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Main Characters with Appearance Details

Hazel Roy

A 19-year-old history major at Indo-American University, California. Hazel stands at 5'6" with a well-proportioned, graceful frame. She has wavy, medium-length brown hair that frames her face, deep black eyes that hold both warmth and hidden emotions, and naturally flushed cheeks that give her an effortlessly charming look. Her mixed heritage—Swiss from her mother’s side and Indo-American from her father’s—gives her a unique, striking appearance. She has a casual yet chic sense of style, favoring comfortable outfits that highlight her understated elegance.

Arav Malhotra

At 6 feet tall, Arav has a lean yet muscular build, exuding an effortless, quiet strength. His wavy brown hair often falls slightly over his forehead, adding to his brooding charm. His deep brown eyes are intense, holding layers of emotions he rarely lets people see. A sharp jawline, broad shoulders, and a well-defined physique make him naturally attractive. His style is minimal yet stylish—mostly fitted t-shirts, hoodies, and well-worn jeans, always paired with a watch that adds to his understated but put-together look.

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Main Side Characters with Appearance Details

Naina Kapoor

Standing at 5'6", Naina has a tall, slender frame with long, jet-black hair that cascades past her shoulders. Her expressive brown eyes are always filled with mischief, and her confident smile lights up any room she walks into. She has a striking presence, carrying herself with effortless confidence. Always dressed stylishly, she prefers trendy outfits that make a statement, often accessorized with bold earrings and heels.

Vivhan Sharma

Vivhan is around 5'10" with an athletic build, carrying himself with an easygoing charm. He has short, tousled black hair, warm brown eyes that always seem to be filled with amusement, and a strong jawline that gives him a classically handsome look. His casual yet well-fitted clothing, along with his ever-present smirk, makes him instantly likable.

Meera Sinha

Meera stands at 5'4" with a petite, delicate frame. She has sleek, shoulder-length black hair that is always neatly styled, and sharp, observant brown eyes hidden behind elegant glasses. Her features are refined, and she carries herself with a poised, almost calculated grace. Always impeccably dressed in polished, sophisticated outfits, she has a composed, intellectual air that makes her stand out in academic settings.

---

The first day of college smelled like freshly printed notebooks, nervous energy, and, in Naina’s case, way too much vanilla perfume.

I took a deep breath, adjusting the straps of my backpack. "Okay, new chapter. Let’s do this."

Beside me, Naina stretched dramatically. "New chapter? Hazel, this is not a textbook. This is college! Freedom, adventure, and—" she twirled in front of me, almost knocking over a guy carrying a stack of books, "—the chance to finally live a filmy life."

I grabbed her arm before she could cause more damage. "I don’t need a filmy life, Naina. I need good grades, a solid plan, and a well-organized schedule."

Naina groaned. "You sound like my dad. Loosen up, genius. College is supposed to be fun."

Fun. Right. My idea of fun was color-coded notes, acing my courses, and staying as far away as possible from unnecessary drama. Naina, on the other hand, thrived on chaos. We were polar opposites—me, the overachiever with a life plan; her, the whirlwind of spontaneity who somehow always dragged me into trouble. Yet, she was my best friend, my human alarm clock, and my personal reality check when I got too lost in my head.

We walked into the bustling campus, the energy around us a mix of excitement and panic. Students were rushing to find their classes, seniors were already judging freshers, and somewhere in the distance, someone was playing guitar, because of course they were.

Naina nudged me. "So, tell me, Hazel. Are you ready for your romantic college moment?"

I shot her a look. "What romantic moment?"

She grinned. "The moment when you trip over your own feet and fall straight into the arms of a ridiculously good-looking senior who smells like expensive cologne and makes your heart race."

I sighed. "In case you forgot, I don’t trip."

The universe, of course, had other plans. Because right then, as if on cue, someone bumped into me—hard. My books went flying, I lost my balance, and before I could even process what was happening,

--

I crashed straight into something-or rather, someone-solid. A very firm, very warm someone. My books hit the ground, my breath caught in my throat, and before I could make an absolute fool of myself, strong hands gripped my arms, steadying me.

Oh no.

I looked up, and wow-big mistake.

He was tall. Like, really tall. At least six feet, towering over my 5'4" self like some kind of ridiculously well-sculpted statue. His wavy hair was just the right amount of messy, like he'd rolled out of bed looking effortlessly perfect. And his eyes -deep brown, warm, and slightly surprised-met mine, making my stomach flip in a way I was absolutely not prepared for.

He had a pair of sleek, expensive-looking headphones over his ears, the faintest sound of music leaking through. Dressed in a brown hoodie and light yellow jeans, he looked both casual and impossibly cool, like the kind of guy who walked through life with a permanent soundtrack playing in the background.

And here I was, ruining the moment with my inability to function like a normal human.

"Uh-sorry, I-" I started, but my brain had officially short-circuited.

He didn't let go immediately, his grip gentle yet firm, as if making sure I wouldn't face-plant onto the floor. His brows pulled together slightly, concern flashing across his features , "You okay?" His voice was deep, smooth, and-of course-unfairly attractive.

Fantastic. First day of college, and I had already embarrassed myself in front of someone who looked like he walked straight out of a romance novel

I scrambled to pick up my books, my fingers fumbling as I shoved them into my arms. My brain was still lagging behind, stuck on oh no, oh no, oh no, and my cheeks were burning hot.

He was still standing there, probably expecting some sort of response-a "thank you" at the very least. But nope. My fight-or-flight instincts had kicked in, and apparently, they had chosen run.The history lecture ended, and I stretched, feeling that satisfying post-class glow. My notes were pristine, my brain was happy, and for a blissful moment, I had completely forgotten about-

"Ohhh, Hazel."

I groaned before even turning to look at Naina. She had that look-the I-know-something-you-don't-want-me-to-k now look.

"What?" I said, pretending to be oblivious as I packed up my things.

Naina leaned in, resting her chin on her hand with a dreamy sigh. "You. Him. The corridor. The moment.”

Without looking back, without another word, I turned on my heel and power-walked straight to my classroom like my life depended on it.

Nope. Not happening. Not dealing with this. Not today.

I could still feel the heat of his gaze on my back, probably confused, or worse-amused. Great. Absolutely fantastic. This was not how my first day was supposed to go. I had planned everything down to the last detail, and nowhere in my schedule did it say, "Embarrass yourself in front of an insanely attractive stranger."

I practically threw myself into the first empty seat I found, heart still hammering. Naina slid into the seat next to me, looking way too entertained for my liking.

"Hazel." She smirked. "What was that?"

I stared straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge her. Maybe if I ignored it hard enough, it would cease to exist.

Spoiler alert: it didn't.

And all this end when , The moment the professor started talking about the war of 1930, my mind finally did what it was supposed to-focus.

History had always been my safe space. The way past events shaped the present, the stories of people who had lived and fought for what they believed in-it fascinated me. Unlike real life, history had structure, cause and effect, reasons behind every action.

I quickly flipped open my notebook, jotting down key points as the professor spoke. My earlier embarrassment faded into the background, pushed aside by the familiar thrill of learning something new. This-this-was what I had come here for. Not awkward hallway encounters, not mysterious guys in hoodies, just knowledge, structure, and the satisfaction of a well-organized notebook.

For the next hour, nothing else mattered.

The history lecture ended, and I stretched, feeling that satisfying post-class glow. My notes were pristine, my brain was happy, and for a blissful moment, I had completely forgotten about-

"Ohhh, Hazel."

I groaned before even turning to look at Naina. She had that look-the I-know-something-you-don't-want-me-to-k now look.

"What?" I said, pretending to be oblivious as I packed up my things.

Naina leaned in, resting her chin on her hand with a dreamy sigh. "You. Him. The corridor. The moment."

I stiffened. "There was no moment."

She gasped dramatically. "No moment? Hazel, you literally fell into his arms! Like some Bollywood heroine! If background music had started playing, I wouldn't have been surprised."

I rolled my eyes. "You're exaggerating."

"I am not." She grinned. "Tell me at least one thing. Was he as tall and gorgeous as I imagine?"

I stood up, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "I don't know. I wasn't paying attention.”

Naina gasped louder this time. "You weren't paying attention?" She grabbed my arm dramatically. "Hazel, you fell into a walking romance novel, and you weren't paying attention? That's it. We're going to the cafeteria. I need to process this over fries."

I sighed, but I followed her anyway. There was no escaping Naina once she had a topic she was determined to dissect.

By the time we dragged ourselves back to our apartment, I was done.

First days were exhausting. Between awkward introductions, overwhelming classes, and nearly crashing into a human version of a book boyfriend, my brain was officially out of service.

I dropped my bag on the floor and collapsed onto the couch with a dramatic sigh. “I can’t move.”

Naina kicked off her shoes and flopped next to me. “Same. College is a scam. Why does learning require so much effort?”

I groaned in agreement. “And why did we think taking it seriously was a good idea?”

She patted my arm. “Because we’re nerds, Hazel. But nerds need fuel.”

With that, she jumped up and headed to the kitchen. I peeked over the couch. “What are you doing?”

She tossed me a grin. “Making pasta, obviously. First day of college tradition.”

My stomach growled in response. Our ultimate comfort food—creamy, cheesy, and the only thing that could revive my soul after today’s chaos.

I closed my eyes, letting the sound of Naina clanging pots and humming dramatically fill the apartment. This was home now—messy, exhausting, but weirdly perfect.

Maybe college wouldn’t be so bad after all.

A week into college, things were finally falling into place.

The chaos of the first day had settled into something resembling routine. Classes were good—great, actually. My schedule was running smoothly, my notes were color-coded to perfection, and best of all, I had not tripped, stumbled, or otherwise embarrassed myself in public again. Success.

Naina and I had adjusted to our new life surprisingly well. Our apartment was starting to feel like home, late-night pasta sessions had become a tradition, and somehow, we hadn’t killed each other over who got to use the bathroom first in the morning. A miracle.

And then there was Meera.

If I had to describe her in one word, it would be brilliant. She was sharp, witty, and had an encyclopedic memory that made me want to step up my game. What started as a mental competition quickly turned into actual friendship—study sessions, shared notes, and deep conversations about historical theories over cafeteria fries. She was still technically my academic rival, but also, undeniably, my friend.

Life was good.

So good, in fact, that I had completely forgotten about him.

The guy from the corridor. The ridiculously tall, hoodie-wearing, music-obsessed guy who had caught me in a painfully cliché romcom moment. I hadn’t seen him since that day, and honestly? I barely even thought about it anymore.

Clearly, he was just a passing moment in my otherwise well-structured college life.

Or so I thought.

Professor Kapoor adjusted his glasses and tapped the whiteboard. "Before we wrap up today’s lecture, I have an announcement."

The room quieted as he continued, "The college is introducing a new workshop on human psychology. It’s open to all students, regardless of major, and will explore human behavior, decision-making, and emotions."

I perked up immediately. Human psychology? That sounded... intriguing.

Professor Kapoor placed a flyer on his desk. "For those interested, details are on the board. I encourage you to attend—understanding history also means understanding people."

I nodded to myself. That made sense.

Across the room, Naina leaned over. "Oh no. I see that look. You’re interested."

I smirked. "Maybe."

She groaned. "Hazel, why do you willingly sign up for more brain work?"

I shrugged. "Because it’s interesting?"

She sighed dramatically, but I was already set. After class, I made my way to the board and signed up.

This was going to be fun. Or at least, I hoped so.

---

After class, I caught up with Naina as we walked toward the cafeteria. "So, are you signing up for the workshop?"

She snorted. "Absolutely not. I respect your nerdy enthusiasm, but I’ll pass."

I raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing instead?"

"Volleyball," she said, grinning. "I need a sport to balance out all the sitting around in class. Plus, have you seen the volleyball team? Pure talent."

I rolled my eyes. "Right. Talent."

"Hey, don’t judge," she said, nudging me. "You go analyze brains, and I’ll enjoy some action-packed fun. We both win."

I sighed. "So, I’m doing this alone."

"Yep," she said cheerfully. "But don’t worry! You might meet some interesting people."

I didn’t like the way she said that.

With Naina off chasing volleyball dreams, I was officially on my own for this psychology workshop. Hopefully, it would be worth it.

I stepped into the workshop room, scanning for a seat.

Oh no.

It was packed. Every chair was taken—except one.

I exhaled in relief and rushed over, sliding into the seat before anyone else could claim it. But just as I settled in, I turned to my right and—

No. No. No. No. No.

This was not happening.

Sitting next to me, leaning back with an easy confidence, was him.

Same height. Same wavy hair. Same stupidly good-looking face. But this time, he wasn’t in a hoodie—he was wearing a fitted black T-shirt that did way too much justice to his muscles, paired with dark jeans and a silver watch that caught the light just right. The effortless, I-don't-even-try-but-still-look-hot kind of vibe.

My life? Officially cursed.

My body went rigid, my brain short-circuited, and suddenly, I was questioning all my life choices.

Because not only was I now stuck sitting next to the guy I literally fell into a week ago… but I also never said thank you.

I had just bolted. Like an absolute idiot.

Cue instant regret.

Maybe if I stared straight ahead and pretended I didn’t exist, I could survive this workshop.

Or maybe—just maybe—I was about to endure the most painfully awkward two hours of my life.

The entire lecture passed in agonizing silence.

I sat there, stiff as a board, pretending to focus while my brain spiraled. He hadn’t looked at me once. Not a single glance.

Did he even recognize me? Or was he just completely uninterested?

By the time the professor dismissed us, I was drowning in my own overthinking. But no—I had to do this. Just say thank you and be done with it.

I turned to him, heart pounding. "Uh… hey."

He finally looked up, and in that second, I saw it. Recognition. He definitely remembered.

I swallowed. "I just—um—wanted to say thanks. For… you know."

He didn’t reply. Didn’t smirk, didn’t joke, didn’t say anything.

Just nodded. A single, unreadable nod. Then, he grabbed his stuff and walked out.

I blinked. That’s it?

No words? No reaction? Just… a nod?

I sat there for an extra second, processing. Then, with a huff, I gathered my things and left.

Well. At least I finally said it. Even if the response was… minimal.

Small victories. I guess.

As I stepped out of the workshop, still processing the whole awkward exchange, Naina came charging toward me, practically buzzing with excitement.

"Hazel! Hazel! You won’t believe what happened! My volleyball session was insane! I might’ve pulled off a spike that—" She paused when she noticed I was barely listening, her voice faltering. "What’s wrong with you?"

I shrugged, a little distracted, but not in the way she probably thought. "Just tired. Long day."

Naina didn’t seem convinced but rolled with it. "Okay, fine. But you have to hear this—guess what? They just announced the fresher party!"

I blinked, only half-focused on her words. "Fresher party?"

"Yep! Next week!" Naina grinned. "And you better come, or I swear, I’ll drag you there myself. It’s going to be epic!"

I shrugged again, a bit more present now. "Yeah, sure. I’ll go."

"Good!" she said, as if she had already won some kind of victory. "This is going to be so much fun!"

I smiled, nodding, still feeling the remnants of that weird interaction in the workshop. But whatever. It wasn’t a big deal.

After the fresher party discussion, Naina's eyes widened in playful excitement. "So, are you going to spill about this party, or are you just going to leave me hanging?"

I chuckled, leaning back in my chair. "We'll see. I’m not making any promises."

"Not making promises, huh?" Naina said, raising an eyebrow, but her grin softened as she noticed the change in my mood. "Okay, okay, enough about that. What else is going on?"

I hesitated for a moment, debating whether to share. Then I sighed, realizing she’d notice if I kept quiet. "Well, I’m having lunch with my dad today."

Her face instantly softened, and she gave me a reassuring smile. "Oh, that’s good. How’s that going? You nervous?"

I shrugged, trying to play it cool even though I felt a little knot in my stomach. "I don’t know. It’s weird. We don’t talk much. But I guess it's time to try and do something about it."

Naina nodded, her expression turning serious. "You know I’m here if you need anything. It’s not easy, but you’ll get through it. Just be yourself, okay?"

"Yeah, I’ll try," I said, appreciating her support more than I could express. "Thanks, Naina."

She gave me a quick, tight hug. "Anytime, Haze. Now go and survive that lunch. I’ll be here waiting to hear all about it."

I smiled, feeling a little lighter, and then grabbed my bag. "I’ll see you later, then."

---

Lunch with Dad:

Walking into the restaurant where I was meeting my dad felt like stepping into a new chapter. The place had an air of familiarity, but the distance between us made everything feel like a first meeting.

I spotted him right away. He was sitting at a table, looking down at his phone, probably wondering if I’d actually show up. My dad was a man of few words, always guarded, but I could tell he was trying. He looked up as soon as I approached, giving me a quick smile.

"Hey," I greeted him, sitting down across from him. "Sorry, I’m a little late."

"No problem," he replied, putting his phone down. He studied me for a moment, his eyes softening slightly. "How’s college?"

I felt a brief twinge of hesitation before answering. "It’s good. Classes are going well. History’s actually pretty interesting. We’re covering the war of 1930 in one of the courses."

His eyes lit up a little at that. "You’ve always loved history."

I smiled, a bit surprised at how that simple comment made me feel. "Yeah, I guess some things don’t change."

The rest of the lunch was filled with light updates—nothing too heavy. He asked about my friends, and I mentioned Naina, how she was busy with volleyball and how we were settling in.

As lunch ended, we both sat back, the conversation running dry for a moment. There was a lot unsaid, but the silence between us wasn’t as uncomfortable as it used to be.

"Thanks for lunch," I said, standing up. "It was... good."

He nodded. "I’m glad. I’ll check in more often, Hazel. I know I’ve been distant."

"Yeah," I replied quietly, forcing a smile. "I know."

---

After lunch, I stepped back into the restaurant lobby, feeling a strange mix of relief and uncertainty. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a start.

After lunch, I went back to college to grab a few books I needed for the evening. My mind was still replaying the quiet moments with my dad, but I didn’t have the energy to dive too deep into it. There were too many layers, too much that wasn’t said, and I wasn’t sure I was ready to unpack it all yet.

Naina knew me better than anyone, and I could tell she was waiting for me when I got back to the apartment. The door was open just a crack, and the delicious smell of something savory drifted out. I sighed in relief.

"Sushi?" I called out as I pushed the door open.

Naina was in the kitchen, chopping vegetables with surprising precision. She grinned when she saw me. "Yep. But also a little extra. I figured we could have a whole sushi night, plus some homemade miso soup." She winked. "You need comfort food, girl. After what you just went through, I knew you’d need a little TLC."

I smiled, a real one this time. "You really do know how to take care of me, huh?"

She gave a dramatic shrug, still chopping. "What can I say? I’m a pro at comfort food. Now, go change into something comfy, and let me handle dinner. I’ve got this."

I nodded, feeling a small wave of gratitude. The truth was, no matter how hard I tried to keep everything together, Naina always seemed to know when I needed her the most. I changed quickly and came back to the kitchen to find a small spread of sushi laid out on the dining table. There were also little bowls of edamame and miso soup, everything arranged just the way I liked it.

As we settled down at the table, I noticed Naina’s watchful eyes on me. "You good?" she asked gently, her tone soft but laced with understanding.

I hesitated for a moment, pushing a piece of sushi around on my plate. "Yeah... I mean, it’s complicated, you know?"

Naina waited, not pressing but not letting me off the hook either.

"I—" I took a deep breath. "I haven’t really talked about this to anyone, not even you, but today, I think... I think I need to."

Naina’s expression shifted, her eyes softening as she leaned forward, waiting for me to continue.

I swallowed hard, feeling my heart race. This was harder than I thought. But I had to say it, had to finally talk about everything that had been eating away at me for years.

"When I was twelve... my parents got divorced," I started, my voice barely above a whisper. "It wasn’t the kind of thing that happened overnight. There were... things, a lot of things I couldn’t understand. And I didn’t get why it happened, or why they couldn’t just... fix it. But it was bad. They fought a lot, and then one day, it just ended."

I paused, watching Naina’s face as she took in what I was saying. She didn’t interrupt, didn’t say anything, just let me continue.

"I always thought it was my fault," I whispered, looking down at my hands, unable to meet her gaze. "If I was better, if I could’ve done something different, maybe they would’ve stayed together. But I couldn’t fix it, and neither of them... neither of them really talked to me about it. My mom... well, she’s only ever communicated with me when it came to academics. That’s the only time she’d even acknowledge I was there."

A shaky breath escaped my lips as I looked back up at Naina. "So, I worked hard, because that was the one thing I could control. If I did well, maybe she’d notice me. Maybe we’d talk. But it’s been like that for years. And my dad, he... he’s been distant. I know he’s trying, but it’s not the same."

Naina’s eyes softened, and she reached across the table, placing her hand gently on mine. "Hazel, I had no idea..." she said, her voice low and full of compassion. "I didn’t know it was this deep for you. You’ve always been so strong, but I guess there’s a lot you’ve been carrying alone."

I nodded, biting my lip to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill. "I didn’t want to burden anyone with it. I just wanted to be... well, perfect. So that I didn’t have to face the fact that I don’t really know how to be close to anyone anymore."

Naina squeezed my hand. "You don’t have to carry all of that by yourself, Hazel. I’m here for you, okay? You don’t have to be perfect. You’re allowed to feel all of it, even when it’s messy."

I looked up at her, feeling the weight of everything I’d been holding inside begin to lift, just a little. "Thanks, Naina. I didn’t realize how much I needed to say that."

Naina gave me a small, knowing smile. "That’s what friends are for. Now, how about we eat our weight in sushi and forget about all the complicated stuff for a bit?"

I laughed softly, the tension easing from my shoulders. "Sounds perfect."

---