🎵 Song: Nazar Na Lag Jaaye – Instrumental Version

"Sometimes...

the happiest moments aren't the grand ones.

They're simply seeing someone return after you've missed them every single day."

Almost a week had passed.

The fever was gone.

The weakness had slowly disappeared.

The medicines had finally done their job.

And after getting permission from the doctor...

Aarohi was finally allowed to return to school.

Sharma House – Morning

The entire house seemed brighter that morning.

Nandini smiled as she packed Aarohi's lunchbox.

"Don't overexert yourself."

"I won't, Maa."

"If you feel tired, call me immediately."

"I promise."

Rajeev adjusted her school bag.

"No running."

"No skipping meals."

"And drink plenty of water."

Aarohi laughed softly.

"Papa..."

"I'm going to school."

"Not trekking in the Himalayas."

Everyone laughed.

Anaya hugged her tightly.

"I missed dropping you to school."

Aarohi kissed her forehead.

"I missed you too, drama queen."

Anaya grinned.

"And tell Reyansh Bhaiya that his Ocean is back."

Aarohi's eyes widened.

"A-Anaya!"

"What?"

"I'm just saying."

Nandini smiled knowingly while Rajeev pretended not to hear.

Aarohi quickly walked out before her sister could tease her any further.

School

The school looked exactly the same.

The familiar corridors.

The noisy classrooms.

Students running everywhere.

For the first time in several days...

Aarohi felt normal again.

She smiled.

"I really missed this place."

As soon as she entered the Class 11 corridor...

Someone shouted excitedly.

"AAROHI!"

Before she could even react...

A girl came running toward her.

It was Mehak.

Her best friend.

Without caring about the curious students around them...

Mehak wrapped her in a tight hug.

"You idiot!"

Aarohi laughed.

"Ouch..."

"Gently."

Mehak immediately loosened her grip.

"Oh my God!"

"I'm sorry."

"I forgot you were sick."

Aarohi smiled.

"I'm fine now."

Mehak looked at her carefully.

"You've become thinner."

"It was just fever."

"Just fever?"

"You disappeared for days!"

"I was worried."

"You didn't even reply properly to my messages."

Aarohi looked guilty.

"I mostly slept."

Mehak sighed dramatically.

"I know."

"But school was so boring without you."

Aarohi smiled warmly.

"I missed you too."

The two friends walked toward their classroom together.

Mehak linked her arm with Aarohi's.

"Now tell me everything."

"What happened?"

"How are you?"

"Did the doctor scold you?"

"Did your parents panic?"

Aarohi laughed.

"One question at a time."

"No."

"I've been waiting for six days."

"You'll answer all of them."

The girls laughed as they disappeared into the classroom.

Class 10-B

Meanwhile...

Reyansh was sitting in his classroom.

His notebook was open.

But...

Just like the previous week...

His attention wasn't completely there.

Arjun nudged him.

"What now?"

"Hmm?"

"You've looked outside three times in the last five minutes."

"I was just looking."

"Sure."

Arjun smirked.

"The senior block again?"

Reyansh ignored him.

Just then...

One of the Class 11 students passed by the classroom.

He casually spoke to another student.

"Aarohi's finally back today."

The words instantly reached Reyansh's ears.

His head snapped toward the corridor.

"She's back?"

He didn't even realize he had spoken out loud.

Arjun looked at him and smiled.

"So..."

"Your Ocean finally returned."

A smile slowly appeared on Reyansh's face.

A genuine one.

One he hadn't shown in days.

Without realizing it...

He let out a quiet sigh of relief.

"She's okay."

Arjun noticed the change immediately.

"There it is."

"What?"

"The smile."

"It finally came back."

Reyansh tried to hide it.

"I was smiling before too."

"No."

"You looked like someone had confiscated your football."

Reyansh chuckled.

"Shut up."

Arjun laughed.

"I knew it."

"You were missing her."

"I wasn't."

"You absolutely were."

"I wasn't."

"You've become a terrible liar."

Reyansh shook his head.

"You're impossible."

"And you're in denial."

Between Classes

During the short break...

Reyansh deliberately took the longer route toward the water cooler.

Coincidentally...

It was the same route the senior students used.

Or at least...

That was the excuse he gave himself.

As he reached the corridor...

He saw her.

Standing with Mehak.

She was laughing.

A genuine, soft laugh.

Her cheeks had regained their natural color.

The tiredness on her face had disappeared.

She looked healthy again.

She looked...

Like his Ocean.

Without even realizing it...

A smile spread across his face.

"You're finally back..."

Aarohi turned at that exact moment.

Their eyes met across the corridor.

For a second...

Everything around them seemed to fade.

She smiled shyly.

A small smile.

But enough.

Reyansh answered with one of his own.

Then, very subtly, he mouthed—

"Welcome back, Ocean."

Aarohi's cheeks immediately turned pink.

She quickly looked away.

Mehak noticed the sudden blush.

She looked at Aarohi curiously.

"What happened?"

"N-Nothing."

"Then why are you blushing?"

"I'm not."

"You are."

"I just..."

She couldn't finish.

Because from the other end of the corridor...

She could still feel someone's amused gaze.

Reyansh slipped his hands into his pockets and walked away with his usual confident stride.

But today...

There was something different about him.

For the first time in days...

The school finally felt complete again.

Because the girl with ocean-blue eyes...

Had returned.

And somewhere behind him...

Arjun watched the entire exchange.

He laughed quietly to himself.

"My best friend..."

"...has absolutely no chance of escaping this."

End of Chapter 38 🌊💙