A NEW CITY

Watching her from a distance for an entire year without her noticing me was difficult, but I liked it. I loved the idea of one-sided love. Our coaching classes had ended, and our JEE exams were over. After a year of rigorous study, I secured 95 percentile and got admission to SSN College in Tamil Nadu.

In all that time, I never spoke to her—not even once. I just watched her, lost in my own silent admiration. Now, you can imagine how much of an introvert I am.

The college was set to begin in a few days, and I had finished packing. A Rajasthani boy was about to embark on a journey to Tamil Nadu—far from home. It wasn't easy, but I had already spent eight years away from my parents, so I knew I could manage.

That night, I had dinner and slept as usual.

The next morning, I realized I needed a new phone. My old one had been with me for four years, and it felt like it was literally begging me to let it go.

"Please leave me. I can't keep up with you anymore," I imagined it saying.

And I understood. It had been my companion for years, and it had served me well.

I called my father.

"Papa, I need a new phone. This one is barely surviving."

He chuckled.

"Alright, should we go to the market, or do you want to order it online?"

"I'll order it online," I replied.

And I did. It was a phone I really liked. It felt like the perfect device to start my college life with.

First Day of College

The day finally arrived. I had watched countless web series and movies about college life, imagining my own experience to be just like those stories—full of adventure, fun, and friendships.

But reality was different.

The moment I stepped onto campus, I realized I was in a completely different world. Since the college was in Tamil Nadu, everyone spoke English. I could read and write English well, but speaking fluently? That was another challenge.

I was assigned a roommate—Ganpat. His thick South Indian accent made it even harder for me to understand him.

***["I can't write accents, so you'll have to imagine it yourself"]***

Ganpat looked at me curiously.

"Raghav, why did you choose this college? You're from Rajasthan. You will face many difficulties here."

I hesitated. Not because I didn't know the answer, but because I wasn't sure how to say it in proper English.

I quickly opened Google Translate—my lifeline for college survival.

"I don't know… but it was the best private college, and the fees were lower than others," I finally replied.

Ganpat nodded but continued.

"Okay… but you won't just struggle with conversations. Food will be a problem too. Are you a non-vegetarian?"

"No, I'm vegetarian. I'll manage," I assured him.

I had no idea how difficult that would be. The hostel rarely served vegetarian food, so I ended up eating rice almost every day for four years. Yet, even after all that rice, I never gained weight.

But let's get back to the real story.

The first class of college began. I walked in with my only friend in this new universe—Ganpat

Like everyone does on the first day, I scanned the room, analyzing my classmates. And then—my eyes froze on one person.

She looked familiar.

I searched my memory, trying to recall where I had seen her before. And then it hit me—Priya.

I couldn't believe it. What was she doing here?

"How is this possible? Is the universe trying to give me another chance? Is this fate?"

She still looked as beautiful as ever.

And then—she noticed me.

Our eyes met.

For a second, I saw a flicker of recognition in her expression.

"Does she remember me?"