Aahi meets the circle

Setting: Evening. Elemental International College Canteen — glowing with warm lights, hanging plants, chatter, and laughter. The cafeteria is filled with soft indie music and the scent of coffee, fries, and spiced tea.

Aahi and Tina stepped into the canteen together, walking side by side.

The forest behind them… and with it, the weight of isolation.

Now, before her: light, life, people.

Tina waved toward a long table in the center of the canteen. A group of colorful, interesting faces turned toward them.

> "There they are," Tina smiled. "I told them we're welcoming someone special tonight."

Aahi gave a nervous smile.

> "Tina, are you sure—?"

> "You saved your tears long enough," Tina whispered. "Now meet people who'll help you smile."

As they reached the table, Tina stood on a chair (dramatically, of course).

> "Attention!" she announced with flair. "This is Aahi Shaikh! Yes — the Aahi. The actress. The new girl. The one who survived the worst prank on Day One and still showed up like a queen."

Aahi laughed softly, covering her face as people clapped and turned.

One by one, the faces around the table lit up — and Aahi's world began to bloom.

---

🌈✨ Meet the Circle

Asif — Lean, witty, and sharp-eyed. He extended a hand and said,

> "Big fan of your confidence, not just your films."

Snow — The silver-haired girl with calm energy. She simply said,

> "I like you. We'll be good friends."

Her voice was like winter — quiet, but beautiful.

Sapphire — A tall girl with glasses, ink-stained fingers, and a poetry journal always in her lap.

> "I already wrote two poems about you," she said with a smile. "Don't be creeped out."

Ruby — Loud, red-haired, and wild-hearted. She playfully elbowed Sapphire.

> "Ignore her. You and I are vibing already, babe."

Shine — A soft-spoken gorl with the brightest smile. Her voice was calm, hopeful.

> "Welcome. If you ever need someone to talk to about… anything… I'm here."

George — Tall, curly-haired, full of random facts. He whispered,

> "You like conspiracy theories? Because I think the vending machine here is alive."

Varun — The cool senior who played guitar during lunch. He tipped his cap and said,

> "It's rare to see grace and fire in one person. You've got both."

---

Aahi looked around the table — her heart still nervous, still fragile… but finally, surrounded by light.

> They weren't like Red. Or Sam. Or Paul.

They were strange. Kind. Beautiful in their own ways.

And for the first time since stepping into this new world…

She smiled.

Really smiled.

> "Thank you," she said softly. "For making me feel welcome."

Snow raised her teacup.

> "To beginnings."

Varun strummed a soft chord on his guitar.

Ruby threw a French fry at Shine.

Sapphire scribbled the moment down.

And Tina?

She leaned back with a quiet, satisfied smile.

> Aahi was no longer alone.

Tina, still playing unofficial host of the get-together, claps her hands suddenly.

> "Wait! You've only met half of us."

Aahi looks up curiously.

> "There are more?"

Tina nods dramatically.

> "Two more. We're eight wonders in this weird little college."

She counts on her fingers.

> "Sapphire, Ruby, Shine, George, Varun, me—Tina—and the last two…"

She pauses, glancing toward the entrance.

> "Blue is absent today."

> "And the other one… well—"

She grins.

> "You've already met him."

Aahi blinks.

> "Who?"

Tina gently turns her shoulders and points toward the far side of the canteen.

Near the tall glass windows where the light fades into dusk, a tall figure stands alone — hands in pockets, gaze fixed outside.

Aarif.

His messy hair caught the orange glow of the lamps. He leaned lightly against the windowpane, his posture relaxed but somehow... distant. Not moody — just apart.

Aahi's breath caught, just a little.

> "Him?"

Tina smiled knowingly.

> "Yup. That's Aarif. Our clumsy, funny, unpredictable storm-in-a-hoodie."

Aahi looked surprised.

> "Funny? He didn't seem funny."

Tina chuckled.

> "Because you met him in fight mode. But trust me... the real Aarif? Bit of a disaster. Trips over bags, loses pens, can't open juice boxes."

Aahi tilted her head, her eyes softening as she studied him.

> "He seemed so… cold."

Tina shrugged.

> "That's the thing about people. You never know who they are until they laugh."

Aahi glanced back toward him.

His face was unreadable — staring into the falling night.

> "And," Tina added with a grin, "he hates worms. Like screams if one touches him. It's common knowledge. Even George teases him about it."

Aahi's lips parted slightly.

The box.

The worms.

The slap.

And suddenly...

Her heart dropped.

> "He thought I did it on purpose…"

Tina watched her, quietly.

Aahi blinked, then looked away quickly, pretending to sip her tea. But the warmth didn't reach her.

Across the room, Aarif stood still.

Not looking at her.

But her eyes remained on him.

And for the first time... she wondered what else she didn't know about him.