The first thing Amisha Bundela noticed… was that the sky looked wrong.
It wasn't something obvious.
No cracks. No strange colors. No dramatic shift that would make anyone stop and stare.
But to her—
…it felt misplaced.
Like a page from a different story had been stitched into her world.
"Amisha! You're going to be late again!"
Her mother's voice broke through the silence, grounding her back into reality.
Or whatever this was.
"I'm coming!" she replied, quickly tying her hair into a loose ponytail, her fingers slightly trembling.
She paused in front of the mirror.
For a second—just a second—
She thought she saw something behind her.
A classroom.
Burning.
Desks overturned. Walls cracked. Smoke curling into the air like whispers trying to escape.
And someone standing in the middle of it.
A boy.
Still. Unmoving.
Watching her.
Blink.
The vision shattered.
Her room returned. Quiet. Normal.
Her reflection stared back at her—wide brown eyes, slightly pale face, breath uneven.
"Not again…" she whispered.
This wasn't new.
The dreams. The flashes. The memories that weren't hers.
They had been happening for months now.
Sometimes they were harmless—like walking through corridors she had never seen before.
Sometimes…
They felt too real.
Too painful.
Too personal.
By the time she reached school, the feeling hadn't left her.
The gates of Shivansh Public School stood tall as always, students flooding in, laughter echoing, chaos perfectly normal.
Everything looked exactly how it should.
And yet—
Amisha slowed her steps.
"I've been here before."
The thought came uninvited.
Not like memory.
More like… certainty.
"Amishaaa!"
A voice pulled her out of her trance as someone collided into her from behind.
"Finally! I thought you disappeared again," Sonali Maurya said dramatically, placing a hand on her chest like she had just survived a tragedy.
Amisha managed a small smile. "I was just… thinking."
"You're always thinking," Sonali narrowed her eyes. "It's suspicious."
"Thinking is suspicious now?"
"With you? Yes."
Amisha laughed softly, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.
Sonali noticed.
She always did.
"You okay?" she asked, her tone softer now.
Amisha hesitated.
Should she say it?
That she saw things that didn't exist?
That sometimes she felt like she didn't belong in her own life?
That the world felt… unstable?
"No," she said finally.
"I'm fine."
They walked into class together, the usual chatter filling the room.
Varun Tripathi was already there, leaning back in his chair like he owned the place.
"Late again," he smirked. "Consistent, I respect that."
"Say that again and I'll ruin your reputation," Sonali shot back.
"You mean improve it?"
Amisha barely listened.
Her eyes scanned the classroom.
The desks.
The windows.
The board.
Her heartbeat slowly began to rise.
"I've seen this before."
Not in a dream.
Not in imagination.
This exact moment.
This exact angle of sunlight falling across the desk.
This exact sound of chalk scratching the board—
Wait.
The teacher hadn't even entered yet.
The chalk sound stopped.
Because it had never started.
Amisha froze.
Her fingers curled tightly around her bag strap.
"…what is happening to me?"
"Good morning, class."
The voice came from the door.
Sofia Ansari walked in, calm and composed as always, her presence instantly quieting the room.
"Take your seats."
Everyone obeyed.
Except Amisha.
She was staring at the door.
At the empty space behind Sofia.
Her breath hitched.
For a split second—
She saw someone standing there.
A shadow.
No.
A person.
Watching.
And then—
He walked in.
Late.
Casual.
Like time didn't matter to him.
Darshit Dubey.
Amisha's world… stopped.
Not metaphorically.
Not emotionally.
Literally.
The sound of pages turning slowed.
Voices stretched into silence.
The air itself felt heavy.
And in that stillness—
He looked at her.
Directly.
Like he knew.
Her heart slammed against her chest.
It's him.
The boy from her vision.
The one standing in the burning classroom.
The one who didn't move while everything else collapsed.
The one who—
"—Amisha."
The world snapped back.
She blinked.
Everything was normal again.
Noise. Movement. Reality.
"Where are you lost?" Sofia's voice carried a hint of concern.
"I…" Amisha struggled to speak. "Sorry, ma'am."
"Focus," Sofia said, but her eyes lingered a second longer than usual.
Like she was observing something.
Noticing something.
Amisha sat down slowly.
Her hands were cold.
Her thoughts louder than ever.
She didn't look at him.
She couldn't.
Because she knew—
If she did…
Everything would feel wrong again.
But curiosity was stronger than fear.
Slowly, hesitantly—
She turned her head.
Darshit was already looking at her.
No surprise.
No confusion.
No reaction.
Just a quiet, unreadable expression.
And then—
He smiled.
Not warmly.
Not coldly.
Just… knowingly.
Amisha's breath caught.
Her mind whispered something she didn't understand yet.
Something terrifying.
Something impossible.
You know him.
But she didn't.
She had never spoken to him.
Never noticed him before.
Never—
Another flash.
Faster this time.
Sharper.
Rain.
A different version of the school.
Her hand gripping his.
His voice—
"Amisha, don't trust—"
The vision shattered.
She gasped softly, gripping the edge of her desk.
"What did you just say…?" she whispered under her breath.
Across the room—
Darshit's expression changed.
Just slightly.
Enough for her to notice.
Like he heard something he wasn't supposed to.
And for the first time—
There was emotion in his eyes.
Not confusion.
Not curiosity.
Fear.
The bell rang.
Loud.
Sharp.
Real.
Everyone stood up, chatting, moving, laughing like nothing had happened.
Like nothing was wrong.
Like reality wasn't quietly breaking apart.
Amisha remained seated.
Frozen.
Because one thought refused to leave her mind—
This wasn't the first time she had lived this day.
And somewhere…
In some version of this world—
She had already lost him.
🌌 END OF CHAPTER 1