Tanishka and Arvika—two soul sisters—finally boarded the train to Kolakham.
Sitting beside the window, with cold air brushing through their hair, they found themselves lost in memories of their school days.
"Do you remember what you did when Miss Sen caught you cheating?" Tanishka burst into laughter.
Arvika wiped her eyes, laughing along,
"And you? You tripped in the playground and became the talk of the whole school!"
As laughter settled, Arvika's voice turned slightly serious.
"You've booked the hotel, right?"
Tanishka grinned.
"Don't stress, buddy. I already booked a lovely hotel for five days. Everything's sorted."
Arvika felt a bit more at ease.
If all went smoothly, this trip to Kolakham might turn out to be truly unforgettable.
---
By the next afternoon, the girls arrived at Kolakham.
The moment they stepped off, they were greeted by chilly winds, mountains shrouded in mist, and a view so stunning it could take your breath away.
Nature's serenity soaked into their hearts.
The hotel was neat, peaceful, and just as Tanishka had promised. They checked into their room, freshened up, and rested for a while.
Everything seemed perfectly normal.
Still, Arvika felt a strange restlessness deep inside—as if something unseen was quietly waiting in the corners of their surroundings.
But she chose not to say anything to Tanishka.
Instead, she suggested,
"Let's go to the balcony. I want to take a look outside."
---
Standing on the balcony, Arvika was mesmerized by the view.
Snow-kissed mountains stood silently, while veils of mist wrapped them in a magical stillness.
As the cool breeze brushed her cheeks, Arvika thought to herself,
"If Dad hadn't let me come, I would've missed this beautiful moment forever..."
She pulled out her phone and began capturing the scene, one photo after another.
Then, stepping away from the balcony, she slowly walked toward the outer corridor.
---
That's when she noticed him.
A tall young man was sitting on a chair nearby—fair-skinned, with an intense gaze that felt hard to ignore.
Arvika whispered inwardly,
"Wow… what a gorgeous guy... and those eyes..."
Just then, the stranger looked directly at her.
Startled and a little embarrassed, Arvika turned around quickly and started heading back toward her room.
Suddenly, a calm voice called out behind her—
"Hello, Miss. I'm Aarush."
Arvika turned, surprised, and looked at him curiously.
Aarush gave her a small smile and asked,
"Why were you staring at me like that? Do you know me?"
Arvika chuckled awkwardly.
"No, no, I don't. I'm Arvika."
Then she added,
"Do you live here?"
Aarush nodded,
"This hotel belongs to me. I own two more nearby."
Arvika raised her brows, surprised.
"Oh! That's interesting!"
She was about to ask more when Tanishka's sleepy voice came from behind,
"Come on… let's go out and grab something to eat."
Aarush then offered politely,
"There's a restaurant inside the hotel. Please, allow me to show you."
---
The three of them walked to the in-house restaurant.
But throughout the dinner, Aarush's eyes kept drifting toward Tanishka.
There was something in his gaze—a curiosity… maybe even attraction.
Tanishka noticed and seemed visibly uncomfortable.
She wasn't used to being stared at like that.
After Aarush left, Arvika leaned closer and whispered,
"So? What did you think of the guy?"
Tanishka frowned slightly and muttered,
"He's... okay."
---
(To be continued...)