IRA: Chapter 2

The talks between Aarav and Ira flowed effortlessly. Words came and went, sometimes shy, sometimes laughing, and for a while, it felt as if the world had disappeared.

in no time, they had arrived at her hostel.  She slowed down, a gentle hesitation in her steps.

"Thankyou, again. Be careful while going back", she said softly.

Aarav gave a big smile, the kind of smile that came from the heart. “Byee!” he said, waving lightly.

As he watched her turn and step inside the hostel gate, a fleeting thought stirred in his mind - she should've shared her contact. But before he could even think of saying it, she was gone,  leaving only the memory of her name lingering in his mind: IRA

He began walking home slowly, each step heavy with the sweetness and ache of that moment. His mind was full of her—the way she spoke, her smile, and the peaceful feeling she brought whenever she was near. He wondered if he would see her again, or if their friendship would just end here. He wanted to talk to her more, maybe ask for her number, but he felt he had no right.

By the time he reached home, his thoughts were still spinning around Ira, her name repeating in his mind like a favorite line from a poem. He lay down on the bed, still thinking, and slowly, he drifted into sleep.

Morning came, and everything felt new. Aarav woke up hoping he’d see Ira again that day. The thought of her made him smile.

After college, Aarav went straight to the temple, hoping she might come there. Each passing minute felt like an hour, his heart caught between hope and hesitation. He sat on the steps, eyes scanning every face, waiting. Three long hours passed, yet she didn’t appear. The temple bells rang softly, but they could not fill the emptiness of her absence.

As twilight began to settle over the town, he couldn’t stop himself. For just one glimpse, even if it was for a second, he walked toward her hostel. Standing outside, he looked at the gate, hoping she might see him and come forward. But destiny had other plans. She didn’t appear.

Disappointed, Aarav turned back and walked home slowly. The night air felt heavy, and every step echoed with her name. She was everywhere in his thoughts — her voice, her smile, her presence. But there was nothing he could do.

Aarav wasn’t just quiet and shy, he carried a world of words inside him. Writing was his secret strength - the place where he spoke freely, where feelings turned into lines and thoughts became stories. That night, when he sat down at his desk, he opened his notebook and began writing about her,  each line capturing the glimpses of her,

Here the poem goes:

Her eyes are stars that light the night,
Her smile a glow, soft and bright.
I saw her once, and time stood still,
A gentle warmth no heart could chill.

We spoke in laughter, words like streams,
Walking under streetlight dreams.
Her voice, a melody, soft and true,
Each step beside her felt like new.

Friendship blossomed, tender and sweet,
Her presence made my world complete.

after writing the poem, Aarav lay on his bed, her face still in his mind. The words they had shared, the sound of her laughter, the way she walked beside him, all of it played again and again, and fell asleep.

Each new day, he wished to see her, yet she never appeared. For a whole week, it was the same, each day passing with the quiet ache of waiting, the longing for just a glimpse of her.

Then one evening, on his way back home, it happened. He saw her,  Ira was walking down the road, heading back to her hostel, the world seemed to pause for a second. A few drops of water welled up in his eyes, born of longing and the joy of seeing her again. A smile spread across his lips, soft but full.

He hurried a little, closing the distance, but she hadn’t noticed him yet. Gathering courage, he called softly from behind, “Ira…”

She turned slowly, and the moment her eyes met his, he smiled wider, a warmth spreading through him. “Heyy… where have you been all these days?”

The world around them faded for a heartbeat. The simple words carried months of waiting, longing, and quiet hope - for Aarav, that moment felt like his heart had found the face it was waiting to beat for...