Life after college did not feel the way Anna expected.
There were no long breaks, no slow mornings, no open campus spaces filled with familiar faces. Days became structured. Time moved faster. Responsibilities felt heavier. Anna threw herself into work, trying to find comfort in routine.
She joined a company as a junior designer. The office was modern, filled with screens, meetings, and deadlines. It was exciting, but also exhausting. Some days, she loved it. Other days, she missed the freedom of college without fully understanding why.
Sid's life changed too.
He joined the corporate world, where silence was replaced by schedules and expectations. He still read whenever he could, but now it was mostly at night, after long workdays. He adjusted quietly, the way he always did.
They stayed in touch at first.
Messages turned into short calls. Short calls turned into texts that came less often. It wasn't intentional. Life simply got busy. Some nights, Anna typed his name and then erased the message. Sid did the same more times than he wanted to admit.
They didn't drift apart emotionally.
They just stopped sharing everyday moments.
Months passed.
One ordinary morning, Anna walked into the office lobby, half-awake, coffee in hand. She was thinking about a presentation she had later that day when she heard a familiar voice behind her.
"Anna?"
She turned.
For a second, she thought her mind was playing tricks on her.
Sid stood there, holding an ID card, looking just as calm as ever, but a little more grown-up. His hair was slightly messier. His expression surprised.
"Sid?" she said, disbelief clear in her voice.
They stared at each other, then laughed at the same time.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
He lifted his ID. "Looks like we work in the same place."
Her smile widened. "You're kidding."
"I wish I was," he said, amused. "First day."
Something warm settled in Anna's chest. She didn't question it.
They sat together during lunch that day, talking like no time had passed. They spoke about work, stress, long hours, and how different life felt now. It was easy. Familiar. Comforting.
"I didn't know you were here," Anna said.
"I didn't know either," Sid replied. "Feels strange, doesn't it?"
She nodded. "But nice."
From that day on, their routine slowly returned. Morning greetings. Shared coffee breaks. Quiet conversations after work. They were older now, more careful, more aware of the world around them.
But something was different.
The space between them was smaller.
They were no longer just college students unsure of their feelings. They were adults, carrying unspoken emotions and unfinished thoughts.
And every time Anna caught Sid looking at her for a second longer than usual, every time Sid noticed how she still smiled the same way when she talked about her ideas, the same question returned to both of them.
What are we now?
Neither of them asked.
But both of them felt that this time, running away from the answer would be harder.