Two weeks had passed. And we still couldn’t find the right model. We had come so close… so painfully close.
Dhinesh, Harika’s boyfriend, was actually a perfect match. He had the looks, the frame, and the features. His face had sharp angles and soft charm and ideal for the concept we had in mind.
But the moment we brought up modeling, he hesitated.
“He’s camera-shy,” Harika explained, rubbing her temples. “And honestly, his parents hate anything related to modeling. They’re super traditional. They think modeling is some sort of crime.”
It felt like we had the perfect answer right in front of us, then watched it slip away. A lost opportunity.
“We were so close,” Jaya Sree muttered under her breath, slumping onto a bench outside the department. I could feel her frustration… because I felt the same.
Meanwhile, our rivals Team 4 and Team 6 were flying ahead with smug little grins on their faces.
Team 4’s Neha, Naina, and Nancy had managed to get Varun, a tall guy from the Engineering Campus known for his stylish poses and arrogant walk.
Team 6’s Catherine, Christina, and Charlotte had picked Shyam, a lean, dusky boy with a brooding attitude and a decent following on Instagram.
Our team, on the other hand, was stuck.
I needed air.
I needed peace.
So, I left for the main cafeteria which is a vast and beautifully built area that served as a common hangout for students from all campuses of the university.
Yes, our college wasn’t an ordinary one. It was part of a famous, esteemed university with multiple campuses spread across its massive grounds... Engineering, Medical, Arts and Science, Modeling, and even a High School block.
As I walked into the cafeteria, the sound of clinking trays, buzzing conversations, and faint laughter filled the air. I didn’t want snacks or tea. I just needed a moment to breathe.
That’s when I passed by a group of high school girls sitting near the juice counter. Their voices were giggly, filled with admiration.
“Oh my God, did you see Ajay sir today?” one girl whispered, barely containing her excitement.
“He looked sooo… cute with those glasses and that shy smile!”
“He teaches physics like magic! And when he drinks mango juice, he looks like a baby drinking milk!”
“And his lips… I swear, they look like rose petals!”
“Right? Everyone thinks he wears some kind of lip tint, but he was actually born with those lips! They’re naturally pink!”
I paused mid-step.
Ajay?
Sunny’s Ajay?
I turned my head toward the glass wall that separated the juice corner from a quieter side section of the cafeteria. That area was almost always empty, a peaceful spot where few students went. And there, through the wide glass panel…
I saw him.
He sat by himself near a small table, facing the campus garden. A gentle breeze moved through the half-open windows behind him, fluttering the pages of the Mahwah he was reading. He was exactly as they described!
Spectacles, a calm, innocent face, dark hair falling softly to one side. He wore a wristwatch and a thin, inexpensive gold chain resting on his collarbone, adding to his simple yet sophisticated look. But what struck me most was his aura of quiet confidence. He didn’t seek attention, yet he naturally commanded it.
He sipped his mango juice slowly, with a childlike sweetness that made my heart flutter. But what caught me completely off guard were his lips…
Soft, full, and naturally pink like rose petals.
There was something divine about them, like they didn’t belong in this world. The kind of beauty that made time freeze. He wasn’t trying to be seen. He wasn’t looking at anyone. And yet, I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
Ajay.
For a long moment, I simply stood there, my fingers frozen on my phone, eyes locked through the glass.
The world around me blurred. The cafeteria noise faded into a soft hum. And in that peaceful, golden-lit moment…
I knew.
This wasn’t just some random boy. There was something rare about him.
Something gentle.
Something eternal.
I had just seen him for the first time…
And yet, it felt like destiny had already written pages about us.
***
