji handed him and leaned back, closing his eyes for a moment. The air was fresh, filled with the scent of damp soil and blooming mogra.

But no amount of fresh air could erase the weight he always carried. It had been fifteen years since he lost his parents in a car accident. He had been only five years old, too young to understand at the time, but old enough for the loss to settle deep within him. Since then, it had always been him, Aaji, and Aajoba. They had given him love, a home-but something within him had hardened over the years. He had learned to be distant, to protect himself from the world.

"Where's Maau?" he asked suddenly.

"There, hiding in the shade," Aaji pointed towards a corner where his white cat sat licking her paws lazily. Dhruvin smirked and called her over, scratching behind her ears when she jumped onto his lap.

After spending a few peaceful minutes, he headed inside for a shower. The cool water felt refreshing against his warm skin. Soon after, he threw on his signature black hoodie and light blue jeans. Simple. Comfortable.

By the time he returned to the dining table, Aaji had already served breakfast.

"Aajoba, any interesting news today?" he asked, settling in his chair.

Aajoba cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses. "The government just introduced a new policy. It's going to make life a bit more complicated for the working class."

"That's not surprising," Dhruvin replied, shaking his head. "Is it any good?"

"It's beneficial for some, but not for everyone," Aajoba sighed, flipping the page.

"Now stop discussing the world's problems and eat your dosas," Aaji scolded playfully, placing another hot dosa on his plate.

Dhruvin chuckled, enjoying the warmth of home before he had to step back into the chaos of college life.

After finishing breakfast, he stood up, stretching. "Aaji, Aajoba, I'm leaving!"

"Take care and eat on time!" Aaji reminded him.

" Yes , yes," he waved before stepping out. As he pulled out his phone, he dialed his best friend, Manan.

"Bhai, ready?" Dhruvin asked.

"Yeah, I'm good to go," Manan replied.

"Cool, I'll pick you up in ten minutes."

Pocketing his phone, he straddled his bike, revved the engine, and took off towards Manan's house.

The campus was buzzing with students when he arrived.

His heart sank as he saw the elevator doors about to close. Picking up his pace, he called out, "Hold up."

Just as he thought he would miss it, he reached out and stopped the doors from closing. A girl stumbled in, breathless.

The first thing he noticed was her scent-fresh jasmine and old books. Then, her pink kurta, simple yet elegant. And finally, her eyes, flickering with irritation as if the universe had personally inconvenienced her.

Dhruvin smirked slightly. Maybe today was going to be interesting.

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Author's Note

Hey there, dear reader! 💛

Thank you for diving into Aashna and Dhruvin's world with me. This is just the beginning of their journey-one filled with unexpected moments, heartwarming connections, and maybe even a little chaos! If you enjoyed this chapter, don't forget to vote, share, and show some love. Your support means everything and keeps me going! ✨

Let me know your thoughts-I'd love to hear from you! 💕📖