The morning sun peeked through the mist-covered hills of Uttarakhand, casting a golden glow over the town. The crisp mountain air carried the scent of damp earth and pine, making everything feel fresh and new.

Vivek stood at the same riverbank where he had met Nisha the previous evening. The water shimmered under the soft sunlight, flowing gently as if whispering untold stories. He had come here out of habit, seeking solitude in nature’s embrace. But today, he wasn’t alone.

Nisha sat on a rock nearby, her arms wrapped around her knees, gazing at the water. Unlike yesterday, she wasn’t crying. She looked calmer, though traces of sadness still lingered in her eyes.

Vivek walked closer. “Morning,” he greeted softly.

Nisha turned to him and managed a small smile. “Morning.”

He sat down on the grass a few feet away. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable—it was peaceful. The river hummed, birds chirped, and the occasional rustle of leaves filled the spaces between their thoughts.

After a while, Vivek cleared his throat. “I wasn’t sure if you’d come.”

Nisha exhaled. “Neither was I.”

He glanced at her. “But you did.”

She gave a half-shrug. “I guess… I didn’t feel like being alone today.”

Vivek nodded in understanding. “I’m glad you came.”

Nisha studied him for a moment. “You’re really serious about this, aren’t you?”

“About what?”

“Understanding love,” she said, her voice laced with curiosity.

He smiled faintly. “Yeah. I am.”

She tilted her head. “But why? Most guys your age don’t think this deeply about love. They just… go with the flow.”

Vivek let out a soft chuckle. “Maybe I’m different.”

“I can see that,” she murmured. “So, what do you want to know?”

He leaned back, resting his weight on his hands. “Everything. But let’s start with the basics. What did love feel like to you when you were with Raghav?”

Nisha hesitated. It was clear that talking about her past still hurt, but after a moment, she sighed. “At first, it felt beautiful. Like I was special… like I mattered.”

“And later?”

Her gaze darkened. “Later, I realized it wasn’t love. It was just… a game to him. He said the right things, did the right things, but none of it was real. He only wanted me when it was convenient for him.”

Vivek frowned. “That doesn’t sound like love at all.”

“It wasn’t,” she admitted. “But I didn’t see it then. I only saw what I wanted to see.”

Vivek absorbed her words, his mind spinning. “So, love isn’t just about words or actions… It’s about intentions, too.”

Nisha glanced at him, surprised. “Exactly.”

He smiled. “I think I just learned my first lesson.”

She shook her head, amused. “You’re weird, Vivek.”

“I know,” he said with a grin.

For the first time, Nisha laughed—a real, soft laugh. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.

Over the next few days, Vivek and Nisha met at the riverbank every morning. Their conversations were slow and careful at first, but soon, an unexpected friendship started to bloom.

Nisha found herself opening up more than she ever had before. She told him about her childhood, her dreams, and the parts of herself she had lost in the painful relationship with Raghav.

Vivek, in turn, shared his thoughts about love, his curiosity, and the endless questions that filled his mind. Nisha found his perspective refreshing—so different from the boys she had known.

One afternoon, as they sat on the grass beneath a towering deodar tree, Vivek asked, “What’s the most important thing in love?”

Nisha thought for a moment. “Trust.”

“Why?”

“Because without trust, love is just an illusion,” she said. “If you’re always doubting the person, if you’re scared they’ll leave or betray you… that’s not love. Love should feel safe.”

Vivek let her words sink in. “So, if love doesn’t feel safe, it’s not real?”

She nodded. “Exactly.”

He smiled. “That’s lesson number two, then.”

She rolled her eyes playfully. “Are you writing these lessons down somewhere?”

“Maybe,” he teased.

Nisha shook her head, but there was warmth in her eyes. For the first time in weeks, she didn’t feel broken. She felt… understood.

And for the first time, Vivek wasn’t just searching for love in books. He was learning it from someone who had felt its pain and its absence.

He just didn’t realize that, in the process, he was slowly falling in love himself.

(To Be Continued...)