Between Glances and Silence

Karan's POV

I placed my bag on the desk and pulled out my notebook, flipping it open to a fresh page. As I settled in, looking around bored, my eyes were drawn to something unusual—scribbled words etched into the wooden surface of the desk. They were faint, almost as if someone had hastily carved them out in a moment of boredom or frustration.

“Lost in a crowd, but still unseen…”

The words felt oddly fitting, resonating with the whirlwind of emotions that often came with starting something new. I traced the letters with my fingertips, wondering who had felt compelled to leave this small piece of themselves behind.

Just as I was contemplating the message, a soft, almost melodic voice pulled me out of my thoughts. "Excuse me."

A faint smell of jasmine hit my nostrils. I turned my head, and a girl was standing there with a captivating presence. My eyes roamed over her face. Her fringe, slightly tousled by the wind from the window, framed her forehead perfectly. The sunlight caught in her hair, which barely grazed her shoulders, creating an almost halo-like effect around her.

Her eyes were striking—a deep, inky black that seemed to draw me in. They complemented her hair perfectly, adding to the mysterious aura she exuded.

Creepy me.

Trust me, I’ve never gawked at someone like this before.

She raised an eyebrow, her expression a mix of curiosity and impatience—like she was challenging me without saying a word.

"Can I sit here?" she asked, her tone carrying a hint of exasperation.

For a moment, I just stared at her, completely thrown off by her presence. "Huh?" I finally managed, snapping out of my daze when I realized she was waiting for an answer. I noticed the seat beside me, where someone had left a pen on the desk. Without really thinking, I grabbed the pen and stuffed it into my bag.

"Sure," I said, nodding quickly. My voice came out rougher than I intended, so I turned back to the window, trying to play it cool. I cleared my throat, the sound awkwardly loud in the quieting room, and felt the seat beside me shift as she sat down.

My heart started beating a little faster, and suddenly, I was hyper-aware of her presence next to me.

A strange flutter kicked up in my chest, as if my heart were trying to escape its confines. Every breath I took seemed too loud, too deliberate, and the air around me felt charged with a tension I couldn’t quite place.

I couldn’t resist sneaking a quick glance in her direction. She was arranging her things on the desk with quick, efficient movements, like she was here to get straight to work.

I forced myself to turn back to the front of the room where the professor was setting up, but my mind kept drifting back to her.

Stop behaving like a creep; you don’t want this on the first day, man… no, don’t steal glances.

But I found myself stealing glances at her from the corner of my eye, wondering if she was just as aware of me as I was of her. But she seemed completely absorbed in the lecture, her eyes fixed on the professor, her pen moving swiftly across her notebook.

I’m the fool here.

I took a deep breath and tried to concentrate on my own notes, but a small smile tugged at the corners of my lips. Maybe this unusual start to my college life wasn’t so bad after all.

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