Perpetual Adoration [ ...L💕ve F💕rever]

12💕 Freshers' Party

Vritti with Aarna walked over, slightly breathless, the sound of claps still echoing behind them. Arush made his way towards the backstage area. He clapped softly as they approached, eyes flicking between both girls with genuine warmth.

"That was amazing, you two," he said, the admiration in his voice, clear. "Your voices blended so well. It was a fantastic duo."

He gave them both a proud thumbs-up, Aarna beamed, thanking him cheerfully before heading off to grab water.

Once they were alone for a moment Arush didn't say anything at first. He just looked at Vritti, Then, with a soft smile, he stepped closer.

"I'm impressed." Arush said, his voice low and laced with something gentle, meant only for her. "Honestly, I forgot where I was, for a second."

His words weren't flashy. But the way he looked at her-steady, quiet, a little awestruck, said more than anything else.

Vritti looked away, a small laugh escaping as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I was scared I'd forget the lyrics."

"But you didn't," he said.

"Thank you," she murmured and their eyes met again.

"For what?"

"For being here."

Aarush tilted his head slightly, a quiet smile forming. "Always."

And in that small space between the wings and the stage, with echoes of her voice still alive in the air-they stood. Not saying much, but feeling everything.

🔹🔹🔹🔹

The event was over, the lights dimmed, chairs half empty as the crowd had begun to disperse already. Laughter echoing down the corridors as students clicked final selfies and chattered in the afterglow of the evening.

Aarush had disappeared into the background again, occupied with the winding-up chaos - helping the juniors, dealing with faculty, and seeing off the guests.

Vritti, standing near the back lawn, was still flushed with the thrill of the performance, was lost in a sea of warm compliments and excited hugs from her batchmates and probably had lost track of time.

"Vritti, Aarush sir is calling you," someone tapped her shoulder causing her to be snapped out of the moment.

She nodded. Offering a small thanks she excused herself from her circle and walked towards the main building where she was told Arush was waiting. She weaved her way out, still smiling when suddenly her smile faded a little as realization sank in. She remembered her father's condition of arriving before it got dark.

'Oh God... I completely forgot....'

While walking into the dimmer paths, her father's words, echoed in her mind-

"Try to leave from there latest by six. After that, it gets harder to find a safe ride back, and you know how your old man starts worrying."

She glanced at the sky, now dusky violet. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she registered that it was already late and now this call from Arush? How long would it take there? She didn't know. Her chest tightened with unease. Though She had already mentioned her time constraint to her seniors, but their insistence as well as her friends' on staying till the very end of the function had been so firm, so persistent, that a part of her had started believing they wouldn't let her leave early. She too had foolishly stopped thinking about what her father said, the moment she stepped into the spotlight.

'Why was he calling?'

'What if he asks me to stay ?'

"If it's about work, I'll finish it quickly and leave. And if it's something that'll take longer... I'll find someone else to take over. I can't stay too late. I shouldn't."

However Aarush had always been kind, supportive and encouraging. Always spoke a little too softly with her. He admired her in a quiet, constant way that could mean something. Still her mind flooded with numerous thoughts. Doubts and distrusts. Her steps across the pavement towards the campus gate were quick and her mind heavy, buzzing with a strong noise within.

She turned the corner.

There he was.

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