The Search
289 Words
Arjun stared at the scrap of paper in his hand, a tiny, defiant slip with Priya's phone number. He felt a surge of adrenaline he hadn't experienced since closing his first major business deal. He was used to having a team of assistants, lawyers, and consultants to solve his problems. He was not used to a direct, personal challenge from a woman with fiery eyes and a quiet intensity that had completely disarmed him.
He immediately put his team on the task, instructing them to find a rare edition of "The Selected Works of Kahlil Gibran" as if it were a matter of national security. But the days passed, and all they came up with were dead ends. The book wasn't in any online stores. It wasn't in any local antique shops. It wasn't in any university libraries—at least, not for sale.
His week was almost up. He had two days left, and his team had failed. He found himself pacing his office, the stack of project blueprints on his desk untouched. He wasn't thinking about his next business deal; he was thinking about a literature student and her ruined book.
He knew he had to call her. He knew he was breaking her rule, but the thought of letting her down, of not seeing her again, was more unsettling than any business failure. He picked up his phone, her number a bright spot on his screen.
He called. Priya was at home, trying to study with a regular, non-rare edition of the book. The phone rang, and she saw an unknown number. Her heart hammered against her ribs. She knew who it was. She answered, her voice tight with a mixture of hope and defiance.
"Hello?"
- Writer
