The rain wasn't supposed to fall that day.
It started as a quiet drizzle, the kind that barely makes people open their umbrellas. But within minutes, the sky turned darker, heavier—like it was holding something back for too long.
Kavya Sharma stood near the college gate, clutching her bag tightly against her shoulder, slightly annoyed.
"Great," she muttered under her breath. "First day, and this happens."
Students rushed past her, laughing, shouting, covering their heads with files and bags. Some ran toward the canteen, some toward the parking area. Chaos. Noise. Movement everywhere.
But Kavya stayed still for a moment.
Not because of the rain.
Because of the feeling.
A strange, unexplainable feeling… like something was about to change.
She shook her head lightly. "Stop overthinking."
Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward into the campus.
The college was massive—red brick buildings, long corridors, crowded notice boards, and that typical first-day energy buzzing in the air. New faces. New beginnings.
Kavya adjusted her hair and walked toward the administrative block, trying to ignore the rainwater dripping from the edges of her sleeves.
That's when it happened.
She turned a corner—
—and crashed straight into someone.
Her books slipped from her hands instantly, scattering across the wet floor.
"Seriously?!" she snapped, kneeling down quickly. "Can't you see—"
She stopped.
A pair of hands were already picking up her books.
Calm. Steady. Careful.
"Sorry," the boy said, his voice low, controlled. "My fault."
Kavya looked up.
For a second, the noise around her faded.
He wasn't smiling.
He wasn't nervous either.
Just… calm.
Dark eyes. Sharp features. Slightly wet hair falling over his forehead. There was something about him—something unreadable.
Like a closed book that you instantly want to open.
He handed her the last notebook. "You dropped this."
Kavya blinked, snapping out of whatever that moment was.
"Yeah. I noticed," she replied, a little sharper than she intended.
A tiny pause.
Then—unexpectedly—the corner of his lips lifted just slightly.
Not a full smile.
But enough to make it dangerous.
"Aarav," he said, as if introducing himself wasn't something he usually did.
"Kavya."
Another pause.
And just like that… something shifted.
"First year?" he asked, walking beside her as they entered the corridor.
"Yes," she replied. "And already having a great start."
"Because of the rain," he said.
"Because of you," she corrected.
This time, he actually smiled.
It was rare. You could tell.
"Then I'll take the blame."
They walked in silence for a few seconds. Not awkward silence—just unfamiliar.
Kavya glanced at him. "You don't talk much, do you?"
"Only when necessary."
"That sounds boring."
"And yet you're still talking to me."
She raised an eyebrow. "Maybe I'm trying to figure you out."
"Don't."
The answer came instantly.
Too instantly.
Kavya frowned slightly. "Why?"
Aarav stopped walking.
For the first time, his expression changed—not completely, but enough.
"Because," he said quietly, "some things are better left unknown."
There was no drama in his tone. No exaggeration.
Just a simple statement.
And somehow… that made it heavier.
Before Kavya could respond, a loud voice interrupted them.
"BROOO!"
A boy came running down the corridor, almost slipping on the wet floor.
"First day and you're already making new friends?" he grinned, throwing an arm around Aarav's shoulder.
Kavya stepped back slightly.
"Raghav," Aarav said flatly.
"What? I'm just saying," Raghav laughed, then turned to Kavya. "Hi! I'm Raghav Verma—professional time-waster, part-time genius."
Kavya couldn't help but smile a little. "Kavya."
"Nice to meet you, Kavya. Be careful around this guy," he said, pointing at Aarav. "He looks innocent, but—"
"Raghav," Aarav interrupted.
"—but he is innocent," Raghav corrected instantly. "Mostly."
Kavya chuckled.
For a moment, everything felt normal.
Light.
Easy.
Safe.
But then—
A sharp sound echoed through the corridor.
A metal tray fell somewhere in the distance.
Everyone turned.
For a split second, Kavya's eyes shifted toward the staircase at the far end.
She thought she saw something.
A figure.
Standing still.
Watching.
But as quickly as she noticed… it was gone.
"Hey," Raghav snapped his fingers lightly. "Where did you disappear?"
Kavya blinked. "Nothing. I just thought I saw—"
"Saw what?" Aarav asked.
She hesitated.
"…Nothing."
But Aarav didn't look convinced.
Not at all.
The bell rang loudly, breaking the moment.
"Guess that's our cue," Raghav said. "Classroom 1-A, right?"
Kavya nodded.
They started walking again.
But this time, something had changed.
The air didn't feel the same.
The feeling Kavya had at the gate?
It came back.
Stronger.
Darker.
As they entered the classroom, students filled the seats, chatting, laughing, unaware.
Unaware of what was coming.
Unaware of what had already started.
Kavya sat near the window, placing her bag down slowly.
Aarav took the seat beside her.
Raghav, of course, dropped into the chair behind them.
"New beginnings," Raghav said dramatically.
Kavya looked outside.
The rain had slowed.
But the sky was still grey.
Still heavy.
Still waiting.
Aarav leaned slightly toward her and said, almost in a whisper—
"This place…"
She turned to him.
"…is not as normal as it looks."
Kavya held his gaze.
"Good," she replied softly.
"I'm not normal either."
And somewhere… unseen—
Someone smiled.
Next part -3 April morning 10 am...