When We Became Strangers: Chapter 14

One Step Towards Unexpected

Cover Page

Pragya

Today was our last exam. Finally. Now, we have ten days of holidays before the sports tournaments start at college. The thought of a break after all the studying was a relief, but I wasn’t sure how I wanted to spend it.

Apoorva, on the other hand, was already buzzing with excitement. This break meant she could spend more time with Rishabh. Their outings had been limited because of exams, but now, with the sports fest coming up and both of them participating, they would have plenty of time together.

“What should we do today?” Apoorva asked as we walked toward the exit.

“I don’t know. I was thinking of just going home,” I replied, adjusting the strap of my bag.

She turned to me with a look of disbelief. “Don’t be like this, Pragya! Exams just ended. Let’s do something fun! I’ll ask Rishabh too.”

Before I could protest, she had already pulled out her phone and dialed his number.

“Hey, Rishabh! Where are you?” she asked, her voice filled with excitement.

A muffled reply came from the other end.

“Okay, we’re waiting for you at the exit. Come soon.” She ended the call and turned to me, grinning.

“They’re in the parking lot. They’ll be here in a few minutes.”

“Okay,” I said, nodding.

A moment later, she gave me a knowing look. “So, what’s going on with you and Vihaan? You two seem closer these days.”

I blinked, caught off guard by the question. “It’s nothing like that,” I said quickly. “He just needed help with his studies since he missed a lot of classes because of tournaments. I offered to help, that’s all.”

“Ohh,” she said, dragging out the word as if she didn’t quite believe me. “Still, it’s nice to see you two talking.”

Before I could respond, a loud honk startled us. We turned to see Rishabh and Vihaan pulling up beside us on their bikes.

“So, Miss Coffee, are you ready for a ride?” Rishabh teased, revving his engine while Apoorva giggled.

“Hi, Pragya,” he greeted me with a smile.

“Yep! Let’s go,” Apoorva said excitedly, hopping onto Rishabh’s bike without hesitation.

Rishabh turned to me. “Pragya, you can ride with Vihaan. We’ll figure out where to go on the way.”

I hesitated for a second but then nodded. I stepped forward, swinging my leg over the bike and carefully settling behind Vihaan.

Once I was seated, he glanced back. “Comfortable?”

“Yes,” I said softly, adjusting my grip on the seat behind me.

As he started the bike, he asked, “So, how did your exams go?”

“They were fine,” I replied, feeling the rush of the wind as we moved forward. “And yours?”

He let out a small chuckle. “Better than I expected. Thanks to you.”

I felt a warmth rise to my cheeks but quickly looked away, pretending to focus on the road. “You did the hard work,” I mumbled.

He didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he asked, “What do you like to do in your free time?”

I hesitated. Not many people asked me that. “I… I like reading books,” I admitted.

He glanced at me through the side mirror. “Books? Nice. What kind?”

“Mostly fiction,” I said. “Stories that make you feel like you’re in a different world.”

A small smile tugged at his lips. “Interesting.”

Then, without warning, he turned to Rishabh. “Hey, you two go ahead. Pragya and I are making a stop somewhere else.”

“What? Where?” Apoorva asked curiously.

“You’ll find out later,” Vihaan replied, smirking.

Before I could even process what was happening, he turned the bike down another street. “Vihaan, where are we going?” I asked, confused.

“You’ll see,” he said.

A few minutes later, we stopped in front of a bookstore. I looked at him, surprised.

“You like reading,” he said simply, turning off the bike. “So, let’s go find you a good book.”

I looked at him in surprise. No one had ever done something like this for me before.

We stepped inside, and I was instantly surrounded by the comforting scent of books. The shelves were filled with stories waiting to be explored. I walked slowly, running my fingers over the spines of different books, feeling a strange sense of peace.

Vihaan watched me with an amused look. “You look like you just found a hidden treasure.”

I smiled softly. “Books are kind of like that.”

He nodded. “Then pick one. My treat.”

“What? No, I can’t…”

“You can. Just this once. You helped me for my exam. I can do this for you atleast” His voice was calm but firm.

Vihaan and I wandered through the aisles, our fingers tracing the spines of countless books.

“So,” he said, glancing at me, “if you could live inside any book world, which one would it be?”

I paused, running my hand over a worn-out hardcover. “That’s a tough question.”

He smirked. “Come on, you must have thought about it.”

I bit my lip, thinking. “Maybe Pride and Prejudice. The way everything was so elegant, the letters, the slow-burn romance… It’s kind of beautiful.”

He raised an eyebrow. “So, you like old-fashioned love stories?”

I shrugged. “Not necessarily. I just like stories where emotions feel real, where words matter.”

He nodded, as if considering something. “What about fantasy? Do you read those?”

“Of course,” I said, pulling out a book from the shelf. “There’s something about escaping into a different world, into magic and adventure, that makes reality seem… lighter.”

Vihaan leaned against the bookshelf, watching me with curiosity. “That’s an interesting way to put it.”

I turned to him. “What about you? Do you even read books?”

He chuckled. “Hey, I do read.”

I crossed my arms. “Oh really? What kind of books?”

He scratched his neck, pretending to think. “Uhh… motivational ones?”

I rolled my eyes. “That’s such a safe answer.”

He laughed. “Okay, fine. I read a little bit of everything. But if I had to choose, I think I’d go with thrillers. The fast pace, the suspense — keeps things interesting.”

“Huh,” I mused. “I wouldn’t have guessed that.”

He smirked. “Why? What did you think I’d say?”

“Something like I don’t have time for books,” I admitted with a teasing smile.

He placed a hand over his heart. “Wow. That hurts, Pragya. You really think so little of me?”

I laughed softly. “I’m just surprised, that’s all.”

We continued browsing, occasionally pulling out books to show each other. At one point, I reached for a book just as Vihaan did, our fingers brushing against each other. I quickly pulled my hand back, my heart skipping a beat.

He looked at me for a moment before picking up the book and handing it to me. “This one looks like something you’d like.”

I glanced at the cover. He wasn’t wrong.

“Thanks,” I murmured, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

As we walked toward the cashier, I realized something, this was the most comfortable I had felt with someone in a long time. Among the bookshelves, talking about stories and characters, everything felt… easy.

And for a moment, I forgot about everything else.

As we stepped outside, he looked at me and said, “See? Not all outings have to be loud or crowded.”

I smiled. “Yeah… this was nice.”

Just then, my phone rang. It was Apoorva.

“Where are you guys? Rishabh and I are heading to a cafe. If you’re around, come join us!” she said cheerfully.

I looked at Vihaan, who raised an eyebrow. “Apoorva wants us to meet them at a cafe,” I told him.

He thought for a second before nodding. “Alright, let’s go.”

As we got back onto his bike and rode toward the cafe, I found myself smiling softly. The bookstore visit had been unexpected, but maybe, just maybe, the unexpected wasn’t so bad.