Prologue

Aarohi had always believed that love was something that happened quietly, almost invisibly. Not the grand declarations she read about in novels or saw in movies, but subtle, hidden feelings that left your chest warm and your thoughts tangled. She had learned early on that sometimes, the heart worked in whispers rather than shouts.

Being the eldest of four, Aarohi was used to responsibility. She had a younger brother, mischievous and loud, and two sisters who were constantly bickering over trivial things. Growing up in an **extended family** had taught her patience — dinner tables that could seat twenty, relatives bursting in at odd hours, endless advice about everything — yet she had always longed for her own space. Now, living separately with her parents, she enjoyed the privacy, but the lessons of a noisy household lingered: she was adaptable, aware of others, and always quietly observant.

Her family was middle class, warm, and loud**, the kind where every story came with laughter, every meal was shared, and disagreements ended with hugs. Love, in her world, was messy, real, and loud — yet Aarohi found herself drawn more to the quiet, the subtle, and the unspoken. While her siblings teased, shouted, or rolled their eyes at family dramas, she kept her heart tucked away, a place only she knew, waiting for something — or someone — that would stir it without making a scene.

Aarohi’s life had always been simple, predictable even, until she met "Meera." They had crossed paths in their early twenties during a course, a coincidence that had turned into one of the most important friendships of Aarohi’s life. Meera came from a well-known affluent family, everything about her polished, graceful, and elegant. But beneath the poised exterior was a warmth and kindness that drew people in — Aarohi included.

Unlike Aarohi, who was talkative and expressive in small circles yet shy around strangers or in public, Meera was introverted, thoughtful, and deliberate with her words but confident around public when needed. Yet, despite the differences, they shared a natural rhythm — silent conversations, inside jokes, and a mutual understanding that needed no explanation. Meera’s presence was calming; she had a way of making Aarohi feel grounded, like she could be herself without judgment.

Through Meera, Aarohi first heard of her cousin, Arnav. He was described casually, a figure in the background of Meera’s stories: composed, calm, slightly intimidating, yet strangely intriguing. Aarohi had no reason to notice him — she barely interacted with him at family gatherings, and he seemed distant, almost untouchable. But something in the way Meera spoke about him, a flicker of pride, a hint of amusement in her tone, made Aarohi’s heart stir unexpectedly.

She had never believed in love at first sight. But there had been "something in Arnav," seen only from afar, that left her curious and unsettled — a quiet pull she didn’t understand and didn’t dare name. Little did she know, that subtle spark would quietly grow, weaving itself into the fabric of her life in ways she never anticipated.

let's see what awaits Aarohi.

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