Chapter 3: The First Collision
The corridor was crowded after classes.
Students were laughing, talking, rushing toward the canteen.
Aditi pulled everyone along.
"Come fast! First day = canteen celebration!"
Priyanka smiled,
"You just want food."
"Obviously," Aditi laughed.
Swati walked quietly beside them, holding her books.
Poonam… was looking somewhere else.
At Ayush.
He was walking ahead with his friends.
Laughing freely.
Her steps slowed.
"Poonam…" Swati called softly.
"Huh? Yeah… coming…"
She quickly looked away and followed them.
At the same time…
Abhi was walking through the same corridor.
Hands in pocket. Calm. Lost in thoughts.
His inner voice again—
"You're close…"
He frowned slightly.
And then—
It happened.
Swati turned suddenly—
And bumped into someone.
Her books fell to the ground.
"Oh, I'm so—"
She stopped.
Abhi.
For a moment…
Everything went silent.
No crowd. No noise.
Just them.
Abhi looked at her.
Properly.
For the first time.
His inner voice:
"It's her…"
Swati's heart started racing.
Why does he feel so… close?
So familiar?
"I'm sorry," Abhi said calmly, bending down to pick her books.
Their hands touched.
A small moment.
But enough to send a strange feeling through both of them.
"Thank you…" Swati said softly.
Abhi nodded.
But didn't move.
He kept looking at her… as if trying to remember something.
"Have we met before?" he asked.
Swati's breath stopped for a second.
"I… I don't know…"
Behind them—
Aditi whispered loudly,
"OOHHH…"
Priyanka smiled.
Poonam watched quietly.
At the other side—
Ayush saw the scene.
"New couple?" he joked to his friend.
Poonam heard it.
Her smile faded slightly.
And at the corner—
Shreya smirked.
"Finally… story starts."
Aishwarya nodded,
"Time to create problems."
Abhi stepped back.
"Sorry again."
"It's okay…"
They walked away.
In opposite directions.
But this time—
Both turned back.
At the same time.
And their eyes finally met.
Something had begun.
Not just a story.
A feeling.