As the months passed, the bond between Anish and Vrinda grew stronger. It was the day of their final exams in the 12th grade. Vrinda and Anish finished their papers, and Vaidehi and Shriyan soon followed. They all passed with good grades, and now, at Vrinda's home, they were preparing for college life.

Vrinda’s Home:

“Yeh wala college select karte hai, iske reviews bhi badhiya hai,” Isha suggested.

“Are sirf reviews dekh ke college select karenge? Campus bhi toh dekhna padega,” Vaidehi responded, looking at Isha.

“Hum sab ek college mein admission bhi toh le sakte hain,” Vaidehi added.

“Vrinda, tum bhi kuch bolo na,” Isha urged, turning to Vrinda.

“Tum dono bolne dogi toh bolun na mai,” Vrinda teased.

“Accha, hum dono chup hain, ab tum bolo,” Vaidehi encouraged.

“Toh mai keh rahi thi ki hum same college mein admission kaise le sakte hain. Accha chalo, mai aur Isha toh Science choose kar rahe hain, par tumhara kya? Tum toh Commerce lene wali ho na?” Vrinda pointed out to Vaidehi.

“Toh kya hua? Same campus bhi toh le sakte hain, buddhu,” Isha replied with a smile, making Vaidehi laugh.

“Haan, hum aisa kar sakte hain. Main bhi na,” Vrinda said, tapping her forehead with a smile.

“Toh chalo dekho abb, aur hum baad mein campus dekhne ke liye jayenge,” Vrinda suggested.

“Agar college door ho toh hum teeno ek room lekar rahein toh?” Vaidehi asked curiously.

“Haan, yeh bhi sahi hai,” Isha agreed.

“Kuch sahi nahi hai... mummy aur papa humein chhodenge nahi,” Vrinda exclaimed.

“Kyun nahi chodenge? Ab tum badi ho gayi ho, aur aage ki padhai ke liye yeh sab toh karna padega na beta,” Sharvari, Vrinda's mother, said, placing snacks and coffee on the table.

“Sach keh rahi hai mummy?” Vrinda asked, a bit shocked.

“Haan beta,” Sharvari confirmed.

“Toh konsa college select kiya?” Sharvari asked, looking at them.

“Nahi aunty, abhi tak college select toh nahi kiya. Abhi dekh rahe hain,” Vaidehi replied.

“Accha, toh dhoondo, par yeh kha lo pehle,” Sharvari said, leaving the room.

“Chalo, dekho ab,” Isha said.

At that moment, Anish, Akshat, and Shriyan entered the living room where Vrinda, Vaidehi, and Isha were sitting.

“Are aao na,” Vrinda welcomed them.

“Yeh bhi aane wala tha,” Vaidehi muttered, looking slightly irritated at Shriyan's presence.

“Toh hum same college mein admission lene wale hain na? Tumhe kya hua achanak?” Vrinda asked.

“Are kuch nahi, bas usse dekhte hi irritate ho jaati hoon,” Vaidehi explained.

“Chup kar, kuch bhi bolti hai… Usne sun liya toh usse bura lagega,” Vrinda said, while Isha chuckled.

“Are khade kyun ho, baitho na teeno,” Vrinda invited them.

The three of them sat down, and Anish smiled at Vrinda as she handed him a glass of juice, then offered snacks to Shriyan and Akshat.

“Konsa college select kiya?” Akshat asked.

“Abhi tak toh koi bhi nahi,” Isha answered with a sad pout.

“Toh tum teeno ne kya kiya itni der? Gossiping?” Akshat teased.

“Ladkiyan hain toh gossiping hi karenge kya?” Vaidehi retorted with a hint of anger.

“Are aise hi keh diya meri behen. Yeh lo, samosa khao,” Akshat offered, trying to calm her.

Akshat and Vrinda are close, and Vaidehi considers Akshat her brother, which Akshat reciprocates.

“Yeh dekho, yeh kaisa hai? Isme teeno departments hain jo humein chahiye,” Vrinda pointed to a college.

“Haan, aur campus bhi badhiya lag raha hai,” Shriyan added.

“Aapko pasand hai?” Anish asked.

“Haan, lag toh sahi raha hai,” Vrinda replied.

“Toh yeh hum kal dekh ke aate hain,” Akshat suggested.

“Sabko pasand aaya?” Vrinda asked, a little surprised.

“Haan,” they all said in unison.

“Aapko pasand hai toh humein bhi pasand hai,” Anish said, smiling at her.

Vrinda smiled back at Anish.

“Jyada ho raha hai,” Akshat teased, making everyone laugh.

They selected more colleges to visit and decided to go the next morning.

“Kal subah chalte hain, campus dekhne,” Anish said.

“Time bhi bata do,” Isha said.

“10 baje jaate hain… aur haan, late mat karna,” Shriyan reminded everyone.

“Jo aa gaya,” Akshat joked, making everyone laugh, while Shriyan playfully glared at him.

“Chalo ab chalte hain,” Anish said to Akshat and Shriyan.

Just then, Shambhavi arrived and looked at the boys.

“Are tum teeno kab aaye? Aur bina kuch khaye kahan ja rahe ho? Ruko, kuch lekar aati hoon tum teeno ke liye,” Shambhavi said.

“Are nahi aunty, humne khaya hai. Abhi hum chalte hain, baad mein aayenge toh kha lenge,” Anish reassured her.

“Haan aunty,” Shriyan and Akshat agreed.

“Par beta, kuch toh kha ke jao. Bas thodi der ruko, mai abhi kuch bana deti hoon,” Shambhavi insisted.

“Haan, ruko thodi der,” Vrinda added.

“Are nahi, sachhi, baad mein aayenge na toh pakka kha lenge,” Shriyan said to both Shambhavi and Vrinda.

“Accha, theek hai. Koi baat nahi,” Shambhavi relented.

“Bye,” Anish said, winking at Vrinda.

“Bye,” Vrinda said, blinking both her eyes.

“Bye aunty,” Anish said before leaving.

“Bye, kal milte hain,” Shriyan said before leaving.

“Bye,” Vaidehi, Vrinda, and Isha responded.

As Akshat was leaving, Isha stopped him.

“Suno, mujhe ghar tak chhod doge kya please?” Isha asked, as Akshat lived near her house.

“Haan, chalo,” Akshat agreed.

“Bye, kal milte hain,” Isha said, hugging Vrinda and Vaidehi.

“Vrinda, main bhi chalti hoon… Kal milte hain,” Vaidehi said.

“Haan, kal call karna, mujhe kaise aane wali ho, wo batana,” Vaidehi reminded her.

“Haan, karti hoon. Bye,” Vaidehi said before leaving.

They all left, and Vrinda started cleaning up the living room. She then told her mother about the colleges they were considering and their plan to visit the campuses the next day. Her mother agreed.