INVISIBLE STRINGS // SARAJ

foreshadowing

a/n: turning Vinayak into a positive character, mainly cause the leap needs to progress further. those who haven't watched pre leap don't worry about it and enjoy reading!

***

The campfire crackled softly, its warm light casting flickering shadows across the group of students gathered around. Savi sat on a log at the edge of the circle, her arms wrapped around her knees as she stared into the flames. The conversations around her were light and cheerful, but she couldn't bring herself to join in. Her gaze briefly flitted to Rajat, who was sitting across from her, his face illuminated by the golden glow.

Aashka had wandered off a while ago, mumbling something about needing service to call her family and inform them she'd be staying overnight. Savi wasn't sure why that small fact annoyed her so much.

The instructor clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. "Alright, everyone! Before we call it a night, we're going to try something unique to this rural community. They've given us the opportunity to learn how they prepare organic fertilizers—an essential part of sustainable agriculture here."

There was a murmur of interest among the group. The instructor continued, "It's not just about learning how to do it; it's about understanding the effort that goes into their way of life. For those of you who dream of leadership roles, like becoming IAS officers, public health officers and even future doctos—"this is an important lesson. Policies are more than paperwork; they're about people and the systems that support them."

As the group began dispersing to prepare for the activity, Rajat walked over and quietly settled down beside her. Savi stiffened at first, but when she glanced at him, he offered a tentative smile. It wasn't the confident smirk she was used to—it was softer, uncertain.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," she replied, her tone carefully neutral.

The silence stretched between them, awkward and heavy. For a moment, it felt like they were strangers, not the two people who had spent years sparring, teasing, and somehow always ending up in each other's orbit.

Before either of them could say more, Savi's phone buzzed on the log beside her. The screen lit up with a message, and she reached for it instinctively.

Arjun's voice cut through the quiet. "Wow, Savi, you found the connection that Aashka's been searching high and low for, and you did it so easily."

He grinned, and while his words were literal, there was a sharpness in his tone that made Savi's chest tighten. She forced a smile, trying not to let the comment linger too much. There was a hidden meaning, she could tell with the way Arjun's eyes twinkled. 

"I guess I'm just lucky," she said, slipping her phone into her pocket.

But something about the moment made her resolve harden. She hated this feeling, she wasn't like this. She didn't even notice how he had ended up becoming so close to her. She was done with this—the constant back-and-forth, the games, the questions swirling endlessly in her mind.

***

The group gathered near a makeshift workstation, where the village chief and a few elders demonstrated the process of creating organic fertilizer using natural composting methods. It was an intricate process, blending layers of dried leaves, manure, and ash.

"Everything you see here," the chief explained, "is locally sourced. Nothing goes to waste. It's a cycle—just like our lives, interconnected and dependent on each other."

Savi found herself immersed in the task, working alongside the others to layer the materials as instructed. But her focus wavered when Rajat ended up next to her.