Anaya and Ayaan exchanged introductions, their names lingering in the air for a moment longer than necessary. Ayaan still felt the weight of her voice, a strange yet unfamiliar warmth settling in his chest. Meanwhile, Anaya's friends, sitting nearby, began whispering among themselves, exchanging curious glances.
"Is it just me, or is she acting weird?" one of them murmured.
"Yeah…sneha she rarely talks to men, let alone introduces herself like that," another added, stealing a glance at Anaya, who remained focused on Ayaan.
"Riya, you remembered that she even rejected every love proposal thrown her way," a third friend muttered, their voices hushed but filled with curiosity.
Yet, despite their quiet murmurs, Anaya seemed unbothered. She simply smiled, waiting for Ayaan's next words.
Ayaan remained in an awkward position, still processing the warmth in Anaya's voice. Meanwhile, Anaya was in a relaxed state, a soft smile lingering on her lips. Just as Ayaan was about to say something, one of Anaya's friends, Riya, who was sitting nearby, suddenly pulled her back.
Leaning in, Riya whispered with a curious and slightly suspicious tone, "Who is he? Have you met him before?"
Anaya blinked, her smile not fading. She whispered back, "It's my fif… first time meeting him."
Riya continued whispering while subtly glancing at Ayaan. "Really? Look at him. Even though he has a good build, his looks don't even match our college topper, Ajay. And you ignored his proposal without a second thought. But now, you're strangely chatting with this stranger. Why?"
Anaya blinked, momentarily caught off guard by Riya's words. The other girls, now intrigued, turned their attention toward Ayaan, observing him with curiosity.
Ayaan, unaware of their stares, met Anaya's gaze for a brief moment. But just as he was about to speak, something in his peripheral vision caught his attention—a shadowy figure leaping from the train door. His instincts kicked in, and without hesitation, he rushed toward the door.
"You all just saw that?!" Ayaan turned back to Anaya and the others, his voice urgent. "That shadow figure just jumped from the train door!"
As soon as Ayaan blurted out his strange remark, the group of girls erupted into laughter, exchanging amused glances as they stared at him. To them, his reaction seemed out of place—almost like a nervous excuse.
However, unlike the others, Anaya didn't join in on the teasing. Instead, she studied Ayaan carefully, noticing the subtle sweat forming on his forehead, the tension in his eyes. Something about him didn't seem right.
Breaking the moment, Anaya smirked and quipped, "Looks like our Ayaan is sweating because of Riya's beauty."
Ayaan immediately shook his head. "No, that's not it—"
Before he could finish, Riya playfully smacked Anaya's shoulder and shot back, "Bch, stop."
Anaya blinked at Riya, feigning innocence, before grinning. "Tit for tat," she teased.
Then, she turned toward Riya and said, "Move aside, let Ayaan sit."
Ayaan hesitated. "No, it's fine."
But Anaya wasn't one to take no for an answer. Insisting with a confident smile, she gestured for him to sit until he finally gave in.
As soon as he settled into the seat, Anaya stood up and announced, "On behalf of Ayaan, let me sing another new song—Movements which can make a bridge between the path."
With that, she started singing.
Ayaan sat frozen, his mind slowly slipping into a trance. Her voice had a strange pull, more powerful—more profound—than even "My Message to the Moon" by Isha and Rohit. This song felt different, resonating deep within him, stirring something unexplainable in his chest.
As soon as Anaya finished her song, she turned to Ayaan with an expectant smile.
"So, Ayaan, rate my new song," she asked, her voice playful yet curious.
Ayaan hesitated, feeling a bit shy. He had never been comfortable talking to women outside of his mother and Isha, whom he saw as a sister. He struggled to find the right words, his mind racing for an appropriate response.
Just as he opened his mouth to speak, the train began slowing down.
Anaya let out a dramatic sigh, clasping her hands together as she declared, "Looks like this is my stop… and I didn't even get Ayaan's reply." Her voice carried a theatrical sadness, making the girls giggle.
Ayaan instinctively reached out, his voice firm but uncertain. "Wait—"
Before he could finish, Anaya swiftly opened her bag and pulled out a folded poster. Handing it to Ayaan, she smirked. "If you really want to give me your reply, then come to this competition."
Ayaan unfolded the paper—it was a singing competition poster. Before he could react, the train came to a halt.
The girls whispered among themselves, exchanging glances as they grabbed their belongings and stepped off the train one by one.
As Anaya reached the platform, she turned around one last time, her expression unreadable. With a soft smile, she said, "Don't be nervous."
Then, as the train slowly started moving again, she called out, her voice carried by the wind, "I'm waiting for your reply."
Ayaan remained frozen in his seat, lost in a different kind of trance—one not from her song, but from this unexpected encounter. The moment felt surreal, as if something had changed within him.
But just as the train picked up speed, his eyes caught something—a tiny tear drop glistening on Anaya's cheek before she turned away.
His chest tightened.
Without a second thought, he sprang to his feet, rushing to the door. Leaning out, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "I will definitely give you a proper reply! And I'm also waiting for our second meeting!"
The train moved forward, carrying Ayaan away as Anaya stood still on the platform, watching him disappear into the distance.
And with that, their paths separated once more—one moving forward, the other waiting, both unknowingly tied by a fleeting moment on a moving train.
As the train disappeared from sight, Anaya stood on the platform, her gaze lingering on the fading silhouette of Ayaan.
With a worried smile, she murmured to herself, "This time, no matter what happens I will definitely avoid those mistakes."