1

She had always been friendly with everyone.

Talking to people, helping classmates, making friends-none of that was difficult for her. But there was one thing she had never been comfortable with: physical touch, especially from boys.

Even an accidental brush of a hand would make her uncomfortable. If someone touched her by mistake, she would immediately step away. Sometimes she would rub the spot absentmindedly, trying to get rid of the uneasy feeling. It wasn't hatred. It was simply who she was.

Then, one ordinary day, something unusual happened.

He was walking past her in the college corridor when their shoulders lightly brushed against each other.

It lasted barely a second.

Yet instead of discomfort, she felt... nothing unpleasant.

In fact, she didn't mind it at all.

The realization followed her throughout the day.

"Why didn't it bother me?"

She couldn't understand it.

After all, he wasn't even a stranger. They had been talking for months. They were friends. Good friends. He was respectful, kind, and easy to talk to. Maybe that was all it was.

At least, that's what she told herself.

But soon she noticed other things.

She started checking her phone more often.

She found herself waiting for his messages.

Whenever her phone vibrated, a small part of her hoped it was him.

And if an entire day passed without hearing from him, something felt strangely incomplete.

She didn't call it love.

She didn't even know what it was.

All she knew was that for the first time in her life, someone's presence had quietly become a part of her day-and she had no idea when it happened.

A few weeks later, the semester-one examination date sheet was finally released.

Since he wasn't originally from Delhi, he didn't come to college every day. He lived in a rented room with a few friends and usually visited campus only when necessary.

That afternoon, Naina was scrolling through her notes when her phone suddenly vibrated.

Aarav: "Hello Naina. Semester-one ki date sheet aa gayi kya? Koi update mila? Examination form wali problem solve ho gayi ya abhi wait karna padega?"

A smile appeared on her face before she could stop it.

It was such a simple message.

Just a question about exams.

Nothing special.

Yet she found herself reading it twice.

Then three times.

As if the message contained something more than words.

She quickly replied,

Naina: "Haan, date sheet aa gayi hai. Aur form wali problem bhi solve ho gayi lagta hai. Professor ne bola tha ki ab tension lene ki zarurat nahi hai."

A few seconds later, his reply arrived.

Aarav: "Thank God! Main toh soch raha tha kahin exam ke time koi nayi problem na aa jaye."

Naina laughed softly.

For the next few minutes, they talked about exams, assignments, and college gossip.

Nothing unusual.

Nothing romantic.

Yet when the conversation ended, she kept staring at the screen for a few moments.

A strange thought crossed her mind.

"Why am I this happy over a simple message?"

She had spoken to countless friends before.

She had received hundreds of texts.

Then why did this one feel different?

Why was she waiting for his messages before they even arrived?

For the first time, she began wondering if her heart knew something that her mind had not yet understood.