He Was All Black and White. She Was All Colours.

Preksha was a real rainbow.

She was a mix of all beautiful colours—laughter, joy, peace, fun, and warmth. To people who didn’t know her, she often came across as an arrogant snob. The irony? She was one of the kindest souls one could ever meet. Loving, caring, empathetic, strong, and fiercely protective of the people she loved.

She was reserved. She didn’t speak much unless she genuinely wanted to. She lived in Bengaluru and worked at Google.

And Bengaluru? Well, Bengaluru is a vibe, man. A city full of dreamers, hustlers, elites, misfits, and people trying to find their place in the world.

That’s where she met Mayank.

He also worked at Google, although on a different floor. Their first meeting happened inside an elevator. Preksha rushed in at the last second, and Mayank instinctively held the door for her.

“Thank you,” she said.

He nodded.

Not a single word.

That was Mayank.

A complete geek. Intelligent as hell, quiet, modest, shy, and just the right amount of weird. He hardly spoke to anyone.

But somehow, the universe seemed determined to make them cross paths.

They bumped into each other in cafeterias, hallways, elevators, and coffee stations so often that it almost felt planned.

One day, he smiled at her.

For the first time.

Preksha immediately pulled his leg.

“Look who’s smiling today! Miracles do happen.”

Mayank laughed softly.

Inside, something shifted.

At first, he couldn’t understand it. Then he realised that Preksha had quietly occupied a permanent place in his mind. Whether she was around or not, she was somehow always present.

The truth was that Mayank was fighting battles no one knew about.

He was recovering from a relationship that had left him feeling used, exhausted, and emotionally drained. Life had become mechanical. Wake up. Work. Sleep. Repeat.

Like a machine.

Like a zombie.

Then Preksha happened.

Slowly, he started noticing life again.

He paid attention to his appearance. Started grooming himself. Smiled more often. Laughed a little louder. Life didn’t seem so colourless anymore.

One evening, after a particularly hectic workday, they decided to grab dinner together.

Now, they hadn’t discussed feelings.

At least not openly.

Wait.

I only knew about Mayank’s feelings.

What about Preksha?

Did she feel something too?

Honestly, I had no clue.

I was eagerly waiting for their after-dinner conversation.

At the restaurant, Preksha was chirping like a bird.

She spoke about her childhood, her dreams, her family, her fears, and all the random thoughts that crossed her mind. Around Mayank, she somehow became an open book.

Mayank simply sat there, watching her with a peaceful smile.

Then he interrupted.

“I want to tell you something.”

Woohoo!

The moment had arrived.

Our boy was finally going to confess.

But what happened next completely blew my mind.

Preksha didn’t even let him finish.

She smiled and said, “I know what you’re going to say.”

Mayank looked confused.

“You do?”

“Yes.”

“What am I going to say?”

She leaned back.

“You love me.”

Mayank froze.

Then blushed.

The poor guy looked like he’d forgotten how to breathe.

But hold on.

That didn’t mean she loved him back.

She hadn’t said that.

Yet somehow, Mayank felt relieved.

His feelings were out in the open, and she hadn’t walked away.

For him, that was enough.

After that day, they spent even more time together.

Mayank cared for Preksha in ways she had never experienced before.

Not because he expected something in return.

Not because he wanted to impress her.

It simply made him happy.

Her smile became his favourite reward.

Days turned into weeks.

Weeks turned into months.

For Preksha, this kind of love was unfamiliar.

She was used to handling everything on her own.

She was independent. Strong. Self-sufficient.

And yet, there was something comforting about having someone who remembered whether she had eaten lunch, carried an umbrella, or reached home safely.

She loved being cared for.

Even if she would never openly admit it.

One evening, she asked Mayank to meet her for dinner.

Now I was curious.

Was she finally going to confess?

Or was she going to ask him to stop?

God, I love after-dinner conversations.

They are always life-changing.

After a few moments of silence, Preksha looked at him and said,

“I started loving you because of the way you love me.”

Finally.

Something had started.

Mayank looked as if he had conquered the entire world.

His eyes sparkled.

His smile refused to leave his face.

And before either of them could say anything else, they hugged.

A long hug.

The kind that says everything words cannot.

Preksha became the ray of light that entered Mayank’s life when he needed it the most.

She gave him hope.

She reminded him that life could be happy.

She taught him that he didn’t need anyone’s permission to be himself.

She taught him how to enjoy life again.

And Mayank?

He gave her the love she had always deserved.

The care she secretly craved.

The comfort she never knew she needed.

They completed each other in the most beautiful way.

He was the silence.

She was the sound.

He was all black and white.

She was all colours.

Together, they created a masterpiece called love.

And you’re probably wondering who I am.

Well.

I was the heart of Preksha.

I witnessed everything.