Vedarth parked the car carefully outside Sanvi’s house. The night air was cool, carrying the last bits of laughter and tiredness from the trip.
Sanvi, still bundled up in Vedarth’s hoodie over her pastel kurti, yawned softly as she gathered her things. Mehak, Anshuman, and Sanvi all got out of the car, waving sleepy goodbyes.
Vedarth’s eyes casually flickered towards Sanvi — and a small smile tugged at his lips.
She was still wearing his hoodie.
She didn't even realize, he thought, amused.
"Bye Vedarth bhaiya!" Mehak called out cheerfully.
"Goodbye sab log," Vedarth replied, eyes lingering for a heartbeat longer on Sanvi before driving away.
As they stepped inside, Sanvi stretched her arms lazily. But before she could even take a full step into the living room, her mother's sharp eyes caught the oversized hoodie she was wrapped in.
"Yeh kiski hoodie hai, Sanvi?" her mother asked, raising an eyebrow. (Whose hoodie is this, Sanvi?)
Sanvi froze.
Mehak, standing right beside her like a true best friend, immediately chimed in, flashing her most innocent smile.
"Yeh meri hai aunty. Thodi thand lag rahi thi isko, toh maine de di." (It's mine aunty. She was feeling cold, so i gave it to her.)
Sanvi nodded so fast that she nearly dropped her bag.
"Haan haan... wohi," she mumbled, avoiding her mother's suspicious gaze. (Yes yes... that's it.)
Thankfully, her mother just sighed and shook her head lightly, muttering something about kids these days before heading inside.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Mehak turned around, arms crossed, grinning devilishly.
"Bata ab, asli kahani kya hai? Yeh hoodie kaise aayi tere paas?" Mehak demanded. (Now tell me, what's the real story? How did this hoodie end up with you?)
Sanvi plopped onto her bed, pulling the hoodie sleeves over her hands shyly.
"Woh... jab hum car mein so rahe the na, Vedarth ne tea break liya tha. Tab main thodi thand se kaanp rahi thi... toh usne bas aise hi offer kar diya pehnne ke liye," Sanvi said, her voice barely above a whisper.
(When we were sleeping in the car, Vedarth took a tea break. I was shivering from the cold... so he just casually offered me to wear it.)
Mehak’s grin widened.
"Casually, huh? Aise hi hoodie de di? Hero type filmy nahi lag raha tujhe?" Mehak teased, nudging Sanvi playfully. (Just like that he gave it? Don't you think it’s a bit filmy hero type?)
Sanvi buried her face in a pillow.
"Bas, aise hi tha... kuch khaas nahi." (It was nothing... nothing special.)
"Haan haan, kuch khaas nahi. Tabhi toh abhi tak pehni hui hai aur perfume ke khushboo mein kho gayi hai madam." Mehak laughed, rolling her eyes. (Yeah yeah, nothing special. That’s why you're still wearing it and drowning in his perfume’s fragrance.)
Sanvi threw a cushion at her, both of them bursting into sleepy giggles.
After taking some rest, they freshen up for their college. Sanvi and Mehak dragged themselves to college. The world of lectures, assignments, and normalcy awaited them.
While working on some notes in the library, Mehak’s phone buzzed.
She glanced down and felt her cheeks flush slightly.
It was a text in Instagram.
Raghav:
"Kal ke kuch pal yaad aa rahe hain... Tumne toh jaate jaate dil le liya." (Remembering the few moments we spent yesterday… You stole my heart before leaving.)
Mehak bit her lip to hide her smile.
Sanvi, sitting beside her, peeked over curiously.
"Kaun hai? Itna kya muskuraya jaa raha hai?" Sanvi whispered, grinning. (Who is it? Why are you smiling so much?)
"Apna kaam kar," Mehak hissed teasingly, but she was already typing a reply.
Mehak blushed slightly as she typed back, trying to act casual.
Mehak:
"Bas kuch moments hi the, itna kya yaad karna?"
(It was just a few moments, why miss them so much?)
A second later, Raghav’s reply popped up.
Raghav:
"Tumse milne ke baad har moment special hai Mahek."
Mehak shook her head, smiling, and typed back:
Mehak:
"Bohot filmi ho tum. Hero banne ka irada hai kya?"
(You’re very filmy. Planning to become a hero or what?)
Raghav:
"Hero toh tab se ban gaya jab heroine mili tum jaisi."
(I became a hero the moment I found a heroine like you.)
Mehak covered her mouth to stop a giggle from escaping.
She typed quickly:
Mehak:
"Baaton mein toh bade tez ho Raghav ji. Kabhi face to face toh aisa kuch nai keh pate."
(You’re very quick with words, Mr. Raghav. But you never say such things face to face.)
Raghav:
"Samne milogi toh pata chal jayega. What's say another date?"
(You’ll know when we meet.)
"Rehn do. Busy hun." She replied.
Mehak rolled her eyes dramatically even though he couldn’t see.
"Fine...I'll send you chocolates." He texts.
"Bas badi badi baatein karke ab aagaye chocolates pr. Bade aaye dil dene pehle." She replied.
Raghav:
"Toh tum chocolate chaho ya dil?"
(So do you want chocolate or my heart?)
Mehak laughed softly, resting her chin on her hand.
Mehak:
"Jo easily mil jaye, wahi theek hai."
(Whatever I get easily is fine.)
Raghav:
"Dil dene mein main kanjoosai nahi karunga. Lekin tumhe chocolate bhi free mein milegi, promise."
Mehak's fingers hovered over the keyboard for a second before she replied:
Mehak:
"Waise free waali cheezein zyada tikti nahi hain."
(You know, free things don’t usually last long.)
Raghav:
"Toh price fix kar lo. Main apni saari zindagi tumhare naam likh deta hoon."
(Then fix a price. I'll sign over my whole life in your name.)
Mehak’s mouth dropped open slightly at the boldness. She quickly texted:
Mehak:
"Areee, zindagi kaafi mehengi cheez hai, main handle nahi kar paungi."
(Life is quite an expensive thing, I won’t be able to handle it.)
Raghav:
"Tumse behtar koi sambhaal nahi sakta. Bharosa hai apne choice pe."
(No one could handle it better than you. I trust my choice.)
Mehak bit her lower lip, feeling her cheeks warm.
To cover up her flustered heart, she sent back:
Mehak:
"Ab bas karo Raghav ji, warna main sochne lagungi ki tum seriously flirting kar rahe ho."
(Stop it now, Raghav ji, otherwise I’ll start thinking you’re seriously flirting.)
Raghav:
"Tum sochna mat. Tum maan lo."
(Don’t think. Just accept it.)
There was a slight pause as Mehak stared at the screen. Her heart thudded, not knowing what to reply.
Finally, she sent a playful reply:
Mehak:
"Mujhe toh tumse dosti karni thi... tumne toh love story shuru kar di."
(I only intended to be friends with you… but you’ve already started a love story.)
Raghav:
"Achha hai na? Hero aur heroine dosti se hi toh pyaar mein padte hain."
(It’s good, right? Heroes and heroines always fall in love through friendship.)
Mehak smiled to herself, feeling the warmth of the conversation.
She decided to tease him one last time:
Mehak:
"Toh phir dhyaan rakhna Raghav ji, hero heroine dono ek jaise stubborn na ho, nahi toh movie mein climax pe problem ho jayegi."
(Then be careful, Raghav ji. If both hero and heroine are stubborn, there will be problems at the climax of the movie.)
Raghav:
"Climax kuch bhi ho, heroine toh meri tumhi rahogi."
(Whatever the climax is, you will always be my heroine.)
Mehak shut the phone screen quickly, laughing into her palm to hide her growing grin.
Mehak was still giggling into her phone screen, her cheeks flushed pink as she tried to hide her smile. She turned off the screen and held the phone to her chest like it was some sacred object.
Sanvi walked in with two cups of chai, raising a suspicious brow the moment she saw Mehak’s dreamy face.
Sanvi (smirking):
"Oho… kya ho gaya madam? Itna blush toh ladkiyan shaadi ke din bhi nahi karti jitna tu kar rahi hai."
(Oh ho… what happened madam? Even brides don’t blush as much as you are right now.)
Mehak (quickly composing herself):
"Kuch nahi yaar, bas ek meme dekh liya."
(Nothing yaar, just saw a meme.)
Sanvi narrowed her eyes and flopped down on the chair beside her.
Sanvi:
"Meme ya Raghav? Phone de, dikha!"
(A meme or Raghav? Give me the phone, show me!)
Mehak (hugging her phone tighter):
"Pagal hai kya? Personal space naam ki bhi koi cheez hoti hai!"
(Are you mad? There's something called personal space!)
Sanvi (grinning):
"Personal space ya romantic space?"
(Personal space or romantic space?)
Mehak threw a pen at her.
Sanvi caught it and burst into laughter.
Sanvi:
"Acha sach sach bata, Raghav ne kya likha?"
(Okay come on, tell me honestly, what did Raghav write?)
Mehak (trying to sound indifferent):
"Bas aise hi... yaadon ki baat kar raha tha. Miss kar raha tha trip ke moments."
(Just like that... he was talking about memories. Said he missed the trip moments.)
Sanvi (mock gasping):
"Arre arre arre! Banda toh shuru se end tak direct line pe chala gaya!"
(Oh my my! The guy went straight down the romantic lane from the very start!)
Mehak (rolling her eyes):
"Itna bhi nahi. Bas thoda flirt kar raha tha."
(Not that much. Just a little harmless flirting.)
Sanvi (teasingly):
"Haan haan... Kyun nahi..."
(Yeah yeah… why not...)
Mehak (laughing):
"Tu na ek number ki nautanki hai!"
(You're such a drama queen!)
Both burst out laughing, their laughter echoing in the cozy room as the afternoon sunlight spilled in through the windows—just two best friends in the heart of their little world, where love and laughter had found their way in.
Later that evening, after Sanvi came back from college and freshened up. She sat on the edge of her bed, her fingers brushing over the soft fabric of the hoodie she took out from the wardrobe. It still faintly carried the scent of Vedarth’s cologne—clean, comforting, and oddly familiar now.
She glanced at her phone screen, hesitating for a moment.
"Should I…?" she murmured to herself.
She had never texted him before. It wasn’t like they were friends. But it felt rude to not say thank you after he had been so thoughtful. Taking a deep breath, she opened his contact-number only yesterday by Mehak when they exchanged family group photos.
Her thumbs hovered over the keyboard before she finally typed:
Sanvi (text):
Hey...Sanvi here. I just wanted to say thank you for the hoodie. It really helped. I was freezing yesterday.
Sent.
She immediately regretted it. Should I have added an emoji? Was it too formal? Too short? She stared at the screen, nerves bubbling in her stomach.
A reply popped up within seconds.
Vedarth (text):
Hey! No problem. Glad it helped. You looked like a walking icicle in that car.
Sanvi chuckled, surprised by the speed—and the teasing.
Sanvi (text):
Excuse me! I was gracefully shivering, not freezing.
Vedarth (text):
Oh, my bad. Gracefully shivering in silence like a dignified penguin. Got it.
She grinned. Her fingers danced across the screen without overthinking this time.
Sanvi (text):
Wow. First conversation and you're already comparing me to wildlife.
Vedarth (text):
Only elite wildlife. Penguins are classy. Also, I still want my hoodie back, Miss Graceful.
Sanvi (text):
You'll get it back. After it's properly respected and appreciated for saving a life.
Vedarth (text):
Fair enough. I’ll consider it on honorary duty till then.
Sanvi shook her head with a smile as she locked her phone, her heart lighter than it had been all day.
For a first conversation, it didn’t feel awkward. It felt... easy.
And maybe—just maybe—this was how good things began.
Vedarth leaned back against the headboard, his phone resting on his chest, a faint smile still tugging at his lips.
"Gracefully shivering... dignified penguin…?" He chuckled at his own line.
He hadn’t expected her to text. She didn’t seem like the kind of girl who let small things like that stick. But she had remembered. And she’d texted first.
That too with a ‘thank you.’ Simple. Polite.
But somehow, it had turned into something else.
Something... light.
Something that left a trace.
Vedarth wasn’t the texting kind. Not for random chit-chat, not for casual banter. But with Sanvi, the words had just flowed. Effortlessly.
He sat up and ran a hand through his hair, glancing again at the last message she sent.
"You'll get it back. After it's properly respected and appreciated for saving a life."
That made him smile again.
She was different.
There was a spark in her words—witty, sharp but warm. That flower-basket crash yesterday could’ve been a disaster, but somehow it had turned into something… oddly memorable. And now this. This tiny chat that left a bigger impact than he cared to admit.
He reached for the hoodie draped over his chair—the twin one from the pair he’d bought last winter. The one she was wearing now.
"Maybe she should keep it for a while," he muttered under his breath, before catching himself.
“Dude, calm down,” he told himself, shaking his head.
But the smile refused to fade.
And deep down, he knew—this wasn't just about a hoodie anymore.
*************************************
Sometimes, it’s the smallest moments—the lending of a hoodie, a stolen smile during a tea break, a teasing text late at night—that quietly shift the course of a story. For Sanvi and Vedarth, it wasn’t grand gestures or dramatic confessions, but these soft, unspoken exchanges that began building the bridge between them.
And as for Mehak and Raghav… well, let’s just say sparks don’t always need a storm. Sometimes, they light up with just one message.
Thank you for staying with these characters as they slowly unfold in their own imperfect, beautiful ways. This chapter was all about beginnings—the kind that tiptoe in when you least expect them.
Until next time—
With love,
-The Author ❤️✨
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