(This chapter is about the aftermath of the encounter of Mahek and Raghav on the engagement ceremony)
The morning after the engagement ceremony had a strange stillness to it—like the calm that follows a storm of laughter, music, and hurried footsteps. Sunlight poured through the curtains of Mehak’s room, warming her cheeks and nudging her awake. Still wrapped in the haze of the previous night, she lazily scrolled through her phone.
That’s when she saw it.
@ raghav_ydv. has requested to follow you.
Her thumb froze mid-scroll.
She blinked.
Once. Twice. Nope, not a dream.
Her heart skipped a beat. She stared at the screen, unsure if she should immediately accept or pretend she hadn’t seen it yet.
“Arre accept toh kar hi le,” Sanvi said from her bed, groggy but already grinning. “He’s Vedarth’s brother, not some creepy stranger.”
“He’s not just Vedarth’s brother,” Mehak muttered.
Sanvi raised an eyebrow, propping herself up on her elbow. "Yeahhhh he's your soon to be 'aji sunte ho'. Haina?"
Mehak groaned and buried her face in her pillow. “Don’t make it a thing.”
But of course, it was already a thing.
Meanwhile…
In his room, Raghav was brushing his teeth while simultaneously checking his phone. The follow request was sent. He didn’t usually do this, but something about Mehak had stuck in his mind. Maybe it was her stubborn refusal to smile at him even when he cracked that overused line. Maybe it was the way she’d eyed him like he was both trouble and temptation wrapped in one.
Whatever it was, he wasn’t letting this thread go.
He wiped his hands on a towel, pulled out his phone again, and opened her profile. It was public. He took his time scrolling—pictures of Mehak with Sanvi, their college events, food stories, sky pictures, and one or two singing videos.
“She sings,” he murmured to himself. “Didn’t see that coming.”
He liked the most recent post—a group photo from the engagement night.
Back in her room, Mehak saw the notification.
@ raghav_ydv. liked your photo.
Mahek screamed at top of her lungs.
"Chup hoja pagal ladki. Meri matashri ne sunn liya na toh tu gayi." Sanvi said.
Sanvi’s laughter exploded from the other bed. “He’s quick. He’s either really confident or really into you.”
“Or both,” Mehak whispered under her breath before finally hitting accept.
Later that day. Mahek got DM.
Raghav: I rest my case. You looked stunning last night.
She stared at the message, eyes widening slightly.
What was she supposed to say to that? Thank you? Send a meme? Call her lawyer?
Mehak: Is this how law students flirt? By closing arguments before the trial even starts?
Raghav: Objection, your honor. That was not flirting. That was a sincere compliment.
Mehak: Overruled.
She stared at her own response and chuckled. This was fun. Too fun.
Over the next few days, the banter continued. Mehak learned that Raghav was in his final year of law school and prepping for his next moot court. He’d already interned at a couple of reputed firms and was eyeing litigation over corporate law.
“Litigation?” she had messaged once. “So you want to argue with people professionally?”
“I prefer to call it 'winning debates with flair,'” he replied.
Despite herself, Mehak found their conversations addictive. There was something about Raghav’s energy—cocky but not arrogant, smart but not snobbish. He was playful, but every once in a while, he dropped a line that made her pause and wonder what he was really thinking.
Like the night he texted:
You’re not easy to impress. I like that.
Mehak had stared at that one longer than she should have.
The turning point came when he sent her a voice note.
“Hey. Random thought… would you like to grab coffee sometime? I promise not to cross-examine you. Unless you’re into that.”
Mehak listened to the voice note three times. His voice was deeper than she remembered. Steady, playful, and full of intent.
She sent back a single line:
Only if you agree to let me object midway if your jokes are bad.
Raghav: Deal. But fair warning, my jokes win cases.
Sanvi noticed the shift immediately.
“You’re smiling at your phone way too often,” she commented one evening.
“I smile at dog reels too,” Mehak deflected.
“Yeah,” Sanvi teased. “But I’ve never seen you blush over a pug wearing sunglasses.”
Mehak rolled her eyes but didn’t deny it.
She didn’t know where this was going, but it felt light. It felt natural. Like someone had nudged a window open, letting fresh air into a room she hadn’t realized was stuffy.
And maybe, just maybe, Raghav was a little more than just Vedarth’s younger brother.
Maybe he was the start of something she hadn’t expected.
But was beginning to hope for.
*****************************
Ah, young connections in the age of Instagram—where a follow request can feel like a heartbeat skipping.
This chapter was a quiet departure from the chaos of ceremonies and the warmth of family moments. It gave Raghav and Mahek their own little corner to exist, to banter, to notice each other. I wanted their interaction to be fun, layered with curiosity and that little spark we often feel but can’t quite name. And Raghav? With his lawyer wit and unexpectedly gentle charm—I think Mahek may have underestimated him.
She’s sharp, independent, and grounded. He’s observant, composed, and definitely knows how to challenge her pace. And isn’t that what makes two people interesting?
I hope you enjoyed seeing the first brush of what might be the beginning of something new.
Until next time—
With love,
The Author❤️✨
Write a comment ...