Pune always felt different when the monsoon arrived.
The city slowed down, as though it wanted to listen to the rain. Streets glistened beneath silver-grey clouds, their puddles reflecting blurred streetlights and passing vehicles. The earthy scent of wet soil lingered in the air, mixing with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee drifting from roadside cafés.
Inside the Fine Arts campus, however, life never truly slowed.
Students rushed across the courtyard with sketchbooks tucked beneath their arms, carefully shielding paintings and handmade models from the rain. Some laughed as they splashed through puddles, while others complained about another ruined assignment because of the weather.
Her long wavy black hair was loosely braided today, though several stubborn strands had already escaped and framed her face. Most people noticed her soft brown eyes first, but her best friend saanvi chauhan always claimed it was the tiny dimple that appeared whenever Aarya smiled.
Aarya was watching the rain from the shelter of the main corridor.
Rain had always fascinated her.
Not because it was beautiful—though it certainly was—but because it made the world feel quieter. It blurred the chaos, softened the noise, and somehow made even the busiest places feel peaceful.
She stretched out her hand beyond the roof.
Tiny raindrops landed on her fingertips before slipping away like fleeting memories.
A faint smile appeared on her face.
Around her wrist rested the sunflower bracelet she never left behind. Its tiny golden petals gleamed softly whenever they caught the light, a quiet reminder of happier days she preferred not to think about too often.
"Aarya!"
The familiar voice echoed through the corridor.
She turned just in time to see Saanvi weaving through the crowd, balancing an umbrella in one hand and two paper cups of coffee in the other.
"Move!" Saanvi called dramatically to a group of students blocking her way. "National emergency. Coffee delivery."
One of the boys laughed and stepped aside.
"You should've become a delivery executive instead of an artist."
"I considered it," Saanvi replied without missing a beat. "But then I remembered artists suffer more dramatically."
Aarya couldn't help laughing.
A moment later, Saanvi finally reached her and held out one of the cups with a proud smile.
"For the girl who's been emotionally attached to rain since birth."
"Thank you," Aarya said, accepting it carefully.
Saanvi studied her for a second before narrowing her eyes.
"You were staring at the rain again."
"I was not."
"You absolutely were."
"I was appreciating nature."
"Same thing."
The two exchanged amused smiles.
Saanvi took a sip of her coffee before sighing dramatically.
"Seriously, one day you're going to marry a cloud."
Aarya raised an eyebrow.
"And one day you're going to trip while trying to make someone laugh."
"Impossible," Saanvi declared, placing a hand over her heart. "Comedy runs through my veins."
"You fell down three stairs yesterday."
Saanvi froze.
"...That information was supposed to remain classified."
Aarya laughed, the tiny dimple on her cheek becoming visible.
"There were witnesses."
"They're spreading false rumours."
"They recorded it."
Saanvi stared blankly for a second before groaning.
"I hate social media."
The two burst into laughter, earning a few curious glances from nearby students.
For a brief moment, everything felt ordinary.
Just two best friends standing in a crowded college corridor, sharing coffee while rain danced beyond the roof.
Neither of them realised that before the day ended, something impossible would quietly find its way into Aarya's hands.
The rain continued to fall in a steady rhythm as the two friends made their way across the courtyard.
Students hurried past them, umbrellas bumping into one another as everyone tried to avoid the growing puddles. Somewhere nearby, a group of first-year students laughed after one of them accidentally stepped into ankle-deep water. A professor hurried across the path, desperately trying to protect a stack of drawing sheets beneath his bag.
"You know," Saanvi said, watching the scene unfold, "monsoon should come with attendance relaxation."
Aarya smiled.
"Why?"
"Because surviving this weather deserves extra marks."
"You just don't want to attend Professor Kulkarni's class."
"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."
Aarya gave her a knowing look.
"He only asked you to complete one sketch."
"He asked me to complete eight."
"He asked for one every week."
"Exactly! Cruel."
Aarya laughed softly.
The Fine Arts building stood ahead of them, its old stone walls darkened by years of rain. Moss had begun to grow along the edges of the steps, and climbing vines wrapped around one side of the building, making it look almost as though nature itself had claimed the place.
Despite its age, Aarya loved the building.
Every corner held a story.
Paint stains covered the workshop floors, unfinished sculptures occupied forgotten hallways, and colourful student murals decorated walls that had long ago lost their original paint.
As they entered, the familiar scent of acrylic paint, wet paper and clay surrounded them.
It felt like home.
Students were scattered everywhere.
Some argued over colour palettes while others compared photography assignments. A group of seniors carefully carried a large canvas through the hallway, warning everyone to move aside before someone accidentally ruined weeks of work.
"Careful!"
Saanvi pulled Aarya aside just as the canvas passed.
"That would've become modern art."
"It already is modern art."
"Exactly my point."
They both laughed again.
Aarya glanced through the windows overlooking the campus.
Rain streamed down the glass in countless tiny trails, turning the outside world into a beautiful blur.
She found herself watching the drops race each other down the window.
It was strange.
She always noticed little things.
The shape of clouds.
The colours hidden inside puddles.
The reflections left behind after rain.
Sometimes Saanvi teased her, saying she looked at the world as though it was a painting waiting to be finished.
Maybe she wasn't wrong.
"Aarya?"
She blinked.
"Hmm?"
"You disappeared for a second."
"Oh..."
She smiled sheepishly.
"I was just thinking."
"You always are."
Before Aarya could answer, the college bell echoed through the building.
Students immediately began gathering their belongings.
Some rushed towards classrooms while others complained about another lecture interrupting their creative flow.
Professor Kulkarni walked past the corridor carrying several rolled-up sketches.
"Assignment submissions by Friday," he reminded everyone.
A collective groan filled the hallway.
Saanvi leaned closer.
"I suddenly feel unwell."
"Nice try."
"Do I look convincing?"
"No."
"Not even a little?"
"You smiled halfway through."
Saanvi sighed dramatically.
"I'll never become an actress."
"You'd forget your own dialogue."
"I probably would."
The girls walked toward their classroom, still chatting about assignments, upcoming exhibitions and whether they should spend their lunch break in the canteen or the library.
For anyone watching them, they were simply two ordinary college students enjoying another rainy day.
Nothing unusual.
Nothing mysterious.
Nothing that hinted the impossible was quietly waiting only a few steps away.
Outside, the rain began falling a little harder.
A cool breeze swept through the corridor, carrying with it the scent of wet earth.
Without knowing why, Aarya slowed her pace.
For the briefest moment, an odd feeling settled in her chest.
Not fear.
Not sadness.
Just... something she couldn't explain.
As though the day had quietly shifted onto a path it wasn't meant to follow.
She glanced over her shoulder.
Students continued walking.
Some laughed.
Some argued.
Some hurried to class.
Everything looked completely normal.
Yet the strange feeling refused to leave.
"Coming?" Saanvi called from ahead.
Aarya looked at her friend, smiled faintly, and nodded.
"Yeah... I'm coming."
Together, they stepped back into the busy corridor, unaware that within the next few minutes, an ordinary rainy afternoon would become the beginning of a mystery neither of them could ever have imagined.
Aarya turned around.
Suddenly Aarya stopped.
Her footsteps froze.
"What happened?" Saanvi asked immediately, her playful expression disappearing.
Aarya pointed toward a nearby bench.
A photograph lay there.
Partially soaked by rain.
For some reason, it felt as though it had been waiting for her.
Slowly, she picked it up.
The photograph showed a girl standing beneath a yellow umbrella near the college gate.
The girl's face was hidden.
But the bracelet on her wrist wasn't.
Aarya's fingers tightened around the picture.
It was her sunflower bracelet.
Her heart skipped a beat.
"Saanvi..." she whispered uneasily.
"What is it?" Saanvi asked, moving closer.
Without speaking, Aarya handed over the photograph.
Saanvi studied it carefully.
For several seconds she remained silent.
Then she looked up.
"Okay," she said slowly. "That's creepy."
"You think?" Aarya asked nervously.
"No. Actually, creepy is too small a word," Saanvi replied, narrowing her eyes at the picture.
Aarya tried to laugh.
But a strange feeling settled in her chest.
Because she had never stood in that exact place wearing those clothes.
At least... she didn't remember doing so.
And yet somehow the photograph existed.
____________🌻_____________
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