"The Ride to College"

As Ria and Anaya finished their breakfast, the two girls stood from the table, chatting as they walked toward the living room. The warm sunlight spilled through the large windows of the Singhaniya mansion, illuminating the lavish space with a soft glow.

"Today's the day we get to finish submitting everything for our last semester," Ria said, excitement clear in her voice. "I can't believe we're almost done!"

Anaya nodded with a smile, feeling a bit more relaxed in Ria's cheerful company. "It's exciting—and nerve-wracking. But once it's all done, we'll be free."

Ria stretched her arms, already looking forward to a break after their last stretch of university work. "True, and after that, we'll be done with exams too. I've got some major plans once we're free of this semester."

As they moved toward the living room, Ria sighed dramatically. "I asked Aarav to drop us at college today, you know, but you saw how that went upstairs."

Anaya chuckled softly. "Yeah, he didn't seem too interested in helping."

Ria rolled her eyes. "He's always like that! He acts like he's got all the time in the world for his 'important meetings' and can't spare two minutes to help his twin sister."

Anaya raised an eyebrow, curious. "You and Aarav are twins? But he looks so much older than you."

Ria laughed, shaking her head. "Everyone says that! It's the serious face he always wears—plus, he's tall and constantly brooding like Rudra. But we're twins, born just a few minutes apart. I'm technically the older one, though," she added with a playful grin.

Anaya smiled at the thought of Aarav, his usually stoic demeanor making it hard to believe he was Ria's twin. "Does he ever loosen up? He always seems so serious."

"Only sometimes," Ria admitted. "He's fun in his own way, but he's always been the responsible one. He's protective, which is sweet but also super annoying when he acts like he knows everything."

As they continued walking, Anaya's gaze shifted toward the stairs where Ravi, Rudra's assistant, was making his way upstairs, likely handling some work for Rudra. Without thinking, Anaya called out to him. "Ravi!"

Ria looked confused as she glanced between Anaya and Ravi, wondering why Anaya was calling him.

Ravi turned around, a polite smile on his face as he approached. "Yes, Ms. Anaya ? How can I help?"

Ria raised an eyebrow, still looking surprised that Anaya had called Ravi over so casually.

Anaya smiled warmly. "We need to get to the college to finish some paperwork for our last semester. Aarav's too busy to drop us off… Do you think you could give us a lift instead?"

Ria's mouth fell open slightly in disbelief, her eyes darting between Anaya and Ravi. "Wait, what? You're asking Ravi ?"

Before she could say more, Ravi nodded immediately. "Of course, Ms. Anaya . I'll be happy to take you both. Just let me know when you're ready."

Ria blinked in shock, staring at Ravi as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You're actually saying yes?" she asked, her tone incredulous.

Ravi smiled, his tone respectful as always. "Why not? If you both need a ride, I'm happy to help."

Ria was still in disbelief. "But… you're Rudra's assistant! You've never said yes to me this quickly before!"

Anaya chuckled awkwardly, feeling a little self-conscious. "I just asked politely."

Ria narrowed her eyes playfully at Anaya. "There's definitely more to this. He's probably scared of Rudra, or maybe he's just terrified of saying no to Rudra's wife."

Anaya blushed slightly, but before she could respond, Ravi cleared his throat.

"I'll bring the car around," Ravi said smoothly. "Meet me at the front in five minutes."

With that, he turned and walked back down the stairs, leaving Ria still standing there with a blank expression on her face.

Ria shook her head, muttering to herself, "How does she get him to agree so easily? I've tried for years…"

Anaya couldn't help but laugh. "Maybe it's just a good day for him."

Ria shot her a look. "Or maybe you've got some secret power I don't know about. Either way, I'm impressed."

Anaya laughed again, feeling a little more at ease. "Let's just be grateful we have a ride."

Ria sighed dramatically but smiled. "Alright, alright. Let's get moving before Ravi changes his mind. I've got papers to submit, and we both know I'm not showing up late!"

As they made their way to the front door, Ria continued to tease Anaya about her newfound influence over Ravi, making the atmosphere light and playful again. And though Anaya still felt the weight of her thoughts about Rudra and the strange tension between them, she found herself enjoying the moment with Ria.

It was a small victory, but one that gave Anaya a sense of belonging she hadn't felt in a long time.

As Anaya and Ria made their way to the front of the house, the cool morning air greeted them. Ria was still grinning, shaking her head in disbelief as she playfully nudged Anaya.

"I still can't believe Ravi just said yes like that," Ria muttered with a half-smirk. "I've tried so many times to get him to help me out with random stuff, and he always has some excuse. But *you* ask him once, and he's ready to drive us across the city!"

Anaya laughed softly, feeling a little embarrassed by the whole situation. "I don't think it's anything special. He was probably just being polite."

Ria shot her a playful look. "Polite? Anaya, I've known Ravi for years. He's polite, sure, but never that quick to agree, especially when it comes to running errands."

Anaya chuckled again. "Well, either way, I'm glad we don't have to figure out another way to get there."

As they stepped outside, Ravi was already waiting by the car, standing next to the driver's side door. His calm demeanor was the same as ever, but there was a hint of warmth in his smile as he saw the two girls approaching.

"Ladies," Ravi said politely, opening the back door for them. "Your ride awaits."

Ria raised an eyebrow as she slipped into the car, clearly still not over the fact that Ravi had agreed to help so easily. "You're really going all out today, huh, Ravi? First, you agree to take us, and now you're opening doors. What's going on?"

Ravi smirked slightly but remained professional. "Just doing my job, Ria. Besides, I couldn't let you both be late for your last semester paperwork, could I?"

Anaya smiled, grateful for Ravi's help but also amused by Ria's ongoing surprise. She slid into the seat next to Ria, and as Ravi closed the door behind them, she shot Ria a teasing glance. "See? He's just being nice."

Ria leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms with a grin. "You say that now, but I'm starting to think you've got some kind of influence over people."

Anaya shook her head, laughing softly. "I doubt that."

As Ravi started the car and pulled out of the driveway, the two girls settled into a comfortable rhythm of conversation. The drive to the college wasn't too long, but it gave them just enough time to chat about their upcoming assignments and plans for the final weeks of their semester.

"I can't believe it's almost over," Ria said, looking out the window at the passing city streets. "It feels like just yesterday we started this whole journey. Now we're submitting the last of our paperwork and getting ready for finals."

Anaya nodded, her mind drifting back to how much had changed in the past few weeks. She had entered this new chapter of her life—marrying Rudra, moving into the Singhaniya mansion, and now navigating a complex web of relationships and expectations.

"It's crazy how fast time goes," Anaya agreed, her voice soft. "I'm still getting used to everything."

Ria glanced at her, her playful expression fading slightly as she noticed the seriousness in Anaya's tone. "Hey, how are you really doing with all of it? You know, with Rudra and everything?"

Anaya hesitated, unsure how much she wanted to reveal. She trusted Ria, but there was still so much she was processing on her own. "It's... different," she finally said, choosing her words carefully. "He's very... distant."

Ria nodded, her expression sympathetic. "Yeah, Rudra's always been like that. He keeps to himself a lot. But don't take it personally, Anaya. I'm sure he'll open up to you eventually."

Anaya sighed softly, looking out the window as they drove through the city. "I hope so. It just feels like there's this wall between us, and I don't know how to break through it."

Ria reached over and gave Anaya's hand a comforting squeeze. "You'll figure it out. My brother's stubborn, but he's not heartless. It might take time, but I think he'll come around. Just... be patient with him."

Anaya smiled weakly, appreciating Ria's support. "Thanks, Ria. That means a lot."

The rest of the ride passed in a comfortable silence, the soft hum of the car engine and the city sounds filling the air as they approached the college. Anaya's mind was still racing with thoughts of Rudra and her new life, but she was grateful for the small moments of normalcy with Ria.

When they finally arrived at the campus, Ravi pulled up to the entrance and parked the car. He stepped out, opening the back door for the girls once again.

"Here you are," Ravi said with a polite smile. "I'll wait here if you need a ride back."

Ria shook her head, still half-amused by the way Ravi was treating them. "You really are on your best behavior today, aren't you?"

Ravi chuckled softly. "I try."

Anaya stepped out of the car and smiled at Ravi. "Thanks for the ride, Ravi. We'll let you know if we need anything else."

Ravi nodded, giving a slight bow of his head. "Of course, Ms. Anaya . Take your time."

As they walked toward the main building, Ria gave Anaya a playful nudge. "See? He's totally treating you like a queen. Maybe I should start calling you 'Your Highness'."

Anaya rolled her eyes, though she couldn't help but laugh. "You're never going to let this go, are you?"

"Not a chance," Ria grinned. "But seriously, it's nice to see Ravi acting all friendly for once. He's usually so formal and all 'Yes, sir, no, sir.'"

"Well, I'm glad we got here on time," Anaya said, trying to steer the conversation back to the task at hand.

They entered the college building, and the familiar buzz of student life greeted them. People rushed back and forth, papers in hand, professors moving between classes, and the excitement of the final semester was palpable. The atmosphere was electric, with students preparing for their final projects and papers.

Ria turned to Anaya, her playful grin still in place. "Alright, let's get this paperwork done so we can breathe a little easier."

Anaya nodded, feeling a little lighter after their conversation. The day ahead felt busy, but in the company of Ria—and with Ravi's unexpected help—she felt like she could face it. Even with all the uncertainties surrounding her life with Rudra, moments like these gave her hope that maybe, just maybe, she could find her way through this new chapter. And for now, that was enough.

As Anaya and Ria navigated the bustling halls of the college, the energy around them was infectious. Students hurried from one place to another, discussing deadlines, final papers, and upcoming exams. The familiar hum of academic life enveloped them, making Anaya feel a sense of normalcy that she hadn't felt in a while.

"Alright, let's get these documents sorted out and submitted," Ria said as they made their way to the administrative office. "Once that's done, we can relax a little before the final push."

Anaya nodded, feeling a little more at ease now that they were back on familiar ground. The weight of her new life at the Singhaniya mansion momentarily lifted as they stepped into their college roles. It felt good to focus on something she understood—her studies, her future, and her work.

As they stood in line at the office, waiting to submit their paperwork, Ria turned to Anaya and smiled. "I know you've got a lot on your mind with everything happening at home, but honestly, I think you're handling it all really well."

Anaya blinked, surprised. "You think so?"

Ria nodded confidently. "Absolutely. I mean, you were practically thrown into the deep end, but you've managed to stay calm and collected. That's not easy, especially with Rudra being... well, Rudra."

Anaya smiled weakly, though her thoughts immediately drifted back to Rudra. "It's been difficult," she admitted. "I just don't know where I fit in sometimes. Everything feels so... different. Like I'm a guest in my own life."

Ria frowned, her expression softening with empathy. "I get that. But you're not a guest, Anaya. You're part of the family now, and eventually, Rudra will realize that too. He just needs time."

Anaya sighed softly. "I hope so."

They handed their paperwork to the administrator, and within minutes, they were finished with their last bit of college business for the day. As they stepped out of the office and back into the sunshine, Ria stretched her arms above her head, letting out a satisfied sigh.

"Well, that's done! One step closer to freedom," she said cheerfully. "Now we just have to survive finals."

Anaya laughed. "Finals don't scare me. It's everything else that's a bit overwhelming."

Ria looped her arm through Anaya's, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "You'll get through it, I promise. And hey, whenever you need to escape the mansion, just come to my room. We'll binge-watch shows, eat snacks, and pretend like we have no responsibilities."

Anaya chuckled, grateful for Ria's lightheartedness. "I might just take you up on that."

They continued to chat as they made their way back to the entrance of the campus, where Ravi was waiting for them in the car, just as he had promised. As they approached the vehicle, Ria shot Anaya another teasing glance.

"You really do have him wrapped around your finger, don't you?" she whispered.

Anaya shook her head, trying not to laugh. "Stop it, Ria. Ravi's just being helpful."

##To be continue...**