2

The first semester examination had finally arrived.

It was a cold winter morning. The university campus looked unusually quiet. Dry leaves lay scattered across the pathways, dancing whenever the chilly wind passed through. The trees stood almost bare, and the pale sunlight struggled to break through the gray sky.

The atmosphere felt strangely empty.

Naina reached the college early with her best friend,

Priya.

"Let's check the seating arrangement first," Priya said.

The two girls walked toward the notice board where

dozens of students had already gathered.

Naina pretended to focus on finding her roll number.

But every few seconds, her eyes wandered toward the college gate.

Has he come yet?

She quickly looked away.

Then a minute later, she looked again.

Maybe he's running late.

Again she checked.

Again she found herself searching for the same face.

Priya noticed.

"What are you looking at again and again?"

"Nothing," Naina replied immediately.

But even she knew she was lying.

The exam was scheduled from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM. It was already a few minutes before eight.

Still no sign of him.

Trying to distract herself, she sat on a nearby bench and opened her phone to revise her notes.

Instead, another screen appeared.

Their old chat.

A message from weeks ago.

"Hello Naina. Date sheet aa gayi kya?"

Without realizing it, a small smile appeared on her lips.

They were such ordinary conversations.

Questions about assignments.

Class schedules.

Exam forms.

Professor complaints.

Nothing special.

Yet she had saved almost every message.

Why?

She didn't know.

She scrolled upward.

Then upward again.

Reading conversations she had already read countless times.

The cold wind brushed against her face, but she barely noticed.

Her eyes remained fixed on the screen.

A sudden notification made her heart jump.

For a second, she thought it was him.

It wasn't.

The disappointment arrived faster than she expected.

And that frightened her.

Naina locked her phone and stared at the empty pathway ahead.

A strange question echoed inside her mind.

"Why am I waiting for him?"

They were only friends.

Good friends.

Nothing more.

At least that's what she kept telling herself.

But deep down, a tiny part of her was beginning to wonder whether her heart had already chosen an answer before her mind was ready to accept it.

Just then, Priya nudged her shoulder.

"Naina."

"Hmm?"

"Stop staring at the gate."

Naina blinked.

"What?"

Priya laughed.

"You've checked that gate at least twenty times in the last ten minutes."

Naina opened her mouth to deny it.

Then stopped.

Because at that exact moment, a familiar figure entered through the college gate.

And for reasons she couldn't explain, the cold winter morning suddenly didn't feel so cold anymore.

The university gate buzzed with students rushing toward their examination halls.

An auto stopped near the entrance.

Before it had fully halted, Aarav stepped out, adjusting the strap of his bag on his shoulder.

Behind him were his two closest friends, Abhay and Darshan.

"Bro, we're already late," Darshan said while checking the time.

"I know, I know!" Aarav replied, running a hand through his hair.

The cold morning wind had left his hair slightly messy after the ride. He quickly fixed it while walking, then adjusted the collar of his jacket.

Abhay laughed.

"Why are you fixing your hair again? It's an exam, not a fashion show."

Aarav rolled his eyes.

"I'm not fixing it. The wind messed it up."

"That's exactly what people say when they're fixing it."

The three friends laughed and hurried toward the examination block.

Aarav had left his room later than planned. Between finding his admit card, grabbing breakfast, and waiting for the auto, he had almost missed the reporting time.

Even while walking, he kept adjusting his sleeves and straightening his jacket.

Not because he was trying to impress anyone.

It was simply a habit.

Meanwhile, Naina and Priya had already found their classroom.

Their seats were on the last row.

Priya's desk was on the right side, while Naina sat beside the window.

Students continued entering the building below.

Naina wasn't paying much attention until a familiar

figure appeared near the gate.

Her eyes immediately recognized him.

Aarav.

Walking with Abhay and Darshan.

His bag hanging from one shoulder.

His jacket slightly unzipped.

His hair still refusing to stay in place despite his repeated attempts to fix it.

Without realizing it, Naina found herself watching him.

Not staring.

Just... watching.

As though her eyes had developed a habit of finding him in every crowd.

The strange thing was that she didn't even notice herself smiling.

But Priya did.

And that smile told Priya far more than Naina was willing to admit.