The First Glance

Chapter 1

Eshan had always thought the library was the safest place on campus. A sanctuary where the world grew quiet, where time moved slower, where no one looked too closely at anyone else.

But that evening, it felt different.

He sat at his usual corner desk, the golden light of sunset spilling through the tall windows and bathing the wooden tables in warmth. His notes on economics sat untouched, the pen in his hand twirling idly. He wasn’t in the mood for studying—but the library was familiar, and familiarity was comforting.

That’s when he noticed him.

At first, Eshan only caught a glimpse: a figure moving between the shelves. Tall, lean, his posture effortlessly straight. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, veins running along his forearm as he traced a finger across the rows of spines. His movements weren’t rushed like most students scrambling for references. No—he moved with a calmness, as though the books were bowing to his time, not the other way around.

Eshan tried not to stare, but the more he glanced, the harder it became to look away.

His face came into view when he stepped out from behind the shelf. The fading light caught the angles of his jaw, the sharp curve of his nose, and the quiet intensity of his eyes. He looked… different. Like someone who didn’t quite belong here but commanded the space anyway.

And then, as if fate was teasing, their eyes met.

Eshan’s breath caught.

It wasn’t just a glance—it was a hold. Those dark eyes locked onto him, unwavering, curious in a way that made his stomach flip. The silence between them felt heavy, charged, as though the rest of the library had melted into nothingness.

Eshan dropped his gaze immediately, pretending to scribble something on his paper. His heart pounded, loud enough he was sure someone could hear it. He scolded himself—Why are you reacting like this? He just looked at you.

But no matter how hard he tried, his thoughts kept circling back.

When he finally dared to look up again, the boy wasn’t by the shelf anymore. Instead, he was at the table two rows away, seated casually with a book open in front of him. Not reading. Just… there. His posture relaxed, but his gaze flicked up every so often, like he wasn’t actually interested in the pages.

Eshan tried to ignore it. He really did. He buried his nose in his notes, forced himself to write, erased it all, and wrote again. But he could feel the weight of those eyes on him. It wasn’t invasive exactly, but it wasn’t light either. It lingered, steady and patient, like the boy had all the time in the world to just sit there and wait.

By the time Eshan packed his things and left, dusk had deepened into night. He stepped out into the cool air, relief washing over him—only to feel his skin prickle.

When he glanced over his shoulder, he saw him again.

The boy was at the entrance, leaning against the doorframe, hands in his pockets, watching quietly as Eshan walked away.

No smile. No words. Just eyes that followed him until the streetlights swallowed his figure.

Eshan’s heart raced, but he couldn’t decide if it was fear or fascination.

All he knew was one thing—

This wasn’t the last time.

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