A whole year had passed since the storm of that day.
Since the suspension.
Since the day Yeshwanth had slapped Sanchitha in anger — the day that changed how everyone looked at him.
But life didn't stop.
He had slowly walked back into college after that one-week suspension, facing stares, whispers, and cold looks from his classmates. Even Arjun, his close friend, had found it hard to defend him at first. Yet Nila had stayed — quietly watching from the shadows of the realm, coming down to earth whenever he felt broken.
Now, one year later, everything felt both new and familiar.
The First Day of Second Year
The morning sun fell across the college gates, lighting up the walls and the trees that had seen hundreds of stories already.
Yeshwanth walked in with Arjun beside him, both wearing slightly faded jeans and backpacks filled with notes, snacks, and silent hopes.
"Second year, bro," Arjun said with a grin. "We survived the war."
Yeshwanth smiled faintly. "Barely."
"Come on, you should smile more," Arjun teased. "This is the year we become legends."
"Legends?" Yeshwanth asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah! Legends who will get job offers, good grades, and maybe—just maybe—find love."
Yeshwanth laughed quietly at that. "Love? You think that's in our syllabus?"
Arjun winked. "Maybe it's an optional subject."
The two walked into the campus. It was buzzing with life — first-year juniors running around, finding classrooms, asking for help, or just trying not to look lost. Banners hung near the auditorium: Welcome Freshers!
The new energy in college made Yeshwanth's heart feel lighter for the first time in months. He had promised himself to move on, to forget the pain, to study well, and to not let anyone or anything pull him down again.
The First Impression
Later that afternoon, Yeshwanth and Arjun stood near the canteen, watching the crowd of juniors rush out after their orientation. Arjun elbowed Yeshwanth and said, "Bro, look at them — so scared, so fresh. We used to look like that once."
Yeshwanth chuckled. "Now they probably think we're the scary ones."
And he was right. A group of juniors passed by, whispering softly to each other.
"Who's that guy?" one asked.
"That's Yeshwanth anna," another said. "He's very quiet. Some say he got suspended once."
"Really? He looks so serious."
Yeshwanth heard every word, but he just smiled. He didn't blame them. His reputation had already become a college story.
Still, not everyone avoided him.
A few friendly juniors, including Rithesh, Aadhi, and Shravya, started to talk to him and Arjun after a few days. They often met in the canteen or bus stop, chatting about classes, teachers, and assignments. Slowly, Yeshwanth began to open up again — laughing, guiding them, and helping them with notes.
It felt good to be useful again.
The Girl Who Stopped Time
One afternoon, while waiting near the library stairs, Yeshwanth saw someone who made his heart skip a beat.
A girl was walking past with a group of juniors, her voice soft and cheerful. She looked normal to everyone else — simple kurti, notebook in hand, smiling politely. But to Yeshwanth, she seemed different — like the whole world slowed down just for her.
Her hair moved with the breeze. Her eyes were calm, almost kind. She wasn't trying to grab attention, yet she did — effortlessly.
"Hey," Yeshwanth said quietly to Rithesh beside him. "Who's that girl?"
Rithesh looked up. "Oh, that's Jeevika. She's in the first year of Computer Science. Comes from a big family — rich, but she doesn't act proud. Everyone likes her."
"Jeevika…" Yeshwanth repeated softly, as if the name itself had a melody.
Arjun grinned immediately. "Oh no. I know that look. You've fallen again."
"Don't start," Yeshwanth said, trying to hide his smile.
"Bro, I'm serious," Arjun said, nudging him. "Be careful. Remember what happened last time when you got too emotional."
But Yeshwanth wasn't listening anymore. His eyes followed Jeevika as she disappeared into the corridor. Something about her reminded him of calm mornings after storms — something pure, gentle, and new.
When Paths Cross
Days went by.
Yeshwanth tried to focus on classes, but sometimes, without meaning to, he looked for Jeevika in the crowd — in the canteen, the library, the bus stand. And then one day, fate gave him a small moment.
He had boarded the college bus late in the evening, sitting near the window as usual. The bus was half-empty. The sun was setting, painting the road in orange and gold.
Just as the driver started the engine, someone stepped in. It was Jeevika. She walked in quietly, looking for a seat, and ended up sitting a few rows ahead of him.
Yeshwanth's heart raced.
He wanted to talk, but his courage stayed behind with the wind. Still, watching her look out of the window made him strangely peaceful — as if all the noise inside his heart had gone quiet.
When the bus reached the stop near his house, he got down, still thinking of her — the way she smiled when she talked to her friends, the way she looked at the sunset like it meant something to her too.
The Evening Visitor
That night, as he sat alone outside his small house, a familiar shimmer of light appeared near the banyan tree.
He didn't even have to turn — he knew it was her.
"Nila," he said softly.
She stepped out of the silver glow, her hair flowing like moonlight, her eyes bright yet sad. "You're thinking again," she said gently.
Yeshwanth smiled faintly. "You always know."
Nila sat beside him on the old stone bench. "How was your day?"
He hesitated. "It was… good. Met my juniors. They're friendly. And—" he stopped for a moment, unsure if he should continue.
Nila tilted her head. "And?"
"There's this girl," he admitted. "Her name is Jeevika. I don't know… she seems different. Peaceful. Like she's from another world."
Nila's smile faded slightly. "Another world?" she repeated quietly.
Yeshwanth nodded, lost in thought. "Maybe that's why I noticed her. She looks so calm… not like the others. I don't even know her properly, but—"
"But you want to," Nila finished his sentence softly.
He looked at her, surprised. "Yeah."
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The night wind moved between them, carrying the sound of a distant temple bell.
Then Nila whispered, "So this is it, huh? The moment I feared."
"What do you mean?"
She looked away. "Nothing. I just… I know how human hearts work. When you see something bright, you want to reach for it. But sometimes, when you reach for the light, you forget the one who walked beside you in the dark."
Yeshwanth sighed. "You're not just someone from the dark, Nila. You're my friend. My only one, sometimes."
She looked at him — really looked — and for a second, the pain in her eyes was visible. But then she smiled again, hiding it like always.
"Then promise me something," she said softly.
"What?"
"Don't lose yourself chasing someone else's light. You already have your own."
Tea and Confessions
The next evening, they met again — this time at the small tea shop near the bus stop. The air smelled of rain and fried snacks, and the sound of laughter from students filled the street.
Nila stirred her tea slowly. "So? Did you see her again?"
Yeshwanth smiled a little. "Yeah. In the bus. She didn't even notice me, but it was enough."
"Enough?" Nila raised an eyebrow. "You sound like you're already dreaming."
He laughed softly. "Maybe I am."
Nila looked down at her cup. "You humans are strange," she murmured. "You fall for someone just by seeing them smile once."
Yeshwanth looked at her with a teasing grin. "Even gods fall, don't they?"
Nila froze for a second, then smiled faintly. "Maybe. But gods don't get to stay."
There was a long pause after that. The tea turned cold between them, and the rain began to drizzle outside. Yet, for some reason, neither of them moved. It felt like both were trying to hold onto something slipping away slowly — friendship, peace, or maybe time itself.
The Dream
That night, Yeshwanth couldn't sleep.
He lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling fan spinning slowly, the sound of rain tapping on the window.
When he finally closed his eyes, he saw her — Jeevika — standing under the same hill where he had once met Nila for the first time. She was smiling, her hand reaching out to him. But behind her, the sky shimmered like the realm, and he saw Nila watching silently, fading with the light.
He reached out, but both of them drifted away — one into the realm of dreams, and one into the shadows of the heart.
Yeshwanth woke up suddenly, his breath heavy, his chest tight.
"Why do I feel like I'm losing something I never had?" he whispered to himself.
Outside, the night had gone quiet.
Inside, his heart had begun another storm.