The Last Goodbye???

The exam hall was buzzing with tension, but also with the undeniable excitement of reaching the finish line. It was the last exam of their college lives—after this, they would step into the real world, the world of internships, jobs, and responsibilities they had only imagined until now.Aditi scribbled down her final answer, checked it twice, and let out a sigh of relief as she placed her pen down. As soon as the invigilator announced, "Time's up. Stop writing," the collective weight of the room lifted.

The students filed out, some grumbling about the paper, others celebrating the end of an era. Aditi, Riya, and Ankita found each other outside the hall, stretching and groaning like they had just run a marathon.

"That was brutal," Riya complained, shaking her head. "I swear, half the time I was just praying to my ancestors to help me recall formulas."

Ankita laughed. "Same. But, guys, can you believe it? We're done. No more exams. Next stop—internships!"

Aditi forced a smile. "Yeah... internships."

Riya picked up on her tone immediately. "Uh-oh. Aditi is already overthinking."

Aditi rolled her eyes. "Well, duh. I mean, we've been in this bubble for so long—college, classes, the same people, the same routine. Now suddenly, we're out there. No comfort zone, no second chances. What if I completely mess up?"

Ankita nudged her. "Then we all mess up together. I promise you, none of us are going to have it easy. But think about this—when we come back, we'll be seniors."

Riya's eyes widened. "Holy crap, that's true! We won't be the clueless ones anymore. We'll be the ones juniors look up to for guidance."

"Or for free notes," Aditi corrected, making them laugh."

But seriously," Riya continued, "it's kind of terrifying, isn't it? The thought that we're stepping into the real world. No excuses, no professors to save us, no extra time to prepare. Just... us, trying to prove ourselves."

Aditi let out a long breath. "Yeah. It's scary."

"But exciting," Ankita added.Aditi nodded. "Yeah. That too."

As they chatted, Aditi's gaze instinctively searched the crowd. She wasn't even aware she was looking for him until her eyes landed on Tanmay.

He stood near the entrance, talking to a few of his friends, his usual easygoing demeanor intact. It hit her then—this was probably the last time they would see each other like this. Just another day at college, surrounded by friends, without the weight of reality pressing down on them.

As if sensing her gaze, Tanmay looked up. For a moment, neither of them moved.

Then, with a small, almost hesitant smile, he walked towards her."Hey," he said.

"Hey," Aditi replied, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"So... last exam, huh?" he said, glancing around as if taking in the atmosphere.

"Yeah. Feels weird."He nodded. "It does."

Aditi wanted to say something more—something meaningful, something that would capture how much this moment meant to her. But instead, she settled for, "So... what's next for you?"T

anmay shrugged. "Job in Noida. Then, let's see where life takes me."

"Yeah. Internship for me."

For a brief moment, there was silence. Not the awkward kind, but the kind that made her heart ache because she knew this was it.

"I guess I'll see you around," Tanmay finally said.

Aditi nodded, even though she knew they might never cross paths again.

"Yeah. See you around."

And with that, he walked away.

Fast Forward: Aditi's Farewell

The farewell party was a blur of emotions. It wasn't like the last one, where they had celebrated an ending with the promise of a new beginning. This time, it was final.Aditi sat in a quiet corner of the venue, watching the celebrations unfold around her. Laughter, speeches, last-minute photographs—everyone was making memories, capturing the final moments of a place they had called home for so long.She should have been happy. But all she felt was an overwhelming sense of loss.

She thought about Tanmay.Her one-sided love story. She had never said it out loud, never confessed, and never even hinted at what she felt. And now she never would. It was ironic, really—how she was leaving this place exactly the way she had started. With feelings for him buried deep inside, never shared, never acknowledged.She had spent years convincing herself that it was just a crush, just admiration. But tonight, sitting here, she knew the truth.She had loved him.And now she was leaving him behind.More than that, she was leaving behind the comfort of familiarity, the walls that had protected her from the real world. College had been her safety net, and now that net was gone. Out there, in the open world, there would be no professors, no friends to guide her through every step.She was scared.Scared of failing. Scared of not being enough. Scared of stepping into a life she wasn't sure she was ready for.

She exhaled slowly, blinking away the emotions threatening to overwhelm her.

It was time to go.

Later that night, as she lay on her bed, scrolling through farewell pictures, a message popped up on her phone.

Tanmay: Hey. How are you doing?

Aditi stared at the screen for a moment before typing back.

Aditi: Hey. I'm okay. You?

Tanmay: Surviving. Where are you placed for your job?

Aditi hesitated for a second before replying.

Aditi: I'll be in Chennai for a month for training. A

fter that, I'll be joining the Gurgaon branch.

She watched the screen, waiting for his response.

Tanmay: Gurgaon? That's great. We should catch up sometime.

Aditi's heart did a stupid little flip at the thought.

Aditi: Yeah. Maybe.She stared at the message for a long time before locking her phone and placing it aside.

Maybe.Maybe life had other plans.

Maybe she would see him again.

Or maybe this was just another chapter closing, another story left unfinished.

And maybe, that was okay.