The sky was still tinged with soft lavender, the sun barely brushing the edges of the horizon when Veer reached the college gates. The world felt quieter at this hour—like even time was holding its breath.
He leaned casually against the wall near the entrance, hoodie pulled over his head, trying to blend in with the early staff and a few sleepy seniors walking past. But his eyes... they were anything but calm. They scanned every vehicle that passed, every figure that moved, with a restless desperation he could no longer hide.
And then—
A car pulled up.
He saw her silhouette through the tinted window before the door even opened.
His heart stuttered. A violent thud.
He instinctively pressed a hand to his chest, trying to ground himself. But nothing could stop the storm that erupted inside him.
She stepped out of the car, sunlight catching in her hair like it belonged there. Dressed simply, a book bag slung over one shoulder, her eyes sparkled with the soft kind of excitement only a first day could bring.
Aaradhya.
And beside her—another girl, chattering away as they both said goodbye to the uncle who'd driven them. Veer didn't recognize the man, probably a local guardian.
Aaradhya didn't look in his direction.
Not once.
She walked past him like he didn't exist.
Like he hadn't been carrying her in every breath from the day he has seen her.
She walked towards the bulletin board set up for new students, where a map guided first-years to their classrooms. She studied it closely, talking to the other girl—laughing softly at something, her fingers brushing over the printed floor plan as if memorizing it.
Veer watched her from a distance.
Watched the way she tilted her head.
The way she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
The way she belonged to a world that didn't include him.
And yet... he followed.
Not close enough to be noticed.
But never far enough to not lose her.
When it was time for the first lecture, he slipped into his own class—his steps heavy with the weight of things unsaid.
Inside, Aakarsh was already sprawled out in their usual spot near the center of the room, but the moment he saw Veer, he raised an eyebrow as Veer wordlessly made his way to the first bench—right near the door.
Aakarsh blinked, then grinned slowly as he gathered his stuff and followed.
"Seriously?" he whispered, plopping into the seat beside him. "The first bench? What is this? Academic redemption arc?"
Veer didn't respond.
Just kept staring straight ahead, jaw tight.
Aakarsh nudged him with his elbow, smirking. "You do know she might not even pass this classroom, right?"
Still, Veer didn't say anything.
His fingers tapped a restless rhythm on the wooden desk. His gaze flickered once toward the door.
Just in case.
Aakarsh leaned closer, lowering his voice. "You're gone; bro. Properly gone."
Veer finally spoke, his voice low and rough. "I just needed to see her. That's it."
Aakarsh chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, that's what all addicts say."
But Veer wasn't listening anymore.
His mind was still back at the gates of her classroom.
The moment she stepped out of the room. There was an ache in his chest that he couldn't name, and the silence he couldn't escape.
And maybe—just maybe—at the tiny, stupid hope that someday she would look his way.
Even if only once.
Veer was outside the canteen, eyes trained on the glass doors, pretending not to look like he was waiting.
But he was.
He had searched the entire campus during lunch, every bench and every staircase she might've liked. The library. The lawns. The amphitheatre. Nowhere.
And it was driving him mad, this... absence of her.
Just then, a car pulled up—sleek black SUV, polished, quiet, and the kind of car that didn't belong to a student. Veer didn't give it much thought until he saw someone step out.
A guy.
Tall. Neatly dressed. That kind of effortless confidence that spoke of money, or maybe something worse—belonging. Like he knew exactly where he was, and that he had every right to be there.
The guy leaned casually against the car, phone in hand, scanning the building like he was waiting for someone.
And then... she appeared.
Aaradhya.
Veer's breath hitched.
She stepped out of the canteen with another girl, laughing about something, holding coffee in one hand, her bag slung carelessly over one shoulder. Her hair framed her face perfectly, catching the sunlight, and her smile—it was the kind of thing poets probably failed to write about.
Veer's entire body tightened with something he couldn't name.
She looked... happy.
Then he starts moving towards her when he bumped into her—lightly.
She was looking in his eyes. There was an intensity in her eyes while looking at him. He was not able to take her gaze and was about to look away. When Aaradhya started saying "I am so..."
"Aaradhya!" the tall guy by the SUV called.
The moment her name left his lips, Veer flinched.
Her head turned like it was second nature. That smile—brighter now—spread across her face as she called back, "Coming!"
Who the hell was that?
Veer's hands curled into fists inside his pockets as he watched the guy open the passenger side door for her. The other girl—her friend—was already in the backseat, and Aaradhya slipped into the front without hesitation.
The guy said something, making a face, and both girls laughed.
He shut the door behind Aaradhya, and for a split second, Veer caught the soft way she looked at him. Familiar. Comfortable.
His stomach dropped.
He didn't know who that man was.
But he hated him already.
He stood rooted to the ground as the car pulled away, the SUV gliding past him like it didn't just steal the thing he had been searching for all day.
The wind shifted.
Veer's eyes lingered on the road long after the car vanished. His throat was dry, his chest heavy. And he realized something then—something simple, something terrifying.
He didn't just want to see her anymore.
He wanted to matter.
And right now?
He didn't.
He stood there like the scene might rewind itself if he waited long enough. That Aaradhya might step out of the car again, look around, spot him, smile. Something. Anything.
But all he got was the blur of taillights and the taste of regret on his tongue.
"Bro..."
A familiar voice broke through the silence.
Aakarsh.
Veer didn't turn, but Aakarsh stepped beside him anyway, sipping his cola like he'd just finished a very amusing show.
"You okay, Romeo?" he said, leaning forward to peer at Veer's face. "Or should I send in a search party for your soul?"
Veer scoffed under his breath.
"I'm serious," Aakarsh continued, grinning. "That was some Grade A pining. The way you stared at her like she was the last scene of your favorite movie—my God, Veer. You didn't even blink."
"She didn't even see me."
"That's 'cause you were standing in the shadows like a vampire," Aakarsh teased. "Also, who was that guy? The one who picked her up? Looked... expensive."
Veer finally turned his head, eyes still fixed where the car had gone.
"I don't know," he said quietly.
Aakarsh raised an eyebrow. "You jealous?"
Veer didn't respond.
Aakarsh whistled. "Ohhhh, this is serious. Should I go write 'Veer was here first' on her forehead before this dude thinks he's got a chance?"
"Shut up."
"I mean," Aakarsh said, theatrically thoughtful, "he did look kind of good. That buttoned-up rich-boy charm. Very rival material."
"Aakarsh." Veer's voice was low, sharp now. His eyes met his friend's, a fire brewing beneath the surface.
"Yeah?"
"Find out everything about him."
Aakarsh blinked. "What?"
"I want to know who he is. His name. Where he lives. How he knows her. Everything."
Aakarsh gave a long, slow nod, his teasing fading into intrigue.
"Alright, stalker mode activated," he said, flipping his cap backward. "But you owe me a chocolate shake and front row seat to the drama that's about to unfold."
Veer didn't smile. He just looked out again at the empty road.
Aakarsh clapped a hand on his back. "Dude, chill. You're Veer. You've made girls cry by ignoring their DMs. You'll be fine."
"This is different," Veer muttered.
"Oh? Because it's her?"
Veer didn't reply.
Because yes.
It was her.
And she wasn't just a passing face in the corridor anymore.
She was the moment he looked forward to.
And the stranger in the car?
Was a reminder that he might've already been too late.
Author's Note:
When I began writing this story, Veer was the one I had in mind—intense, magnetic, and all-consuming. But somewhere along the way, as the chapters unfolded and the characters began to breathe on their own, I found myself drawn to Aaditya. His quiet strength, subtle warmth, and the way he just is—it crept up on me. Now, all I can do is think about how good he is. Veer is still special, no doubt. But something in me doesn't feel the same way for him anymore. I hope, somehow, I can find my way back to him. But for now... Aaditya holds my heart.