9 years ago: A random corridor, Maahi & Aarush's college
Maahi walked quietly but her heart was beating rather loudly. The reason was walking right alongside her with no knowledge of the army of butterflies she had inside her, demanding to be felt as she tried to steadfastly ignore them.
But it was so hard to.
Aarush Iyer was that sort. It was hard to ignore him. Over the one year, she had tried. Because while they were in the same class, it was a big class. Their paths didn't really cross much. He sat in the middle of the class and she sat at the far end.
But how does one ignore that charm? He was popular without meaning to be. He was quiet yet his presence automatically attracted attention. He made you feel special the way no one could. He was like a warm ray of the winter morning sun. You couldn't help but bask around him.
She took a deep breath and looked up to see him busy talking about the article he was assigned to work on with her.
"Was that the vision you had for this?"
She backtracked and tried to remember what he was saying.
The article. Hundred years of college. Pictures. Talking to alumni. Building a larger story with their stories. And our present ones. Figuring it out. Okay, got it.
"Yes, broadly speaking, that is the plan."
Aarush smiled and swung his backpack from back to front to pull out a notebook and pen. Carefully, he zipped the bag and pushed it back, opening the book to a blank page and making notes. They were still walking towards an unknown destination so he cradled the notebook with the other hand as he wrote. Despite all that, his handwriting was clear and precise, flowing in neat even lines. It looked like he did this often.
Then a small pattern on the back of his t-shirt caught Maahi's eye. She was surprised she hadn't spotted it before. She actually changed her track and walked behind him to observe the pattern. Turned out it wasn't a pattern. It was a little koala bear sketched out to look like it's perched on the cut of his right shoulder, right where the sleeve began.
Aarush noticed that she was no longer walking by his side and asked, "Did you find her drawing for the day?"
Maahi looked up and saw him peering at her over his shoulder. He hadn't turned around so as to let her keep looking at the drawing. She saw him smiling a small smile from one side and she wished she could take a picture of him like this. Half amused, half exasperated.
She cleared her throat and asked, "So, you know you have a koala bear on your shoulder?"
He laughed and asked, "Is that what it is? I hadn't spotted it yet."
She frowned and asked, "You're wearing the t-shirt but you don't know what's on it?"
He finally turned around and walked backwards, not breaking their stride to nowhere yet.
"I almost never know when I'll find a new sketch. My sister has a fondness for drawing on every blank space she lays her eyes on. And I have a fondness for white t-shirts."
Maahi's eyes widened.
She asked incredulously, "So she draws on all your t-shirts?"
He studied her shock with even more amusement. He shook his head and said, "Just the white ones."
Curiosity seeping in further, she asked, "And you don't mind?"
He shrugged.
"No. I like how I can expect something new every time I wear a white t-shirt. That way, that day is never dull."
She bit her lip and shook her head, mumbling, "Wow. I don't think I'd allow my brother anywhere near my clothes with a pen. Next thing I know, I'll be walking around with 'Paratha hogger' written across the back of my shirt."
He began laughing. She looked up and realized for the very first time that when Aarush found something really funny, his laughter would reach his eyes. And then you could barely see them. He would close them in mirth.
For the very first time, she felt her heart fill with a strange new substance. It took her a while to know what that was.
Feelings. Sigh.