CANTEEN

As we reached the classroom, we immediately realized that we were late. The room was already full, and our mathematics teacher, Mr. Chandra Shekhar Sharma, whom we called CS Sharma Sir, was already taking attendance.

"May I come in, sir?" I asked hesitantly.

CS Sharma Sir looked up, narrowing his eyes at me. "Oh, late again, Raghav? What's your excuse this time? Did you oversleep, or did you spend too much time getting ready? This is your last warning!"

"Yeah, yeah, sir... Can we come in?" we both asked in unison.

"Yes, but take your seats quickly and without making any noise."

We hurried to our usual spot—the last bench. It had been my favorite place since the 3rd grade. The feeling of being a last-bencher was something special—an odd mix of freedom and rebellion.

As I settled in, my eyes instinctively wandered around the class, searching for her. But the moment I saw her, I froze. She was looking at me too.

For nearly two whole minutes, our eyes locked. And then, she smiled.

I tried to return the smile, but I knew mine was nowhere as effortless and beautiful as hers.

"Raghav?"

A loud voice echoed across the classroom.

I snapped out of my trance and realized that the entire class was now staring at me.

"Already late, and now you're daydreaming in my lecture?" CS Sharma Sir's voice thundered.

I panicked and quickly looked down at my book, pretending to focus.

The problem? The book in front of me wasn't Mathematics—it was Computer Science.

Laughter erupted across the classroom. Confused, I turned to Ganpat, my best friend.

"What happened?" I whispered.

"Idiot! You brought out the CS book in a Maths class!" he chuckled.

I glanced at my book and realized he was right. Embarrassed, I slammed it shut and stood up.

"Sorry, sir."

CS Sharma Sir shook his head. "Fine. Just don't let this happen again. Now, pay attention."

I sat down quickly, feeling my ears burn.

But then, I heard a soft chuckle.

I turned slightly and saw her laughing, her smile even more radiant than before.

If this was supposed to be my dream college, it wasn't exactly living up to my expectations. It felt just like school.

Still, I couldn't deny it—the way she smiled at my blunder made it feel a little less embarrassing.

Breaktime Confessions

Half the classes went by in a blur, and soon it was break time. We all rushed toward the canteen—the one place where students could relax, talk, and where, of course, couples found their little corners.

As I stood there with my friends, I noticed Priya walking towards me.

This time, I didn't just stare like yesterday. I was aware—she was coming to talk to me.

"Hey," she greeted me with a smile.

"Hello," I replied, though I awkwardly held back my own smile. Mine wasn't as cute as hers.

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you a non-vegetarian? Because there's barely any space left for vegetarians here."

"No, no!" I quickly clarified. "I'm a vegetarian. I just eat rice here because that's all we get."

She sighed dramatically. "Same! It's a real struggle surviving on just rice every day."

"Yeah, but what can we do? It's our only choice."

She paused for a moment before asking, "By the way, do you know any good vegetarian restaurants around here? Maybe we could go there on Sunday?"

My mind short-circuited.

"Did she just... ask me to go out with her?"

A Sunday meal together? Was that... a date?

For a moment, I was lost in my own fantasies. But then, I realized she was still waiting for my answer.

I honestly didn't know any good vegetarian restaurants, but telling her that would kill this perfectly set-up opportunity.

So instead, I confidently replied, "I'll ask Ganpat. He's from here and knows all the best places."

She smiled. "Great! Then be ready on Sunday."

And just like that, she walked away as the break ended.

I stood there, still processing what had just happened.

Sunday. Priya. Me.

Was this really happening?