The rain fell softly, like a memory refusing to fade.
Meera stood at the collage gate, holding her umbrella tightly. First day. MNew life. New begining.
"No looking back," she whispered to herself.
She stepped inside.
Students filled the campus with laughter and noise. Everthing felt alive-too alive for her quite heart.
She walked toward the building-
And suddenly bumped into someone.
"Ouch-Sorry!" she said quickly.
Her books fell to ground.
"Watch where you're-"
She stopped.
Her breath froze.
Standing in front of her... was someone she never wanted to see again.
Aarav Sen.
Time seemed to stop.
His sharp eyes looked at her,calm... almost too calm.
"Still clumsy,I see,"he said softly.
Meera's heart skipped.
That voice.
The same voice that once meant everything.
She quickly looked away and picked up her books.
"I don't talk to strangers," she said coldly.
Aarav smirked slightly.
"Stranger?"
He stepped closer.
"You forgot me that easyly?"
Her fingers tightened around her books.
Forgot?
She wished she could.
But how do you forget someone who once felt like home?"
She forsed herself to look into his eyes.
"I remember<" she said quietly.
"And that's exactly why I'm staying away."
For the first time,Aarav's expression changed.
A flicker of pain crossed his face.
But it disappred just as quickly.
"Good', he said.
"I don't want complications either."
Those words hit harder than she expected.
Meera felt something break inside her... again.
"Then stay out of my way," she replied.
She walked past him without turning back.
But her heart--
It didn't move forward.
It stayed behind....
With him
Later That Day
Meera sat in her classroom, trying to focus.
"New start." she whispered again.
The door opned.
The professor walked in.
"Class, we have a transfer student joining today."
Meera didn't care.
Until-
"
Come in."
Footsteps echoed.
She looked up.
And her world shattered again.
Aarav walked into the classroom.
He glanced at her.
And then looked away.
"Introduce yourself," the professor said.
Aarav spoke calmy-
"Aarav Sen."
Pause.
"I'll be here... for a while."
His eyes met Meera's for a brief second.
And in that moment-
She knew.
This wasn't just coincidence.
This was fate.
Was never kind to her.