Arnav had never really believed in love at first sight. To him, love was a concept cultivated over time, something with coherence. But all that came crashing down when he saw her.
It was an ordinary morning, with the college bus bumping along the same usual route. Students filled the seats, some glued to their phones, others busy talking in groups or a few catching up on some sleep. Arnav sat, as was customary, next to the window, earphones plugged in, allowing the music to drown the outside world.
And then he saw her.
She was seated by the window a few rows ahead, engrossed in a book while delicately flipping its pages. Perhaps it was her utter concentration on the book as if oblivious to the crazy scene around her that drew him in. Unassuming, quite unlike those who would flaunt themselves in general, she uninterestedly exuded charm which dulled other attractions.
Arnav found himself staring, taken unawares by her sudden attraction. It was not love yet; there was something else.
For the next few days, early each morning, he would try and look for her. Some days, she would be reading; some days, she would be lost deep in thought, her fingers absent-mindedly tracing patterns on the window. He wanted to speak to her. It was a question of how.
Then destiny came into play.
It was a particularly crowded day on the bus, with only an empty seat next to her. His heart raced as he sat down, certainly hesitant before the option became unavoidable. They sat in silence for a few moments, neither saying a word to the other.
Then, without any hesitation from his end, he snapped out, "What are you reading?"
She raised her gaze at him in surprise, her intense brown eyes locking on. There was a brief silence before she replied, "A collection of short stories."
Arnav nodded, leaving the impression that he actually cared for these books. "Any good ones?"
She tipped her head to the side and thought about it. "Some of them. Some just...exist."
He laughed. "Sounds like every college assignment I have ever done."
Her laughter was soft, musically fascinating, and caught him by surprise.
And suddenly, something had begun.
To be continued…