Why Does the Universe Work Like This?

Aanya boarded the bus like she did every day, her eyes scanning the crowd of passengers, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. The stranger. The one who, for some reason, had started to occupy her thoughts every morning and evening. He was always there, quietly riding the bus, his presence calming in its quiet mystery. But he was a stranger, and she had never spoken a word to him. Every day, she hoped today would be the day.

Maybe today, she thought, maybe today I'll finally get the chance to ask him his name.

"But as the minutes passed and the bus continued its route, Aanya’s heart sank a little. The stranger wasn’t there. She frowned, sinking into her seat with a sigh. It was always the same. The little flicker of hope would rise in her chest, only to be dashed when she realized he wasn’t there.

It’s okay, she reminded herself. I’ll try again tomorrow. She told herself she was just being silly. He was a stranger, after all. A fleeting moment in her daily commute. But still, she couldn’t help but wonder: What if today was the day?"

"The next day, she boarded the bus again, eyes searching the familiar faces. She could feel the small flutter of hope in her chest, but once again, the stranger wasn’t there. She sighed and sank into her seat, trying to shake off the growing disappointment. Maybe tomorrow, she thought. Maybe tomorrow.

By the third day, Aanya felt different. She had stopped hoping, stopped searching. She no longer carried the small excitement of possibility. Today, she was simply tired. Tired from the endless hope, tired from the waiting, tired from the thought that perhaps this stranger, this fleeting person she had imagined so much about, was never going to be part of her life. Maybe he was just that—a stranger. Just a passing face on the bus."

"She leaned back in her seat, her eyes closed as the bus rumbled along, letting the hum of the engine soothe her mind. She couldn’t help but wonder why it always felt like when she wanted something, the universe gave her the opposite. Why does it feel like I’m always hoping for something I’ll never get? she thought to herself. Maybe that's just how it is. Nothing works out the way we want.

Her thoughts drifted, and soon, exhaustion took over. She fell into a light sleep, her head resting against the window.

When she woke up, the bus was quieter than usual. She blinked, adjusting to the moment. It wasn’t the sound of the bus she had woken to, but a soft voice—soothing and light.

“What were you dreaming about?” the voice asked, its tone gentle but curious. “It sounded… beautiful.”

Aanya’s heart skipped a beat. She turned toward the voice, startled, only to find him sitting right next to her. The stranger. The very one she had been hoping to speak to for days. Her mind raced, but she couldn’t find the words at first. She had never imagined this moment would come, let alone this way—unexpected, spontaneous, so simple, yet so perfect.

For a moment, she didn’t know how to respond. She stared at him, still a little surprised by the coincidence of it all. He was smiling at her, not with expectation but with a quiet warmth, as though he had known her all along.

“Uh… nothing special,” Aanya finally managed to say, her voice soft as she tried to regain her composure.

The stranger’s smile deepened. “It sounded like a nice dream,” he said with a light chuckle. “Sometimes the best dreams are the ones we don’t even realize we’re having.”

Aanya felt a lightness in her chest, the tension easing away. He was calm, unhurried, and somehow, that made everything easier. She wasn’t sure why, but in that moment, his words made her feel like everything was going to be okay.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, the bus continuing on its route. But Aanya couldn't ignore the question that had been on her mind for days now, a question that had been growing louder and louder as she thought about him. She had to ask it, now that he was sitting right there.

“Why is it,” Aanya began quietly, her voice thoughtful, “that when we wish for something, or even just think about it, it feels like the universe always gives us the opposite? Like we're waiting for something we’ll never get?”

The stranger looked at her thoughtfully, his gaze gentle. He didn’t seem surprised by the question. He simply took a moment to consider his answer, and then spoke, his voice calm and easy.

“Maybe the universe doesn’t always give us what we want,” he said. “Maybe it gives us what we need. We spend so much time wanting things, and we think we know exactly what will make us happy. But sometimes, what we want isn’t what’s best for us. The universe, or life, or fate—it gives us what we need, even if we don’t always understand it.”

Aanya absorbed his words, and for a moment, there was silence between them. It was a simple answer, but somehow, it made sense in a way she hadn’t expected. She had always thought that if she wanted something enough, if she hoped for it long enough, it would come to her. But maybe the universe wasn’t about giving us everything we desired. Maybe it was about teaching us something deeper.

After a moment, the stranger, his smile still present, added in a more playful tone, “So, what did you want from the universe? What were you hoping for?”

Aanya blinked, caught off guard by his lightheartedness. For a moment, she didn’t know how to answer. But then, with a calmness she didn’t quite understand herself, she looked at him and said, “Nothing.”

The stranger raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. “Nothing?”

Aanya nodded, a quiet smile tugging at her lips. “Sometimes, wanting nothing is the best thing to ask for.”

"The stranger smiled back, a soft chuckle escaping him. “I see,” he said. “Sometimes, we need nothing more than peace, don’t we?”

Aanya nodded, feeling lighter than she had in days. There was something in his words, something that made sense to her, that gave her a sense of calm she hadn’t realized she was missing. She didn’t need anything, she realized. Not right now, not in this moment. She was exactly where she needed to be.

The bus continued on its route, but now Aanya felt no rush. She was content in the present, letting go of the things she had once thought she needed. Maybe, just maybe, the universe didn’t owe her anything at all. And that was okay.

As the bus rumbled down the street, Aanya smiled to herself, her heart lighter than it had been in a long while.