Chapter 9: The Infinite Loop of Love
Aarav and Ayushi stood side-by-side, watching the clock tick from 7:59 AM to 8:00 AM on the computer screen. The instant the submission confirmation popped up—a digital gold star signaling their entry into the Business Plan Competition—they simultaneously let out a huge sigh of relief.
"Done," Ayushi murmured, leaning back in her chair. Her eyes, though tired, were sparkling. "We actually did it. No drag, no delays, pure efficiency."
"Pure partnership," Aarav corrected, closing his laptop. The weight he'd been carrying for the last 36 hours—the constant fear of failure, the strategy against Rajat, the need to stay minimum drag—all momentarily lifted. "Now, we refuel. My brain is running on fumes and a four-hour power nap."
They headed straight for the college cafeteria, which was just beginning to fill with the morning rush. They found a quiet corner booth, ordering a plate of crispy vada and hot coffee. The taste of the food felt like a victory in itself.
"The pressure is off for now," Ayushi said, dunking her vada into a puddle of sambar. "It feels like we just finished an Olympic sprint."
"We did," Aarav replied, "but the marathon starts next week with the presentation. Focus, partner. Just snacks and quiet reflection until then—"
A loud, slightly off-key rendition of a popular Bollywood love song suddenly echoed through the cafeteria. Every head turned toward the entrance. "Pal bhar thehar jaao... Dil ye sambhal jaaye..." Akash swaggered in, arms spread wide, weaving between the tables. He was beaming, radiating the kind of unfiltered, obnoxious happiness only a new, serious crush could produce. He spotted them and practically skipped over, pulling up a chair and plopping down opposite them.
"Stop singing, you're scaring the freshmen," Aarav deadpanned, pushing a napkin toward him.
"I can't, my brother! My soul is overflowing with newfound purpose!" Akash announced, grabbing a vada off their plate without asking. "The universe has blessed me! My life is no longer a chaotic black hole! I have achieved, Aarav, a state of perfect, blissful, romantic efficiency!"
"Let me guess," Aarav said, taking a slow sip of his coffee. "Pooja said yes to your bizarre, contractual proposal."
Akash slapped the table. "She accepted the partnership! She is now my official girlfriend and, as of last night, my Life Auditor!"
Ayushi smiled warmly. "Akash, that's wonderful! I knew the high-risk, high-authenticity approach would work."
Aarav, however, leaned forward, a mischievous glint in his black eyes. He wasn't going to let his best friend off the hook that easily. "Okay, Akash. I'm happy for you, really. But let's be precise. We need to document this event for future reference. Pooja is your new 'Life Auditor,' fine. But we need to know where she stands in the grand Sequence of Akash's Epiphanies."
Akash frowned. "What sequence?"
"You know," Aarav explained, counting on his fingers. "The Sequence of Girlfriend Numbering. There was Aisha—she was 'The Muse.' Then Megha—'The Artistic Soulmate.' Then Priya—'The Intellectual Challenge.' And two months ago, you were convinced Sneha was 'The End of the Line.'"
Ayushi giggled behind her hand.
Aarav continued, his voice adopting a mock-serious documentary tone. "So, Akash. Pooja. The Life Auditor. This is a historic moment. We need a definitive number. Where does she fall? Is she Girlfriend 6? 7? Or have we crossed into double digits? Be honest, is she actually Girlfriend Number 11?"
Akash sputtered, nearly choking on the vada. "Eleven?! Aarav, that is slander! I am a loyal man! I may have many new beginnings, but those were merely beta tests for my final product! Pooja is the official, full-release version!"
"A full release?" Aarav scoffed. "So you're saying that in three weeks, when you inevitably meet 'The Zen Goddess of the Philosophy Department,' Pooja will become a legacy file?"
Akash threw his hands up in mock surrender. "No! I have found my home! My heart is hers! And for the record, she is only Girlfriend Number 5.5! And I'll have you know, her first act as Life Auditor was to delete half the numbers in my phone!"
The absurdity of the exchange—Akash's dramatic defense of his "loyalty" and Aarav's clinical, numbered breakdown of his romantic history—was too much for Ayushi. She threw her head back, covering her mouth as a peal of bright, unrestrained laughter filled their corner of the cafeteria.
Aarav watched her, the sound of her genuine joy washing over him. It was a beautiful, non-calculated reward. This sound, he realized, was worth more than a thousand successful pitch decks.
Ayushi wiped a tear from her eye, still shaking with mirth. "Eleven!" she managed to gasp out, looking at Akash and dissolving into fresh laughter.