Vikrant pov

I was sitting quietly on my bench, eyes drifting between the board and the classroom door.

Mostly the door.

The first lecture was almost over, and the so-called late legends were nowhere to be seen. Typical. My fingers tapped lightly against the desk as I glanced up again.

Beside me, the girl-Ashwani, I remembered her name now-tilted her head slightly, studying me for a second.

"You seem more interested in the door than the board," she said casually.

"Waiting for someone?"

I answered a little too fast, barely thinking.

"Ah-yeah. My friends. First lecture's almost done and they're still not here."

She nodded, unbothered, and turned back to her notebook.

But my mind didn't settle.

It kept replaying the image from the corridor-the way she stood there. Calm. Fierce. Unapologetic.

She wasn't just confronting someone. She commanded the space.

I didn't even know her name then, but she had already captured my thoughts like nothing ever had.

By the time the second lecture was about to end, I finally spotted them-outside the classroom, breathing hard, drenched in sweat like they'd just run a marathon.

When the bell rang and it was officially break time, they stumbled in, exhausted and dramatic.

"What happened to you guys?" I asked, concern slipping into my voice.

"You look like runaway brides."

Lavanya dropped into the seat beside me with a groan.

"Dude," she started, "this bastard Aditya decided to bring his car today-without knowing it was due for servicing."

Aditya opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off.

"We didn't even go four kilometres before it broke down in the middle of nowhere. And this idiot," she pointed at him, "had no clue what to do."

Niraj laughed.

Bad move.

"Somehow," she continued, "we got a mechanic's number. He came after an hour and told us the car had to be taken to the service centre."

"And when I suggested a taxi or auto," she added, glaring at Niraj,

"this genius said the college was 'just five minutes away.'"

She scoffed.

"We walked. For two hours. I swear to God, next time I'm not going anywhere with them."

"Okay, okay, calm down," I said, trying not to smile.

Aditya leaned back and groaned.

"At least now can we go to the cafeteria?

I'm dying of thirst."

We grabbed a table in the far corner of the cafeteria-away from the chaos but close enough to feel the noise.

Everyone was laughing over something Aditya said mindlessly.

The cafeteria buzzed with voices, trays clattering, chairs scraping.

And then-she walked in.

Her face was calm. Steps steady. Almost commanding.

She ordered something and turned toward the opposite side.

She stopped at a table filled with students.

I don't know what she said-or if she even raised her voice.

But the next second, they were standing up. Quietly. Apologetically. Walking away.

She sat down like nothing had happened, scrolling through her phone as if the world simply... made space for her.

I felt something twist in my chest.

I wanted to walk up to her. Sit across from her.

Say something-anything.

But the thought itself felt strange. Unreal.

Like I didn't belong in her orbit.

Then something unexpected happened.

A guy-white shirt, faded blue jeans-pulled out a chair and sat right in front of her.

He reached out and snatched her phone playfully.

She looked up at him. Didn't protest.

They spoke easily. Comfortably.

Too comfortably.

A few minutes later, he touched her face.

A sudden unease crept over me-sharp and unfamiliar.

I didn't like it. I didn't even know why.

She brushed his hand away lightly, but the smile that appeared on her face-

It was beautiful.

Soft. Calm.

Like still water under moonlight.

Something inside me cracked.

She glowed.

That smile did things to my mind I wasn't prepared for.

I was so lost in her that I didn't realize I was sitting with the most annoying people on earth.

Aditya slapped my shoulder.

"Ahh ha! Kahaan ho, mister? Kisko aise ghoor raha hai?"

I shrugged quickly.

"Kuch nahi. Bas aise hi."

Lavanya smirked.

"Aise hi toh tu kisi ko nahi dekhta,"

she teased.