Student of the Year: When Love Lost Its Way [Completed]

Author's Note: Based on the Prompt by @JasmineRahul in Submit Writing Prompt Thread who requested for writing: The alternative version of the movie Student Of The Year as a fs? What if Abhimanyu and shanaya had not cheated on Rohan?What if Rohan and shanaya had united though abhimanyu also loved shanaya?

Introduction:

A decade after their college days at St. Teresa's, three former students-bound by ambition, rivalry, and unresolved emotions-find themselves confronting the echoes of a past that shaped them. In a world of performances and pretenses, hearts speak louder than words, and one final reunion changes everything.

Chapter 1

St. Teresa's College – Dehradun

Prestigious. Competitive. Glamorous. St. Teresa's was more than just a college — it was a social arena where legacy met ambition, and friendships were often tested by rivalry.

It was also the stage for the coveted Student of the Year competition — a title that promised success, pride, and a ticket to an elite future.

Into this world walked two boys from very different backgrounds.

Rohan Nanda – The Golden Boy

Son of a wealthy businessman, Rohan was effortlessly cool. With his luxe car, branded clothes, and carefree smile, he seemed to have it all — popularity, talent, and a beautiful girlfriend, Shanaya Singhania.

But behind the swagger was a boy craving validation from a father who never thought he was good enough.

Abhimanyu Singh – The Underdog

Smart, ambitious, and from a middle-class family, Abhimanyu entered St. Teresa's on a scholarship. He had charm, wit, and hunger — the kind that came from growing up with less and dreaming of more.

He wasn't intimidated by the elite crowd. He was determined to beat them. Especially Rohan.

But fate had other plans.

The Unlikely Friendship

Rohan and Abhimanyu started off as rivals but quickly bonded — over cricket, music, and their mutual distaste for college bullies. They became best friends — inseparable, until ambition and ego slowly crept in.

Shanaya, Rohan's girlfriend, watched their friendship grow from the sidelines.

At first, she dismissed Abhimanyu as just another arrogant newcomer. But slowly, she noticed his authenticity — the way he listened when she spoke, how he respected her voice, how he didn't treat her like a trophy.

Cracks in the Perfect Couple

Rohan, in all his effort to win his father's approval, had started neglecting Shanaya.

She often felt like an accessory — his plus-one, his arm candy, never truly seen.

Abhimanyu, on the other hand, saw her. He asked about her dreams, not just her outfits. He encouraged her to stand up for herself. Their banter turned into long walks. Their teasing turned into something softer.

Feelings began to blur.

The Turning Point – College Trip

On a school trip to a hill station, the trio — along with the rest of the batch — let loose at a bonfire party. There was dancing, laughter, drinks, and a moment of vulnerability between Abhimanyu and Shanaya.

Later that night, they crossed paths behind the old library — where the quiet hung heavy between them.

"I don't want to come between you and Rohan," Shanaya whispered.

"You're not," Abhimanyu said, stepping closer. "I just... I see you."

And before either of them could think twice...

Abhimanyu kissed her.

A kiss filled with tension, longing, and a spark that couldn't be ignored.

But what they didn't know was that Rohan was there too — bouquet in hand, having come to make things right with Shanaya. Instead, he saw the kiss. And everything changed.

The Old Library Steps – Sunset

Rohan stood frozen in his tracks, the bouquet in his hand slowly slipping to the floor as he saw them — Abhimanyu and Shanaya, locked in a kiss behind the old library. The golden light bathed them in warmth, but all Rohan felt was a sudden chill in his chest.

He didn't say a word. No outburst. No angry shove. He simply turned around, walked away silently — his footsteps echoing in the empty corridor, leaving behind a piece of himself.

Later That Night – Outside Shanaya's House

Shanaya came rushing down the stairs as soon as she heard his car. "Rohan, I can explain — please just listen to me!"

Rohan looked at her with calm eyes, heartbreak veiled behind a practiced smile. "You don't have to," he said softly. "I already did the math."

"Rohan, it was a mistake. I didn't mean—"

"You did," he cut her off gently. "And that's okay. You don't have to feel guilty for falling for someone else."

Tears welled up in her eyes. "You're not even mad?"

"I was. For a moment. Then I realized... if it was that easy for you to kiss him, maybe we were already broken long before today."

She looked down, stunned. "So you're just... giving up?"

He shook his head. "I'm letting go. There's a difference."

She wanted him to shout, to fight — anything but this calm acceptance that hurt worse than anger.

"I blamed you at first," he added, "but now I think... maybe I was never the right person for you. And maybe I was too selfish, too wrapped up in my own image to even see that we were drifting."

He stepped back. "Take care, Shanaya."

She watched him leave without a word, her heart twisting in ways she didn't expect.

Rooftop – The Next Day

Shanaya found Abhimanyu lounging with his signature smirk, but today, it felt colder.

"He didn't even fight for me," she said quietly, still processing the breakup.

Abhimanyu looked at her, a dry chuckle escaping his lips.
"Because he never really loved you."

Shanaya's eyes snapped to his.

"Rohan loved the idea of you — the perfect girlfriend who made him look good. You were a prize, not a person to him," Abhimanyu said bluntly. "He never saw you. Not the real you."

Shanaya was silent for a moment.

"And you?" she asked. "Did you kiss me because you saw the real me?"

He shrugged. "I kissed you because I felt something. That's more than he ever allowed himself to do."

Shanaya looked on as her thoughts still drifted towards Rohan.

------

To be continued.

Chapter 2

Shanaya’s Room – Late Night

The fairy lights above her bed flickered faintly, casting soft shadows across the room. Shanaya sat curled up near her window, knees to her chest, staring out into the night—but seeing nothing.

Her phone buzzed for the fifth time in an hour.

Abhimanyu (3 New Messages)

“You okay?”
“He didn’t deserve you.”
“Can we talk?”

She locked her screen, overwhelmed.

Monologue – In Her Mind

“He didn’t fight for me. He didn’t scream, or accuse, or even ask me why. He just… let go.”

Shanaya had imagined heartbreak in many forms. Tearful arguments. Dramatic exits. Maybe even Rohan begging her to stay.

But not this.

He had looked at her with those tired eyes and accepted it like it was inevitable. Like she had always been temporary.

Was Abhimanyu right? Had Rohan ever really seen her? Or was she just the trophy girlfriend of St. Teresa's most adored boy?

And if he didn’t love her… why did it still hurt so damn much?

Flashback – Happier Times

She remembered the way Rohan used to grip her hand just a little tighter when his father walked by. The times they’d sneak off during events, or his hesitant kisses when no one was looking. There were moments that had felt real.

But then again, there were so many moments she had felt invisible next to him. Like she was just a checkbox in his perfect life.

Then there was Abhimanyu.

Reckless. Honest to a fault. He saw her mess, her flaws — and still leaned in to kiss her.

School Courtyard – The Next Day

Shanaya walked through the courtyard, the usual buzz of gossip circling around her.

"Did you hear? Rohan and Shanaya broke up.""Apparently, Abhimanyu was involved..."
"Typical love triangle drama."

She ignored them. For once, she didn’t care what they said.

She spotted Abhimanyu near the basketball court, laughing with a few teammates. He looked up and caught her gaze. His smile faltered, eyes questioning.

She turned away.

Not because she was angry.

But because she didn’t know what she wanted anymore.

Monologue – As She Walks Away

“I kissed Abhi. I wanted to.
But that kiss… it broke more than just a relationship.
It shattered everything I thought I knew about love, about who I was.”

“Do I still want Rohan? Or am I just mourning the idea of being wanted?”

“And Abhimanyu… did I kiss him because I liked him?
Or because, for once, I wanted to be seen?”

She didn’t have the answers yet. But for the first time, Shanaya Singhania was asking the right questions.

Practice Arena – Week Before the Finale

The energy was intense.

The finalists were pushing themselves — swimming laps, sparring in martial arts, acing mock interviews. But the silence between Rohan and Abhimanyu was louder than ever.

Gone were the playful jabs and inside jokes. They now moved in parallel lines — always present in the same space, never crossing paths.

Shanaya watched from the bleachers, pretending to focus on her phone. Her eyes kept flitting between them.

Rohan, quieter than usual, refused to even glance in her direction.

Abhimanyu, fierce in every task, carried a strange edge now — not cocky, but driven. Like he had something to prove.

Girls’ Locker Room – Shanaya and her friend Tanya

Tanya tossed her a towel. “So… which one are you cheering for now? The ex or the rebound?”

Shanaya froze. “He wasn’t a rebound.”

Tanya raised an eyebrow. “You kissed Abhi the same week you broke up with Rohan. Feels like a rebound move.”

Shanaya stayed quiet.

Because deep down, she knew it hadn’t just been about Abhimanyu. It had been about the version of herself she wanted to be — bold, unpredictable. Not the one constantly second-guessing her worth around Rohan.

Cafeteria – Shanaya Approaches Rohan

She found him eating alone, scribbling on a napkin with his headphones on. She stood there awkwardly before sitting across from him.

“Hey.”

He looked up. His expression unreadable.

“You’re doing great in the prep rounds,” she said gently.

“Thanks.”

“Rohan, I—”

“I know,” he said, cutting her off. “You kissed him. You chose him.”

“I didn’t choose anyone,” she said quietly. “I just made a mistake.”

He exhaled, leaning back. “Funny. You call it a mistake now, but you never apologized.”

That stung. She bit her lip.

“I thought if I owned my feelings, you’d hate me more.”

“I didn’t hate you,” he said after a pause. “I hated myself. For not being enough.”

She blinked, stunned by his honesty.

Before she could reply, he stood up and walked away, leaving his unfinished tray behind.

Locker Room – Abhimanyu Confronts Rohan

Later that evening, Rohan walked into the locker room to find Abhimanyu zipping up his gym bag.

“You’re avoiding me like the plague,” Abhimanyu said flatly.

“Just trying to focus.”

“On what? Winning or pretending like we’re not both in love with the same girl?”

Rohan didn’t answer.

Abhimanyu scoffed. “You never deserved her anyway. You made her feel like a background prop in your perfect life.”

That was the last straw.

Rohan stepped forward, eyes blazing. “And you swooped in the second you saw a crack. Don’t act like you were the hero in this.”

They stared each other down, the tension almost breaking.

But instead of punches, it was silence that followed.

Abhimanyu finally spoke, his voice low. “You’re right. Maybe I was selfish. But at least I never ran from how I felt.”

He walked out, leaving Rohan alone in the haze of his own guilt.

Training Field – Night Before the Final Event

Shanaya stood near the scoreboard, alone.

Rohan found her there. They didn’t say much.

Just silence. A shared ache. A hundred unsaid things.

Finally, she whispered, “Do you miss me?”

He didn’t answer right away.

Then: “Every time I breathe.”

She turned to look at him, tears threatening. “Did you ever really love me?”

Rohan. “I did,” he said. “And I still do.”

She smiled faintly. “Then why did I kiss Abhimanyu?”

------

To be continued.

Chapter 3

St. Teresa’s Final Event – Championship Day

The sun burned high over the sprawling grounds of St. Teresa’s, where banners waved like declarations of destiny, cameras panned in every direction, and a sea of students buzzed with nervous excitement. This was it—the grand finale. The last day of the most prestigious student competition, where winners carved their names into history and hearts got caught in the crossfire.

Rohan stood near the edge of the stage, shoulders taut beneath the crisp uniform, jaw set in stone. He looked like a warrior—composed and focused—but something in his eyes told a different story. A flicker of restraint. A hint of surrender.

Abhimanyu, backstage, fixed his collar for the third time. His charm was nowhere to be found today. That signature smirk had faded into an unreadable mask. He wasn’t worried about the win—he never was. But this time, he wasn’t dancing for the trophy. He was dancing for her.

In the VIP stands, Shanaya sat with Tanya, pretending to listen, pretending to cheer. Her eyes darted toward the stage, then to the field, then back again—like a compass whose needle spun wildly, refusing to settle.

“They’ll both be out there, chasing glory,” her thoughts whispered. “And I’ll be sitting here… watching the boy I loved, and the boy I kissed, fight for something that no longer feels like mine to hold. Is love supposed to hurt this much, even when you’re the one who broke it?”

Event #1: Dance Competition – “Partners in Motion”

The music erupted across the stadium, a fierce pulse that echoed in every chest. Spotlights glided over the open-air stage like moons drawn to stardust.

Shanaya entered with poise, her silhouette framed in a stunning black-and-gold costume. She extended her hand toward Abhimanyu—strong, certain. He took it with a confident grin, and the routine began.

They were beautiful. She couldn’t deny it. Their bodies moved in perfect sync, like twin flames circling each other. His grip on her waist was firm, possessive. She felt it—the chemistry the crowd would swoon over. And yet… as he lifted her into the air for the dramatic spin, Shanaya’s eyes wandered, unable to help themselves.

Across the stage, she spotted him—Rohan. Dancing with Tanya.

It wasn’t wrong. His moves were clean, his posture perfect. But something was missing. The effortless rhythm she once shared with him. The spark that had made her feel like she was dancing in a dream.

Rohan spun Tanya elegantly, caught her, smiled. But that smile didn’t reach his eyes. Not like it used to with her. Shanaya’s heart gave a dull ache, like a bruise pressed under skin. “He never looked that alive with her. Not after our first month together…”

The final lift arrived. Abhimanyu twirled her mid-air, timed to the thunderous beat. The crowd rose in awe. Judges nodded. Cameras flashed.

It was a perfect performance.

And yet, as she landed safely in Abhimanyu’s arms, her chest felt hollow.

Because even there—surrounded by applause and wrapped in the arms of the boy she’d kissed—her heart was somewhere else.

It was staring at Rohan.

Event #2: Physical Challenge – Obstacle Course

The buzzer blared.

Rohan and Abhimanyu surged forward—fast, focused, relentless. They leaped over hurdles, ducked under barriers, crawled through mud. The entire stadium was on its feet.

Shanaya watched with bated breath, eyes moving between them, heart thudding wildly.

But again, it was Rohan she watched more closely.

Not because he was faster. Not because he was winning.

But because she remembered this fire in him. The quiet determination. The calm under pressure.

He wasn’t doing this for glory.

He was doing it to feel alive again.

They reached the final rope climb. Rohan went first, muscles straining, fingers slipping in the mud. Then—just for a second—he faltered. A half-second of hesitation.

Abhimanyu passed him. Just enough.

He won.

The crowd roared again. Students jumped, cheered, clapped.

But Shanaya couldn’t join them.

Her eyes were locked on Rohan, who stood, expression unreadable, wiping mud from his sleeves. No tantrum. No disappointment.

Just silence.

And that silence broke her more than any defeat ever could.

Event #3: Public Speaking – “The Most Defining Moment of My Life”

The auditorium stilled as Rohan walked to the podium.

He looked out at the sea of faces, eyes resting briefly on Shanaya before he began.

“The most defining moment of my life… wasn’t when I won a race or aced an exam,” he said, his voice steady but thick with something heavier. “It was when someone I loved… stopped waiting for me to catch up emotionally. And by the time I understood what she needed—I’d already lost her.”

Gasps rippled through the audience.

Even Abhimanyu sat up straighter.

Rohan continued, voice quieter now. “Sometimes love doesn’t need a villain. Just silence. Just hesitation. And I… I hesitated.”

Shanaya felt something shatter inside her.

The unsaid words. The unspoken regrets. They all came flooding back.

He was never indifferent. He just didn’t know how to say what I needed to hear. And I never gave him time.

Backstage, Abhimanyu passed Rohan with a half-smile. “That was a nice speech,” he muttered, voice edged with sarcasm. “You almost sounded sincere.”

“Maybe because I am,” Rohan replied, calm and quiet.

“You’re good with regret,” Abhimanyu said, lips curling bitterly. “I’ll give you that.”

But Rohan just walked on.

Final Event: Track Race – The Tie-Breaker

The scoreboard flashed a tie. One final race.

This was it.

Rohan and Abhimanyu stood on the starting line. The whole school leaned forward.

The whistle blew.

They ran like shadows chasing the sun. Each step was war. But something was off.

Rohan, just a breath ahead… began to slow.

It wasn’t clumsy. It wasn’t obvious. It was deliberate.

And Shanaya knew it.

He let Abhimanyu win.

The stadium erupted. Victory banners soared. Abhimanyu’s name rang in the air.

But Shanaya didn’t celebrate.

Sidelines – Rohan and Shanaya

As he passed, she stepped into his path.

“Why?” she asked, eyes searching his.

“Why did you slow down?”

Rohan looked at her. This time, he didn’t look away. “Because you chose him,” he said simply. “And for once, I didn’t want to fight someone who actually fought for you.”

Her throat tightened. “So that’s it?”

He didn’t answer. Just gave a faint, sad smile, and walked past.

And it was in that moment—standing alone, applause ringing in her ears—that Shanaya realized the truth.

That Rohan had truly loved her.

---------

To be continued.

Chapter 4

St. Teresa’s – Post-Event Celebration

Confetti drifted through the golden evening light as students swarmed around Abhimanyu. Cheers filled the air. Phones flashed. Medals clinked. And Abhimanyu held the Student of the Year trophy close to his heart.

He had won.

The ultimate prize. The title. The validation.

But none of it seemed to matter to him in that moment. Because his eyes were searching for one thing—her.

Shanaya stood near the podium, her face unreadable, arms wrapped around herself like a fragile shield. She clapped politely, lips curled into a faint smile that never reached her eyes. And when their gazes met, it was like the world stopped humming, as if the applause had turned into a distant buzz.

Abhimanyu made his way through the crowd toward her. When he reached her, he smiled gently and said, almost breathlessly, “I did it.”

She nodded, her eyes still not quite meeting his. “You did,” she replied, her voice soft but distant.

He looked at her closely now, sensing the shift—the absence of something he’d hoped would be there. “I thought this would mean something to you,” he said, more vulnerable than he meant to be.

“It does,” she said, after a pause. “I’m proud of you, Abhi. I am.”

But even as she spoke the words, she could feel her throat tighten. Because pride wasn’t love. And relief wasn’t joy. Something inside her had twisted painfully when the final score was announced—when Abhimanyu raised his hands in victory and the crowd erupted. She had searched for someone else’s face in that moment. Not the winner’s. Not her dance partner’s. But Rohan’s.

And then, in the silence between their words, she realized something that made her breath catch.

“I looked for him,” she finally admitted, her voice barely more than a whisper. “When you won… I wanted to see his face in the crowd. I wanted to tell him it was okay… even if he lost.”

Abhimanyu flinched, as if the words had hit him physically. He didn’t say anything at first, just stared at her, his jaw tightening as he swallowed the bitterness with grace. Finally, he said, low and quiet, “You’re still in love with him.”

Shanaya didn’t deny it. She couldn’t. She nodded, slowly, painfully. Tears rimmed her lashes, but she didn’t wipe them away. There was no point hiding anymore.

St. Teresa’s Courtyard – Moments Later

Shanaya ran like the ground was crumbling behind her. Her heels clicked against the stone path, her breath caught somewhere between panic and desperation. She grabbed at shoulders, stopped passing students.

“Have you seen Rohan?” she asked again and again. “Where is he? Did anyone see where he went?”

Someone pointed, vaguely, toward the gates.

She didn’t think. She just ran.

Her heart pounded, not just from exertion, but from something deeper. The realization that had crept in like dawn breaking after a long night—the truth she had been too afraid to see.

She had never stopped loving Rohan.

Not even for a second.

Abhimanyu had been kind. Thrilling. The kiss they shared had felt like rebellion, like breaking free of the weight of who she was with Rohan. But it wasn’t love. It was a moment of wanting to be seen, not understood.

Rohan, on the other hand, had been quiet storms and silent anchors. He had held her hand when he didn’t know how to say “I’m scared too.” He had made her feel safe in rooms full of expectations. He hadn’t begged her to stay—but not because he didn’t care. Because he had. Because he loved her enough to let her go.

And that was what broke her the most.

Outside St. Teresa’s – Twilight

She burst through the gate just as the sun began to dip below the horizon. The sky was painted in streaks of orange and purple, and the road outside was empty.

No sign of him.

Only silence. The kind that settled in your chest and stayed.

She turned in slow circles, her breath coming in ragged gasps, hoping he’d appear. That he’d forgotten something and turn back. That maybe fate would give her just one more minute to fix what she’d broken.

But he was gone.

Just like that.

And she realized, in that hollow moment, that the ache she felt wasn’t about choosing between two boys.

It was about losing the one before she even realized he was it.

Shanaya’s Bedroom – Later That Night

She sat by the window, curled up in her old hoodie, the city humming softly outside. The fairy lights above her bed blinked gently, the only witnesses to her unraveling.

On her desk, tucked beneath a notebook, she spotted the napkin Rohan had been scribbling on during lunch earlier that week. She hadn’t noticed what he’d written.

She picked it up with trembling fingers.

In messy, slanted writing were the words:

“Some goodbyes don’t need words.
Just silence… and love that lingers anyway.”

Her breath hitched. She pressed the napkin to her chest and let the tears fall freely now.

Because this wasn’t just heartbreak.

This was a reckoning.

---------

To be continued.

Chapter 5

Full Circle

Ten years later,

A whole decade had passed since the final echoes of student cheers had faded into silence across the sunlit grounds of St. Teresa's. And yet, as Shanaya stepped through the wrought-iron gates that had once guarded her youth, it all came rushing back—the adrenaline of competitions, the sting of heartbreak, the quiet ache of what-ifs that still nestled deep within her chest.

The campus was glowing in warm fairy lights. The reunion committee had spared no detail—banners with old photographs, flowers lining the marble staircases, a live jazz band playing softly under the open sky. The scent of nostalgia mingled with the crisp air of a late spring evening.

Shanaya adjusted her shawl as she walked through the quad, every step echoing with memories. Her reflection in the glass doors of the auditorium startled her for a moment—not because she didn't recognize herself, but because she did.

She had grown. Not just older, but fuller—wiser. Her edges had softened in some places and sharpened in others. She'd built a name in media, hosted red carpets, interviewed A-listers, flown across continents. But some part of her heart had never boarded those flights.

Some part had stayed here.

With him. With Rohan.

Inside, laughter and champagne floated through the air. Alumni mingled in glamorous clothes, reliving the glory days of youth. Shanaya exchanged hugs, accepted compliments, smiled when people told her she hadn't changed a bit. But her eyes were always searching—just out of habit, she told herself. Just in case.

"Didn't think you'd show," came a voice behind her.

She turned to see Abhimanyu, suited to perfection, holding two glasses of wine.

"Neither did I," she admitted, accepting the one he offered.

"You look..." He paused, eyeing her with the same familiar admiration, but there was no tension behind it now. "Happy."

She tilted her head. "Do I?"

He smiled, a little sadly. "Happier than you were ten years ago."

They stood in silence for a moment, old feelings rising like the fizz in their champagne.

"Is he here?" she asked finally, barely above a whisper.

Abhimanyu nodded toward the courtyard. "He came late. Quiet as always."

Shanaya's throat tightened. She turned slowly, eyes sweeping over the string lights, past the milling crowd—and then, she saw him.

Rohan stood near the stage, his guitar slung across his shoulder. He looked different. Older, obviously—his jaw sharper, his frame broader—but the boy she had known still shimmered beneath the man. His presence hadn't changed. It was magnetic in its silence.

People noticed him, admired him, but didn't approach. Maybe they sensed the same thing she did—that his songs, all those heartbreak ballads he was famous for, weren't just crafted out of talent. They were built out of memory.

Her memory.

The emcee's voice rang out, pulling everyone's attention toward the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, as a special treat for our ten-year reunion, we have a surprise performance by none other than international sensation... Rohan Nanda!"

Cheers erupted as he stepped into the spotlight, adjusted the mic, and sat down with the ease of someone used to baring his soul.

He didn't greet the crowd. Didn't crack a joke. Just looked out into the quiet.

"I wrote this song ten years ago," he said, voice rough with something more than nerves. "For someone I never stopped loving. She's probably somewhere in the crowd tonight. And if she's listening... this is for her."

The first strum of his guitar landed like a punch to Shanaya's chest.

Every chord felt like a conversation they never had. Every lyric was a confession they had been too young, too afraid to make. She stood frozen as the words spilled out—simple, honest, devastating.

It wasn't the song itself that undid her.

It was the silence between the notes.

Because she knew that silence.

She had lived in it for ten years.

The song ended, and the applause roared to life—but Rohan's eyes never left hers. The crowd disappeared. The music faded. The lights dimmed into background noise.

He saw only her.

She didn't think. She just moved.

Her heels clicked against the wood as she crossed the courtyard, the past crashing over her with every step. Up the stage. Past the mic. Right to him.

For a moment, they just looked at each other—ten years of pain and love swirling in the space between them. Then, without a single word, Shanaya reached up, cupped his face, and kissed him.

It wasn't fireworks. It wasn't cinematic. It was quiet. It was healing.

It was the kind of kiss that didn't demand answers—just presence. The kind of kiss that says you were always the one, even when life tried to convince you otherwise.

The crowd hushed.

Some gasped.

But one person smiled.

Abhimanyu stood off-stage, watching them with a mixture of amusement and peace. When Shanaya finally pulled back and looked in his direction, he lifted his glass in a toast and gave her a slow, knowing nod.

He had loved her once.

He had even won.

But this—this was something else entirely.

Later that night, the stage long empty, the crowd long gone, Rohan and Shanaya sat side by side on the old bleachers overlooking the sports field. The stars were out, and the air smelled of wet grass and something more—something like peace.

"You know," she murmured, resting her head on his shoulder, "I used to wonder if you ever wrote about me."

He chuckled softly. "Every song."

She smiled. "Even the angry ones?"

"Especially the angry ones."

She turned to him, eyes warm. "Next time... don't take ten years."

He looked at her, the past reflected in his gaze. "Next time... don't walk away."

And this time, neither of them did.

-------

The End.

Guess they meet up at a reunion and all the old feelings surface again.

chapter 1

Rohan was mature enough to let go. He didn't fight because he didn't think it made any difference.

chapter 2

The boys are pretty clear about their love for Shanaya. But she is still conflicted between the two.