🎵 Song: Ranjha – Instrumental Version

"Some plans look innocent...

Some plans are innocent...

And then there are plans made by two little cupids...

who know exactly what they're doing."

The next morning...

The neighborhood woke up to bright sunshine.

Summer holidays were slowly coming to an end.

Soon...

School would reopen.

Homework would return.

Tests would begin.

And life would once again become busy.

Sharma House

Anaya was sitting at the dining table, pretending to solve her Maths worksheet.

Pretending.

Because her attention wasn't on the notebook.

It was somewhere else.

A mischievous smile appeared on her face.

She quickly picked up her phone.

A message popped up on Kabir's screen.

Anaya: Mission meeting?

Within seconds...

A reply arrived.

Kabir: Always.

A few minutes later...

The two younger siblings were talking over a video call.

Kabir grinned.

"So..."

"What's today's plan?"

Anaya rested her chin on her hand.

"Our parents are going out after lunch."

Kabir's eyes sparkled.

"Same here."

Silence.

Then both of them smiled at the same time.

Anaya spoke first.

"Study session?"

Kabir nodded excitedly.

"Perfect."

"At your house?"

"No."

Kabir shook his head.

"At your house."

Anaya immediately understood.

"Didi will never refuse if it's for studies."

"And Bhai definitely won't refuse if Aarohi Didi is there."

The two burst into laughter.

Kabir dramatically extended his hand toward the screen.

"Operation Cupid..."

"Phase Three."

Anaya placed her hand against the screen.

"Approved."

Malhotra Mansion

Around noon...

Vikram adjusted his watch.

"Reyansh."

"Hmm?"

"Your mother and I have some work in the city."

"We'll be back in the evening."

Reyansh nodded without looking up from his phone.

"Okay."

Meera smiled.

"Behave yourselves."

Kabir answered innocently,

"We always do."

Both parents laughed.

"Sure."

A few minutes after they left...

Kabir walked into Reyansh's room.

"Bhai."

"What?"

"I've been invited."

"Where?"

"Sharma House."

Reyansh looked up.

"For what?"

"Study session."

Reyansh raised an eyebrow.

"Since when do you enjoy studying?"

Kabir shrugged dramatically.

"I'm becoming responsible."

"Hmm."

"I don't believe that."

Kabir laughed.

"Come with me."

Reyansh frowned.

"Why?"

"So you can help us."

"I'm in Class Eight."

"So?"

"You're in Class Ten."

"You can teach us."

Reyansh narrowed his eyes.

"I think you're hiding something."

Kabir smiled innocently.

"Not at all."

Reyansh thought for a moment.

Then...

A familiar face appeared in his mind.

Blue eyes.

Shy smile.

His Ocean.

He casually asked,

"Will Aarohi be there?"

Kabir tried his best not to grin.

"Obviously."

"She's in Class Eleven."

"She'll also study."

Reyansh looked away, trying to hide the smile forming on his face.

"Oh."

"Fine."

"I'll come."

Kabir mentally celebrated.

"Mission successful."

Sharma House

Meanwhile...

Anaya walked into Aarohi's room.

"Didi?"

"Hmm?"

"Can Kabir come over?"

Aarohi looked up from the novel she was reading.

"Of course."

"We're going to study together."

"That's a good idea."

Anaya smiled sweetly.

"And..."

She tried to sound casual.

"Kabir said Reyansh Bhaiya might come too."

Aarohi froze for a second.

"Reyansh?"

"Hmm."

"He'll help us if we get stuck."

A tiny smile unknowingly appeared on Aarohi's lips.

"Oh..."

"That's fine."

Anaya noticed the smile immediately.

She looked away before Aarohi could see her own grin.

"Didi agreed way too quickly."

An Hour Later

The doorbell rang.

Anaya practically ran to open it.

Standing outside...

Were Kabir...

And Reyansh.

Kabir entered first.

"Study partners have arrived!"

Anaya laughed.

"Welcome!"

Reyansh stepped inside a moment later.

His eyes instinctively searched the living room.

And then...

He found her.

Aarohi was arranging books on the coffee table.

She wore a simple light-blue kurti with white pajamas.

Her hair was tied into a loose ponytail.

No makeup.

No effort.

Yet somehow...

She looked beautiful.

She looked up.

Their eyes met.

A shy smile appeared on her face.

"Hi..."

Reyansh smiled back.

"Hi..."

"...Ocean."

Her cheeks instantly turned pink.

"You'll never stop calling me that, will you?"

He shook his head.

"Never."

Before either of them could say anything else...

Kabir loudly clapped his hands.

"Books!"

"Everyone sit!"

Anaya immediately joined him.

"Today we're studying seriously."

Reyansh looked at Kabir suspiciously.

"Since when?"

Kabir smiled.

"Since today."

The four of them settled around the large coffee table.

Books...

Notebooks...

Pens...

Everything was neatly arranged.

At least...

That was the plan.

But for one certain Class Ten boy...

The biggest distraction wasn't mathematics.

Or science.

It was the shy Class Eleven girl sitting right beside him.

Reyansh stole another glance at Aarohi.

She was completely focused on her notebook.

A tiny strand of hair kept falling over her face.

Without realizing it...

He smiled.

"Best study session ever."

Across the table...

Kabir quietly nudged Anaya.

Both looked at each other.

Then at the two older siblings.

Without saying a single word...

They smiled.

Their study session had officially begun.

But whether any actual studying would happen...

Only time would tell.

End of Chapter 57 📚🌊❤️