❝ Something about you made me feel a little more alive and a far less lost.❞

🍃

"Here is your appointment letter, from tomorrow you'll be a part of St. Allen Career Academy to complete your NEET coaching classes." Saying, her father gave her a letter.

They completed their breakfast and that day passed away as usual.

In the morning Siya would've to go to the hostel at 6:30 am sharp. So that night she should doze off early than others.

Thinking about her first day at a hostel she became tense. As it would be the first for her to stay away from her parents and be a nerd she didn't even know how to treat or talk with strangers, especially boys. She was also scared due to ragging problems that she would probably have to face on campus. Though she prepared a speech to introduce herself in front of everyone, in the end, she was just messing up everything.

'What if I stutter?'

'They'll surely make fun of me.'

'Hey Radhe, what'll I do if any boy tries to humiliate me?'

'I don't even have the guts to raise my voice against them!'

'How the professor will be?'

'Will she or he teaches me politely or scolds me unnecessarily in front of everyone?'

These questions kept running in her mind and she continuously turned from side to side on the bed in anxiety.

Thinking about the next day, she didn't realize when sleep engulfed her.

🍃

"Hurry up! The Cab has come." Her parents yelled for Siya and soon she came out of her room with her luggage. Securing the things carefully on the car they settled themselves in it.

During the whole journey, Siya's heart was pounding so hard as if it would burst out at any moment. She silently closed her eyes and started calming herself with some comforting words. But her marathon didn't want to stop at that moment. She looked at the sky from the window and chanted Radha Radha to divert her mind.

After exactly 3 hours of driving, they finally reached their destination.

At first, they went to the head office to meet Chancellor Mr. Agarwal. Siya politely greeted him and after a few questions, they headed to the dorm. The receptionist gave them her room keys. After confirming her proper security her parents sighed in relief.

"Take care, okay beta? Don't mess with any boys. Or yes, always concentrate on your studies. If any queries inform Mr. Agarwal. We both know him well. He'll surely help you." her mother advised her and kissed her lovingly on her forehead. Siya hugged her mother and they bid her goodbye.

After they left, Siya took a glance at her new room. There were two beds- one for her and another for her roommate might be. She sighed in relief as she had not to stay with a guy as she knew her parents themselves chose the room.

Putting off her spectacle she started unpacking her staff. After done she took a warm shower to cool her tired muscles. After that, she changed herself into a comfy outfit.

There were no classes today as it was Sunday. Though she was happy that from now on she would no longer have to stay under house arrest but somewhere in her heart she knew she was missing her family.

Nature was calm yet deep that day. The rain had stopped an eternity ago, but looking like nature was still enjoying it. The chirping sounds of birds were echoing from the window, indicating their extreme happiness. The warm light of sun rays peeking from the clouds makes the atmosphere gloomy and serene. A rainbow popped up through the sky like a garment that looked more rejuvenate.

Siya took out her Radhakrishna idol from the bag which she didn't forget to bring with her; hiding from her parents. Looking at the idol with utmost love, she hugged it gently and stayed in the same position for a moment. A cool breeze passed through her face making her hair strands dance. For an unknown reason, a chill ran down her spine.

A melancholic tune caught her attention. The tune was as saccharine as honey. As if someone was crying out their pain, their unspoken truth through the music. She didn't know what was that actually but what she was sure about, was that it was nothing but a flute.

Quickly picking up her leather jacket she started walking in the direction from where the sound was coming. She stopped to see a huge crowd gathering in the middle of the campus. She jostled in astonishment to break into the crowd.

Her eyes started roaming around and she found a guy near her same age sitting on a chair with a flute in his hands.

His hairs were curly and black till his nape, some strands were falling over his face making his appearance more charming. His eyes were closed and his lips perfectly synced over the hole of the flute. His two hands danced over it creating a melancholic sound that was enough to cure depression of anyone. She observed how his head was moving up and down from time to time to suppress his emotions thoroughly through the tune. His eyebrows were twitching some time just to give more gentle forces to the flute for maintaining the scale. His shoulders were tilting back and forth creating a dance form that lord Krishna usually does in Raas Leela.

But all she could notice was that his face didn't hold that much brightness, that much calmness like his flute. Sweat beads were forming over his forehead and his face was looking pale.

She closed her eyes to feel the blissful tune.

But her trance was broken when she heard a loud bang sound from the other side. Observing his features for such a long time she didn't even take in the surroundings as there was a group of three guys too who was looking like a rocking orchestra standing with their musical instruments. One of the guys came forward with his baas guitar while another one had a rhythmic guitar with drums. The two were continuously stroking the stripes of the guitar while the other strongly hitting the drums. The sound was creating a loud noise all over the campus that forced Siya to put her palms over her ear to save her eardrums. But the most shocking thing was- except for her; everyone was hooting and shouting, showing how much enjoyed they were by the music.

Siya couldn't help but asked a girl hesitantly who stood just beside her.

"What's going on here?"

"Flute Vs Guitar, you don't know!" the girl replied casually not even casting a glance at her.

"Means?" Siya asked again to which the girl stop shouting and noticed her. She started observing her face for some seconds and then asked,

"Hmm... Looks like a fresher! Aren't you?"

"Yeah!" Siya replied with a small grin.

"Haha... if you don't know about them, you know nothing about this campus," she replied to which Siya shook her head in disbelief but she continued,

"Okay so, the one who is singing right now is the most wanted playboy, known as bad boys in this hostel. Here's the main leader is Danish who's playing the bass guitar and the other two are Vicky and Rohan. They call themselves 'Ra-One'." she completed and turned her focus once again on them. But Siya's curiosity was not stopped as she mostly wanted to know about the flutist. So she again asked,

"Umm... And that guy?" she pointed.

"Oh...he...he's Professors lullaby!" saying that she started laughing like a maniac but Siya there couldn't understand and gave her a 'what so fun' look. But it seemed like didn't affect her.

When she was about to throw her another question the clapping sound increased and everyone shouted by saying, "Ra-One! Ra-One!" Just then the girl jumped in excitement at one of the guys whose name was probably Danish and gave a peck on his lips.

"And the winner is..." one guy was about to declare the result.

Siya looked around to find the flutist guy was hanging his head low like he knew the result from before.

"...One and only Ra-One!" the boy declared with utmost happiness and everyone cheered.

'But this is not fair, that flutist deserves to win!' she thought but later understood why they did that. No one wanted to rip their throat by arguing with bad boys. So she kept her mouth shut and soon the gathering became clear

She was about to leave when she heard someone's voice, not a voice, it sounded like a threat!

Since she was standing a little further away, she couldn't able to hear their talk but she saw, Danish poking the flutist's shoulder from time to time making him flinch and walked backward. They continuously bullied him until he fell to the ground. They started laughing and throwing mud and stones at him by kicking their legs.

After enjoying the view they left there.

'How can someone be so cruel! and which type of guy he is, didn't even protest them!' Siya was cursing them in her mind.

Suddenly she didn't know what played in her mind when she went to help him, a boy. Born in a strict family where talking with boys was considered a social crime for unmarried girls in her family. Her conscious was protested her from doing so but an unknown strength pulled her towards him.

When she went near him and forwarded her hand, her heartbeat accelerated with each passing second.

Sensing someone's presence the guy looked up to find Siya.

His heart skipped a beat when their eyes met. For the very first time, he felt warmth and care in someone's eyes. His greenish-grey hazel orbs met with her brown chocolaty ones. A sweet scent was passing in between as if welcoming them to their uncertain destiny. Their eyes were misty for an unknown reason and it seemed like time had stopped at that moment.

But he abruptly blinked his eyes to break the gaze and stood by himself with the flute and ran from there not even glancing back.

Siya stood there motionless incapable of understanding what was just happened a minute ago.

'Just wanted to help him! I think it would be better if I didn't go to him in the first place. Chameleon eyed Khadoos!' She cursed him under her breath and being embarrassed she left the place as soon as possible, heading to her dorm.

🍃

How's their first encounter?
Do you like Chameleon-eyed Khadoos?