दिल का जो हाल है

वो तुझे कैसे बयाँ करें?

कह दें तुझे या दिल में रखें

बोलो ना, क्या करें?

दिल जो तुम्हारा है, कैसा बेचारा है

माने ना बेशरम, बिल्कुल खटारा है

तू करे दिल बेक़रार

क्यूँ करूँ मैं तुझसे प्यार?

Maya's POV

Mumbai smelled like ambition fried in cutting chai.

I stepped out of the taxi and stared at the giant white gates of St. Xavier's University.

The board read: "Where dreams meet discipline."

I muttered, "Great, and sarcasm meets attendance shortage."

The campus looked like something straight out of a movie - red-brick walls, lush courtyard, banners screaming Welcome Freshers 2025!

Students rushed everywhere - some clicking selfies, others already acting like alumni.

I clutched my file and guitar case.

> "Okay, Maya," I whispered, "new city, new chapter, same sarcasm. Let's not scare people. Yet."

Inside, the air buzzed with excitement.

I spotted a group of girls in trendy kurtis discussing which professor was "kinda hot."

Another bunch of boys were debating cricket scores like it was a religion.

I smiled to myself - this was my stage now.

I'd come to Mumbai to write movie scripts and sing, not to fall in love with anyone-especially not some overconfident guy with Bollywood hair.

Famous last words, I know.

---

The First Impressions

The auditorium was packed for orientation.

A banner hung above the stage: "Welcome Freshers - Be The Script Of Your Own Story."

> "Finally, someone speaking my language," I muttered, finding a seat.

A cheerful host grabbed the mic.

> "We have students from all over India-Delhi, Ahmedabad, Chennai, everywhere!"

"Wow bas Ac ka bhi jugaad kar lete toh or welcoming lagta."

Inside the courtyards, hundreds of fresher buzzed around - half confused, half Instagram - ready. some were crying over hostel paper work, some were already making "college besties" reels. I just wanted coffee and silence - two things Mumbai clearly didn't believe in.

the cafè lines stretched longer than a government queue. I jointed anyway, humming quietly while checking my orientation slip

I whispered under my breath, "And all of them pretending to be cool while sweating in Mumbai humidity."

The girl next to me giggled.

> "You're funny!"

Maya:- > No" I said. "I'm just brutally honest with good timing."

> First day? She asked

Maya:- > "Itna obvious lag raha hai kya?" I asked

Thoda sa. You look like you're mentality writing a sarcastic sweet".

"I write full screenplay, actually"

She laughed. "film student?"

"Script writing and music. Basically, I' am here to suffer artistically."

She laughed harder. "I'm Rhea. Film studies."

> "Maya Patel. Screenwriting and Music. Basically future Oscar winner."

Rhea:- > "Ooh confident!"

> "Nahi yaar, bas self-aware," I said with a grin.

We instantly clicked like mismatched socks. After twenty minutes of mutual cribbing, we finally reached the counter.

"Ek cold coffee, extra shot," I told the barista."Aur please ice zyada.

Mujhe life me thandak chahiye.

---

Arjun's POV

Mumbai airport to Xavier's took forever.

The cab driver kept giving me life advice between potholes.

> "Beta, Mumbai aaya matlab struggle shuru. Girlfriend banane ka time nahi milta."

Arjun:- > "Uncle, mere paas already ek overprotective Maa hai, lecture free mein milta hai," I replied.

He cackled. "Tu dialogue writer lagta hai."

Arjun:- > "Future director hoon. Dialogue free mein deta hoon."

By the time I reached campus, I was sweaty, sleep-deprived, and pretending to be excited.

The gate guard looked at me suspiciously.

Guard:- > "ID card?"

Arjun:- > "Bhai, main fresh admission hoon."

Guard:-> "Phir bhi ID card?"

> "Aapko time travel ka course chahiye kya? Aaj hi admission liya hai!"

He smirked. "Sarcasm acha hai. Xavier's mein fit baithoge."

I grinned. He didn't know how right he was.

---

Inside the Campus

The college was chaos disguised as culture - music echoing, laughter bouncing off walls, canteen smelling like samosa dreams.

Kabir was already flirting near the notice board.

Kabir:- > "Bro! Come here!" he shouted. "Half these girls look like main lead material."

Arjun:- > "Tu toh audition le raha hai kya?" I said.

Kabir:- > "Bas chemistry check kar raha hoon."

Arjun:- > "Organic ya physical?"

Kabir:-> "Filmy, bro!"

---

Arjun's POV

Meanwhile, outside the same café, I was arguing with my best friend Kabir, who'd already managed to get us late for orientation.

> "Bhai, tu na hamesha last-minute hero banta hai," I said. "College ka pehla din hai, koi climax nahi."

Kabir:- > "Arre chill, hero. Coffee lena toh zaroori hai! Creative energy aayegi."

Arjun:- > "Creative energy nahi, caffeine addiction kehte hain usse."

He ignored me, obviously. The crowd inside was insane-people yelling, orders flying, one guy vlogging his first sip like he'd invented espresso.

I finally made it to the counter.

Arjun:- > "Bhai, do coffees," I told the barista. "Ek meri sanity ke liye, ek iske overacting ke liye."

Kabir grinned. "Make mine sweet. I like my coffee like my ex-confusing but addictive."

> "Main bhi ek-do sarcasm shots le loon kya?" I muttered.

The barista laughed. "Lagta hai aap dono film department se ho."

Arjun:- > "Nahi, sarcasm department se," I replied.

We grabbed our coffees and turned toward the auditorium building, where the orientation was about to start.

Kabir, of course, chose that exact moment to stop and adjust his hair like he was auditioning for a shampoo ad.

Kabir:- > "Bro, light perfect hai. Ek selfie lete hain!"

Arjun:- > "Tu selfie le, main life sambhalta hoon," I said, walking ahead with both coffees balanced like precious props.

---

Maya's POV

By the time Rhea and I reached the auditorium stairs, the place looked like a stampede rehearsal.

Students were squeezing through the door, seniors were shouting instructions, and some genius had spilled something sticky near the entrance.

> "Yeh toh Kumbh Mela lag raha hai," I muttered. "Bas thodi bhakti kam aur body-spray zyada."

Rhea giggled. "Come on, let's find seats before the dean starts."

We squeezed through the crowd. I clutched my coffee carefully, because survival rule number one: never waste caffeine.

That's when I heard him-some guy laughing loudly behind us. That carefree, dramatic laugh that instantly screams main trouble hoon.

I turned slightly.

He was tall, messy-haired, dimples, T-shirt reading "Sarcasm Loading..."

Perfect. Universe really had jokes.

He was walking backward while talking to someone, waving his cup around like it was choreography.

> "Kabir, agar main iss coffee ko gira diya na, toh meri mom mujhe ghar bula legi 'kyunki beta handle kar nahi paaya life.'"

Of course, the moment he said that, fate grinned.

---

Arjun's POV

I could see the auditorium doors up ahead-a blur of backpacks and panic.

> "Yaar Kabir, hum late ho jaayenge," I said, weaving through people.

> "Relax bro, abhi toh welcome speech chalu hoga," he replied.

> "Haan, aur tumhare speech khatam hone tak fest bhi chalu ho jaayega."

He laughed, but I barely heard him. I was too busy balancing two coffees like they were nuclear bombs.

The left one was mine-black, no sugar, attitude included. The right one was his-sweet, weak, unnecessary.

I tried to push open the auditorium door with my elbow. Big mistake. Someone from the other side suddenly stepped back, and boom-collision course set.

All I caught was the flash of a white kurti, a whiff of vanilla perfume, and the sound of destiny saying, "Ab maza aayega."

---

Maya's POV

Someone bumped into my shoulder hard.

The world slowed. My coffee wobbled dangerously like it was in a slow-motion action scene.

> "No no no no-" I whispered.

But gravity, the eternal villain, didn't listen.

Coffee leapt from my cup, performed a pirouette, and landed on my sleeve with full dedication.

> "ARE YOU SERIOUS!" I yelled.

I turned-and there he was. Mr. Sarcasm-Loading himself, staring at me like a deer caught holding caffeine.

He looked horrified, then immediately defensive.

> "Arre sorry! I swear yeh coffee mere khilaf conspiracy kar rahi thi!"

---

Maya’s POV

I froze, holding my dripping sleeve. My brain screamed murder, my mouth chose sarcasm.

> “Wah! Pehla din aur tumne coffee ko fashion accessory bana diya. New trend kya—‘Mocha Me Up’?”

The guy—Mr. Sarcasm Loading—blinked, then actually grinned. GRINNED.

Arjun:- > “Arre, dekho positive side. At least ab tum unique lag rahi ho. Limited Edition Latte Kurti.”

Maya:- > “Kya tum har disaster ko joke bana dete ho?”

Arjun:- > “Nahi, kuch disasters toh main khud hoon.”

The nerve! He said it so casually I almost forgot to stay mad. Almost.

Rhea whispered beside me, “Maya, chill. It’s just coffee.”

Maya:- > “Just coffee? This was my emotional support beverage, Rhea!”

He raised both hands.

Arjun:+ > “Okay okay, meri galti. Main saaf kar deta hoon.”

He pulled out a tissue and started dabbing at my sleeve—way too confidently, like he’d done this before.

Maya:- > “Bas karo! Tum aur karoge toh coffee ke saath meri izzat bhi pighal jayegi,” I snapped.

He froze, then chuckled.

Arjun:- > “Teek hai, mujhe laga main help kar raha hoon, par tum toh full Karan Johar drama le aayi.”

Maya:- I rolled my eyes. “Oh, trust me, Karan Johar bhi mere dialogues se dar jaaye.”

---

Arjun’s POV

She looked ready to file an FIR for caffeine assault.

White kurti, long braid, eyes like she’d memorised the Constitution just to quote my rights to me.

But damn—she was gorgeous even while fuming.

Arjun:- > “Look, I didn’t mean to—”

Maya:- > “Bas! Ab apology ke saath background music bhi bajega kya?”

I snorted. Couldn’t help it. She glared harder.

Maya:- > “Tum has kyu rahe ho?”

Arjun:- > “Because agar main nahi hasa, toh ro dunga. Ye meri therapy hai.”

Kabir appeared, munching a sandwich as if watching a rom-com.

Kabir:- > “Arjun, bhai, tumne pehle din hi ek heroine dhoond li. Congrats!”

Maya:- > “Heroine?” she repeated, eyebrow arching like a sword. “Main woh type ki nahi hoon jo random logon pe coffee barsa ke chemistry feel kare.”

Arjun:- > “Good,” I said, smiling. “Mujhe bhi coffee-based love stories pasand nahi. Too bitter.”

She blinked, caught between irritation and a reluctant laugh.

> “Tum filmy ho?” she asked suspiciously.

Arjun:- > “Guilty. Filmy aur thoda unlucky.”

Maya:- > “Unlucky toh main hoon. Tum meri kurti pe filter coffee bana gaye.”

---

Maya’s POV

I shouldn’t have laughed. But the way he said it—so unapologetically honest—made the corners of my lips betray me.

Rhea nudged me. “He’s kinda funny…”

Maya:- > “He’s kinda reckless,” I muttered.

He tilted his head. “Tum scriptwriting department se ho na?”

Maya : > “Haan, kaise pata?”

Arjun:- > “Tumhare dialogues ready-made lagte hain. Bas background score missing hai.”

Maya:- > “Tum acting department se ho?”

Arjun:- > “Nahi. Main writing karta hoon. Par life mere dialogues improvise kar deti hai.”

That actually impressed me. For a second. Until he added:

Arjun:- > “Tum likhti ho, main likhta hoon… perfect collab.”

Maya:- > “Dream on, caffeine criminal.”

---

Arjun’s POV

I watched her walk away toward the auditorium door, half amused, half hypnotised.

Kabir elbowed me.

> “Bro, you’re smiling.”

Arjun:- > “Main sirf appreciate kar raha hoon uska sarcasm game. Mazaa aaya.”

Kabir:- > “Bhai, tu clearly usse pasand kar gaya hai.”

Arjun:- > “Nahi yaar, bas thoda curiosity hai. Kaun hoti hai aisi jo mujhe bol de ‘caffeine criminal’?”

We entered the hall behind her. She was already seated two rows ahead, still mumbling something—probably plotting my dramatic death.

Dean’s voice echoed from the stage:

> “Welcome to St Xavier’s University, the home of creativity, curiosity, and collaboration.”

I couldn’t resist. Leaned toward Kabir and whispered,

Arjun:- > “Collaboration? Lagta hai destiny bhi script likh rahi hai.”

---

Maya’s POV

Orientation speeches should come with a warning label: May cause existential crisis.

The dean kept talking about “future partnerships” and “creative synergy.”

Meanwhile, all I could think about was the human caffeine machine sitting two rows behind.

He laughed once—just once—and somehow I knew it was at my expense.

Maya:- > “Karma, please trip him on the stairs later,” I whispered under my breath.

Rhea giggled. “You’re obsessed.”

Maya:- > “I’m traumatised, not obsessed.”

Still, I glanced back once. He caught my eye. Smirked.

I rolled mine so hard they nearly filed for leave.

And that’s when the professor announced:

> “Students will soon be grouped for the inter-department creative project!”

The universe smiled wickedly somewhere in the distance.

---

Arjun’s POV

When the announcement came, I leaned back, feeling the inevitable approaching like a movie twist.

Kabir whispered, “Kya lagta hai, tujhe kaun milega?”

Arjun:- > “Bas itna jaanta hoon—agar universe ko sense of humor hai, toh wahi ladki.”

He laughed. “Then good luck, caffeine criminal.”

---

Maya’s POV

The session ended, but my sleeve was still stained, my ego slightly bruised, and my brain busy writing revenge dialogues.

As I stood up, a voice behind me murmured,

Arjun:- > “Next time, I’ll buy you a coffee. Promise. Without the splash effects.”

I turned to glare—but he was already halfway to the door, waving his cup like a victory flag.

Maya:- > “Arrogant idiot,” I muttered.

But I couldn’t stop the tiny smile that followed.

----------------------------------------

So here is the chapter. Please vote and let me know in the comment section if you like it And do follow me on instagram for more updates.

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