Radhika's POV:

I stared at the list of flats on my phone, my frustration mounting with each passing hour.

I’d been searching for a place to stay in Bengaluru ever since my transfer, but nothing seemed to fit my  requirements.

Just as I was about to give up, my phone rang. It was Maya, an old friend from college.

“Hey Radhika, I’ve got a place for you,” Maya said, her voice bright with enthusiasm.

“Oh, really?” I replied, her voice tinged with hope.

“There’s just one thing,” Maya started, but I didn’t let her finish.

“I’ll take it!” I said quickly. At this moment I'm ready for any thing. “I’ve been searching for so long, I don’t have time for more details right now. I’m in!”

“Alright, alright,” Maya chuckled. “I’ll send you the address. Just be prepared—you’ll have to share the room.”

“Got it,” Radhika said, already mentally packing my bags. “Thank you so much, Maya.”

Without waiting for a response, I ended the call and immediately began organizing my belongings.

As I packed, my mind raced with the adjustments I’d need to make.

I set my phone on the bed and opened the Notes app, scrolling through my lists. My eyes landed on a note titled “Bucket List.” I clicked on it, and the list appeared:

1. Getting a high paid job – I smiled and tapped a tick emoji beside it.

2. Supporting my parents – Another tick emoji followed.

My gaze then fell on the third item, and my smile faltered:

3. Living with Him while doing job –

One day, while we were hanging out in auditorium,  he looked at me and said, “You know, once we get our degrees and start working, we'll live together.”

I laughed, assuming it was just a joke. “Sure, but only if you agree to cook for me. I’m hopeless in the kitchen.”

“Done Ma'am,” he said, winking. “But only if you promise to do my laundry. I’m terrible at that.”

"Done Sir"

The memory of his teasing smile flashed before my eyes, and a tear escaped my eye.

Just then, my phone buzzed with a video call. It was Siya, my best friend. I quickly wiped my tears and answered.

“Hey Siya!” I said, trying to sound cheerful.

Siya’s face lit up on the screen. “Radikha! I was just thinking about you. How’s the house hunt going?”

“It’s… it’s sorted,” I said, my voice faltering slightly. “I found a place.”

“That’s great news!” Siya exclaimed. “Tell me everything! Is it nice? Are you excited?”

I nodded, forcing a smile. “Yeah, it’s good. I’m just starting to pack up now.”

“Good luck with everything,” Siya said warmly. “I’m sure it’ll all work out perfectly. And remember, we’re just a call away if you need anything.”

“Thanks, Siya,” I said, feeling a bit better. “Aacha I'll call you later okay.”

As the call ended, I looked around my room, taking a deep breath. I had a new city to explore and a future to build—one step at a time.

*****

The next day, I boarded the flight to Bengaluru with all my belongings. Since the flat was fully furnished, I only packed my clothes, some food, and my work essentials.

Settling into my seat, I opened my book and enjoyed the view outside. It was a bright, sunny day with fluffy clouds drifting by.

As we landed in Bengaluru, the weather had changed. It was raining heavily, the monsoon in full swing. I took a cab and headed to my new house. My phone buzzed with a call from Maya.

“Where are you, Radhika?” she asked.

“I’m in the cab. I’ll reach the flat in about 30 minutes because of the traffic,” I replied.

“I’m waiting,” she said.

“Yeah, and who’s my room mate?” I asked curiously.

“Yeah, actually it’s—” Before she could finish, the call dropped. I tried calling back, but the network was non-reachable due to the monsoon.

Sighing, I looked out the cab window, watching the rain blur the cityscape. Who could it be? I wondered. She Should be friendly. The thought of sharing my space with a stranger was both exciting and nerve-wracking.

The cab finally pulled up to the address Maya had given me. I grabbed my bags and stepped out, feeling the rain instantly soak through my clothes. Maya was waiting under the shelter of the building’s entrance, waving enthusiastically.

“Radhika! Welcome!” she called out, rushing to help with my bags.

“Thanks, Maya. I can’t believe I’m finally here,” I said, smiling despite the rain.

“Come on, let’s get you inside and dry,” she said, leading the way.

We took the elevator up, and as the doors opened, I saw the flat door slightly ajar. Maya pushed it open, and we stepped into a cozy, well-furnished living room.

“Well it's the living room, that's kitchen and your room is their with attached washroom” Maya said, pointing. “But first, let’s get you out of these wet clothes.”

I quickly changed into dry clothes and returned to the living room, where Maya had made some tea. We sat down, and I couldn’t help but ask again, “So, who’s my roommate? And where is she?”

Maya smiled mischievously. “Well, he should be here any minute now.”

He? Did she just said he? What? no I can't live with a man. I can't share a room with a man. But to make sure I heard correct I asked her "What do you mean by he?"

Just then, the main gate opened, and I turned to see who it was. My heart skipped a beat as Samar walked in, looking just as surprised to see me as I was to see him.

“Radhika?” he said, his voice a mix of shock and disbelief.

“Samar?” I replied, my mind racing. Could this really be happening?

I stood up from my place, and Samar and I both stared at each other in shock. I turned to Maya, who looked at me with an apologetic smile. "I was about to tell you," she said.

Before I could say anything, Samar stepped forward and hugged me tightly. My heart nearly stopped.

"I missed you so much," he murmured into my hair. "Why didn't you contact me once? Where were you?"

He released me and cupped my cheeks, making eye contact. I could see the concern in his eyes. I opened my mouth but no words came out. Instead, I turned to Maya. "I can't live here with him," I said firmly.

Maya looked a bit taken aback but quickly recovered. "Radhika, listen. This is just temporary until you find another place. Please, just give it a chance. It's hard to find affordable flats in Bengaluru."

Before I could protest, Maya pulled out her phone and called Siya, putting her on speaker. "Hey, Siya, guess who just arrived?"

"Radhika! How’s the new place?" Siya's cheerful voice filled the room.

"Maya, tell her," I said, feeling a mix of frustration and anxiety.

"Siya, Radhika's freaking out because her flatmate is Samar," Maya explained quickly.

"Wait, Samar? As in Samar from college?" Siya sounded surprised. "Radhika, you should stay! He can be trusted and where will you find another room in just one day? ."

"I don’t know, Siya. It’s too complicated, I can stay at Maya's place right?" I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

Maya looked hesitant and said "Bro i would have never asked you to live here if I wasn't married but unfortunately I got married last month"

I was too stunned to speak when I heard siya's voice "Radhika, you’ve been through so much. Maybe this is exactly what you need to finally address everything. You can't keep running away. Just give it a try," Siya urged.

Samar was just looking at me, his eyes pleading silently. I took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "Fine. I'll stay, until I find another place. " I said, my voice trembling slightly.

Maya smiled, relieved. "Thank you, Radhika. It’ll be okay, I promise."

With that, Maya gathered her things and left. I avoided looking at Samar and quickly went to the room, slamming the door behind me.

Sliding down to the floor, I let the tears fall, my body wracked with silent sobs. How had everything become so complicated so quickly?

Update!!!!

Hope you liked the first chapter. Do like and comment guys❤