~♡ AUTHOR'S POV ♡~
Days had melted into weeks, and weeks quietly folded into a year.
The second year had already begun few days ago with the same chaos, the same corridors humming with laughter, caffeine, and deadlines.
And somewhere in that blur, Kaushiki and Taraksha’s relationship had shapeshifted from sharp-tongued rivals to reluctant allies.
Frenemies, if one had to name it. The kind who still argued over everything, but somehow always ended up on the same side when it mattered.
That morning had started like any other a noisy, caffeinated mess of students scattered across the common room, balancing books, phones, and half-eaten breakfast before class.
And then… it started with a smile.
Not the smug kind they once traded like blades in a duel, nor the tight, polite curve of lips saved for academic civility.
This one was unplanned. Real. Almost accidental.
Taraksha had walked in, late as usual, dragging a chair with her bag half-open and a dozen loose notes threatening to escape. Her hair was tied in her half messy bun , ready for another round of mock trial prep.
She had expected silence. Or maybe chaos. What she hadn’t expected… was this.
Kaushiki sat cross-legged on the edge of the sofa, her thick law books scattered around her like fallen shields. Beside her, a nervous first-year girl sniffled into a handkerchief, eyes watery and overwhelmed.
Kaushiki was explaining the concept of mens rea like she was telling a story, her tone patient, soft, breaking the harshest legal terms into metaphors about intent, choice, and consequence.
“Think of it like this,” she said, tapping the girl’s notebook. “If you meant to break the window, that’s intent. If your hand slipped and the window broke, that’s an accident. But if you knew the window was fragile, and still you threw the ball hard that’s negligence.”
The junior’s eyes lit up with dawning clarity.
Kaushiki leaned closer, lowering her voice like she was sharing a state secret.
“Imagine it like this if you sit down to study but end up scrolling for three hours straight, your intent was pure. Bas, your brain got distracted. Not entirely your fault. The fault is of your kaleshi monkey brain who can’t sit idle for even a second.”
The girl blinked for a moment, processing, then giggled.
“Kaleshi?”
“Haan bitiya,” Kaushiki said with mock seriousness, adjusting her imaginary glasses. “For example kaleshi law college. Kaleshi rishtedaar. Kaleshi jivan.”
She paused dramatically, raising a finger toward the ceiling.
“Aur sabse bada kaleshi... law khud!”
Her hands moved with priestly grandeur, as though she were delivering divine wisdom.
This time even Taraksha couldn’t stop the short snort that escaped her seeing the theatrical conviction on Kaushiki’s face.
Kaushiki turned instantly, gasping in mock betrayal.
“Taru! Dekha? Itni saari practice ke baad bhi logon ko samajh nahi aata galat niyat sabse badi problem hoti hai!”
(Look taru, even after this much practice people don’t understand that wrong intent is the biggest problem)
Taraksha smirked, leaning back in her chair. “Tum toh lecture dene ka koi bhi mauka nahi chhod sakti, Kaush.”
(You can’t leave a single chance to give a lecture, kaush)
Kaushiki grinned, head tilting in that confident, playful way.
“Now, what can I do, darling? I’m blessed in every field.”
The first-year finally burst out laughing, clutching her notes to her chest.
Kaushiki winked at her.
“Bas, ab rona mana hai. Warna mujhe tumhe ‘IPC ke roop mein aansuon ka misuse’ par lecture dena padega.”
(Now don't cry otherwise I have to charge you in name of IPC for misused of tears and then give you a lecture.)
Taraksha shook her head, muttering under her breath, “You’re impossible.”
Kaushiki smirked, leaning back like a queen reclaiming her throne.
“And yet, here you are… still listening.”
◇◇
Later that week, the campus buzzed with a case study competition.
Five groups, two hours, one controversial case to analyze and present.
Kaushiki and Taraksha found themselves in the same group much to everyone’s cautious curiosity.
“I’ll take the legal precedents,” Kaushiki said, already scanning the judgment.
“I’ll argue policy implications,” Taraksha nodded, glancing at her.
No debate. No passive digs. No sarcasm thrown here and there.
Their teammates exchanged stunned looks, but neither of them cared.
Their rhythm was efficient sharp, clean, and quietly respectful.
At one point, they even completed each other’s argument, mid-sentence.
“—which violates Article 21, unless—” Kaushiki began.
“—unless the doctrine of proportionality is considered,” Taraksha finished.
Kaushiki paused, then nodded. “Exactly.”
That earned them a subtle high-five under the table.
That same evening, while returning from the library, they overheard a pompous senior, Sagar, boasting about how he manipulated the junior moot court results by bribing the organizing committee with some money and his father's political connection.
He was too loud, too careless.
Kaushiki’s eyes narrowed.
Taraksha raised an eyebrow. “You thinking what I’m thinking?”
“Exactly.”
They didn’t speak a word after that.
But by the next morning, a mysterious post appeared on the student board a picture of sagar sneakily handing over the money to one of the members of bribing committee, an anonymous complaint written in precise legalese, and a cheeky footer: ‘Justice is not someone's father property to be bought and misused.’
No names, no exposure. But the drama and chaos it let to was worth the watch.
Kaushiki sipped her coffee calmly as Taraksha stifled a laugh beside her.
They didn’t take credit. But when their eyes met across the canteen that morning, they knew.
They had each other’s backs now even if no one else supported them.
As days turned into weeks, the sharp edges between them began to dull. Not into something soft but into something real.
Kaushiki started sharing her notes without being asked.
Taraksha began checking in before debates to ask if Kaushiki wanted to align stances.
One evening, they both sat beneath the banyan tree near the library steps, exhausted after a long project presentation.
“You know,” Taraksha said, breaking the silence, “you’re annoyingly calm in chaos.”
Kaushiki smiled, stretching her legs. “And you’re frustratingly loud in order.”
Taraksha laughed. “Touché.”
They sat in companionable silence for a while, watching the sun dip behind the old red-brick walls.
It wasn’t a friendship that exploded into existence.
It unfolded.
Like trust layered beneath banter. Like two forces finding rhythm in contrast.
Like fire learning to sit beside calm.
And for the first time in a long time, Kaushiki had someone who didn’t need healing just understanding.
And Taraksha had someone who didn’t need taming just space.
A bond was forming. Not loud. But deeply undeniable.
◇◇◇
The next day
~♡Kaushiki’s POV♡~
It was one of those oddly golden evenings, where even the dust motes in the air seemed romanticized by the setting sun.
My room in the girls’ hostel bore evidence of mid-semester chaos open books, color-coded notes, already eaten chocolate wrappers, and a tea mug with lip balm stains from last night.
I sat cross-legged on my bed, a highlighter cap between my teeth and the law textbook spread wide across my lap.
Bholenath's tiny idol on the side table gleamed faintly, wrapped in a thin garland of withered belpatra.
A half-eaten Dairy Milk bar lay next to my laptop.
A knock came on my door.
Thud. Pause. Thud thud.
I opened it to see Taraksha standing, arms folded and eyebrows raised.
You're slow," Taraksha said, stepping inside before being invited.
I closed the door behind her, amused. "You texted you wanted notes. Didn’t say you were marching over."
Taraksha gave a short shrug, dropping her sling bag near the desk. "Thought you might be hoarding something good."
"Oh, I hoard many things," Kaushiki murmured, collecting her notes and pulling out an extra cushion. "Anger, chocolate, unsolicited patience..."
Taraksha cracked a grin as she flopped down on the rug, her arms resting on the study table behind her. "Sounds on-brand."
“Mind if I invade your lair, miss therapist?” she asked with that signature sarcastic drawl.
I smirked. "Asked very early after invading my place? But Depends. Are you bringing chaos or clarity?”
“Bit of both.”
We shared a laugh. That was new.
Taraksha walked in, scanning the room. “Looks like your notes have their own caste system.”
“They do,”I replied dryly. “And the Constitution is under threat.”
The laughter deepened. I handed her a cup of steaming elaichi chai without asking. That was new too.
We had been working on a research presentation on the legal interpretation of protest laws.
What started with cold disagreements had shifted into late-night research exchanges, even the occasional meme forwarded on impulse.
“What’s this?” Taraksha pointed to a blue notebook, its edges ink-stained and weary.
“Judgments compilation. Handwritten. Yours if you’re nice.”
Taraksha took it, flipping the pages reverently. “Damn, Kaush. This is gold.”
“I know.”
For the next hour, we went through cases, challenging interpretations, arguing fine points.
But there was something gentler now in how we disagreed. We’d stopped trying to ‘win’ the debate and had started enjoying the thought exchange itself.
Taraksha stretched. “Okay, law ki devi. Done for today. Let’s take a walk?”
“A walk?”
“Yeah, you know... when humans move outside for things other than chai and attendance?”
I rolled my eyes, but just grabbed a jacket to get going since it was a bit cold outside.
We walked down from the hostel toward the campus park.
The air was thick with mild winter crisp, scented with dried leaves and smoke from distant food stalls.
The sun was almost gone, leaving behind a smear of lavender and rose across the sky.
That’s when we saw her a girl seated alone on the stone bench near the mural wall, sketching.
Isn’t she the same art student i saw that day sketching with charcoal in her hands.
Taraksha noticed her second.
“That’s the art student, right? Her name was something with I letter?”
I hummed absentmindedly.
~♡ AUTHOR'S POV ♡~
Kaushiki slowed her pace, observing her.
A soft brown cardigan wrapped her slender frame. She had long fingers, delicate, moving precisely as she shaded some part of her drawing.
Her face was tilted in concentration, hair falling to one side. She looked... serene.
But there was a noticeable bubble around her like people hesitated before reaching her.
“She’s the one most people think is arrogant,” Taraksha whispered.
“She’s not,” Kaushiki murmured back. “Just quiet.”
“Exactly what they said about you last year.”
Kaushiki took a breath and approached.
“Hey,” she said softly, not wanting to startle her.
Ira looked up, surprised but not unfriendly. “Hi.”
“You’re the arts student right?”
“Yes.” Her voice was delicate, barely there.
“I’m Kaushiki. Law faculty. We’ve crossed paths, I think.”
“I know. You always sit under the banyan tree with your colourful notes".
Kaushiki smiled, genuinely taken aback. “You noticed?”
Ira offered a small smile. “I like how you annotate your books. From a distance, it looks very beautiful. Also i saw you that day in event debating.”
That one line made Kaushiki feel more seen than most conversations with classmates.
“ Even i saw you that day with charcoal staining your fingers.
She said lightly then added
"What are you working on btw?”
“A series on emotions. This one’s called Reticence. I’m painting silence without making it feel empty.”
Kaushiki nodded, intrigued. “That’s... heavy.”
Ira looked away. “Not really. It’s just... how I exist.”
Kaushiki felt a strange pull that same sense of recognition she’d felt when she had disagreements with taraksha though they fought but they were real
“If you ever need silence with company, the banyan tree is open,” she said, voice light.
Ira tilted her head, eyes shining just a little. “Same goes for this place in park you are always welcome.”
Behind them, Taraksha was mock-pouting. “Not fair. Artist bonding happening without the debater.”
Kaushiki glanced back, amused. “Come here, Tiger.”
“Ira, meet Taraksha. My... professional opponent turned chai ally.”
“Charmed,” Taraksha grinned.
So tell me more about you both like where are you from?" Ira asked.
"I'm from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The city of Baba Vishwanath and Maa Annapurna," Kaushiki said with a serene smile, her eyes softening as though she were already walking through its ghats again.
"And I am from Delhi," Taraksha said, her tone a little stiff not unfriendly, just guarded.
"And you?" Kaushiki asked.
"I'm from here only Bhopal," Ira replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"That's great," Kaushiki said, nodding.
And from there, the conversation flowed from the basics and formals to something more heartfelt and unfiltered.
Ira talked about how she loved watching sunsets near the Upper Lake, the quiet reflection of orange light making her feel small but peaceful.
Kaushiki listened with genuine interest, occasionally smiling and saying, “Nature se jyada sukoon shayad hi kisi chiz me hai.”
(Hardly there is anything as soothing as nature)
Taraksha eventually loosened too, mentioning how Delhi was a chaos she had learned to thrive in “The city teaches you speed. If you stop even for a second, it runs you over.”
Kaushiki laughed softly. “That explains your energy, Taru.”
Taraksha raised a brow but didn’t bite back this time. “And that explains your calm, Kashi ki Kaushiki.”
Ira giggled between them, her eyes flickering from one to the other like she was watching a slow blooming friendship.
Kaushiki grinned with spark in her eyes. “Balance ban gaya then one calm, one chaos, one peace.”
“Who’s the peace?” Taraksha teased.
“Ira, obviously,” Kaushiki said instantly, looking at the girl who was now blushing under their gaze. “Tum toh do minute bhi chup nahi reh sakti, and I can’t live without overthinking.”
(You can’t stay quiet even for a second)
Taraksha clicked her tongue dramatically. “Fair point, kaush darling.”
And just like that the tension that once hung between them eased, replaced by quiet laughter and a sense of something unfamiliar but warm belonging.
.
.
.
Later, as they left, Kaushiki whispered, “She’s interesting.”
Taraksha nodded. “So are you.”
Kaushiki turned, eyebrow arched. “Was that... a compliment?”
“Don’t get used to it.”
But the warmth in Taraksha’s smirk said otherwise.
◇◇◇
So how was the chapter?
Did you liked their growing bond?
What about ira? What do you all think about her?
Enjoyed reading....
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THANKS FOR READING 📚
YOUR LOVELY AUTHOR ♡KAUSHI♡
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