First sight, first love

A majestic palace. Its ceilings were so grand they seemed to kiss the sky itself. The setting sun's rays, now struggling to penetrate the palace's interior, made the faded portraits on the walls even more mysterious. Some faces exuded a regal air, their eyes holding centuries of history, while others were blurred, as if hiding their own identity. There was a strange sadness in them, an untold story that had faded with time.

An eight-year-old boy stood before those portraits, absolutely silent but not afraid. There was more than just fear in his blue eyes; there was a restlessness of something lost, a strange longing to know something. He looked at each painting as if searching for a forgotten memory of his own, a link to his past. His small palm slowly traced a blurry portrait, and an uncomfortable shiver ran through him.

Just then, a heavy, echoing voice resounded in the vast darkness of the palace. "You shouldn't be here. Leave now."

The voice was so deep and powerful that its echo shook the ancient walls of the palace. And with that voice, something broke inside the little boy. For a moment, a flood of tears welled up in his blue eyes, yet he stood his ground. There was a strange strength in his innocent stubbornness, as if he wanted to understand the mystery behind that voice, to know the pain it contained. He wasn't just a child; he was a witness to an untold story.

Suddenly, a shadow from the darkness rushed towards him. A woman, whose eyes held a mix of fear, love, and a strange madness, as if she couldn't lose this child at any cost. She ran, her breathing ragged, her voice filled with an unspoken pain. "Neil!" she called out, her hands reaching out to support him, to hide him in her embrace.

But then, a cold, ruthless hand emerged from the darkness and brutally pulled the woman back. Her scream was lost in the darkness, a shriek that dissolved into the air and was buried in the palace's silence. And then, the same voice echoed with a cruel, fathomless depth. "Leave now."

BANG!

An eighteen-year-old Neil woke up with a start in his bed. His face was drenched in sweat, his breathing was rapid, and his heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would tear through the walls. The room was still cloaked in darkness, but the dream—that horrific memory—was still racing through his veins, shaking his soul. The same palace, the same blurry faces, and that scream... which woke him up every night. This wasn't just a dream; it was a nightmare that was haunting his reality.

Just then, the door opened slowly with a slight rustle. A woman entered—around forty, her face full of maternal love but her eyes holding a deep shadow of worry. She was Devika—Neil's mother, and his entire world. There was a strange caution in her steps, as if she knew exactly what Neil must have just felt.

"The same dream again?" she asked softly, her voice filled with the boundless love every mother has, and also a deep sorrow. She knew how much this dream troubled Neil. There was an unspoken pain in her eyes.

Neil lowered his gaze, a strange sadness in his voice. "Yes, Mom. The same palace, the same unfamiliar faces... and a woman... who is always taken away from me." He tried to keep his voice steady, but the pain in his eyes was evident. "Why does it always feel so real, Mom? Like... like it's a memory that won't let me sleep." It was more than a mere dream; it was a vivid memory.

Devika took a deep breath, a wave of pain washing over her face for a moment, which she quickly hid. She sat down next to Neil, wiping the sweat from his forehead. The touch of her fingers was incredibly gentle, as if she wanted to absorb all his pain herself. "Sometimes our dreams... are our forgotten truths, Neil. Maybe your heart is trying to remember something... a truth that is buried very deep." There was a strange sparkle in her eyes, as if she knew something Neil didn't. For a moment, Neil felt that his mother was hiding something in her eyes, a secret she never shared with him. It was an unsaid truth.

Neil remained silent, but his blue eyes were now filled with even more questions. Is Mom hiding something? This question began to dissolve in his mind like a slow poison. He knew his mother; she always gave him love and security, but why did she always become so mysterious about this dream? Why did she never let him talk openly about this palace or that woman? There was an unspoken barrier between them.

The next morning, the soft sunlight from the window fell on his face—a face that was calm but held a whole world of storms within. Neil took a deep breath, trying to push the terror of the dream away from himself. Today was his first day of college, a new beginning. It wasn't just another day; it was a new chapter.

Then, Devika's voice echoed from the kitchen. "Neil, wake up quickly. It's your first day of college." Her words held affection, but also a strange restlessness, as if she knew Neil wasn't just going to college, but was walking towards his destiny. She was trying to sound normal, but Neil could feel something was going on inside his mother. There was a sense of urgency.

Neil got up, and as he did, the room seemed to fill with his presence. There was a natural royalty in his personality—a tall, sculpted body, intense eyes, and an innocence that set him apart from other boys. He stood out even in a crowd, an aura that effortlessly drew people towards him. He looked like a born leader, effortlessly charming.

He saw Devika—she had brought something from the kitchen. A small bowl with ghee and sugar. "Ghee-sugar," she said with a smile, "you should always eat something sweet for a new beginning." Her smile held affection, but also a hint of sadness.

Neil smiled, but his gaze was fixed on his mother's eyes—they were slightly moist. Is Mom hiding something? The same question arose in his mind again, but he said nothing. He knew how much his mother loved him, and perhaps she was hiding certain things to protect him. It was a protective veil.

Devika just said one more thing, with a strange sparkle in her eyes, as if she knew the coming storms beforehand. "Go, son, and find yourself." There was a deep meaning hidden in her voice, a command that motivated Neil to move towards his future. It wasn't just a blessing; it was a prophecy.

First Step into the unknown — ADP College

As Neil stepped out of the lane, there was something strange in the air. It was as if some invisible energy was pulling him in an unknown direction. He could feel that today wouldn't be a normal day. This was a beginning, the start of a journey that would lead him to the answers to his questions. There was a magnetic pull.

People were looking at him—especially the girls. Their eyes would turn towards him, lingering on his blue eyes and calm face. "Who is he?" someone whispered. "So royal... so calm... and those eyes!" His innocence and his blue eyes were drawing everyone to him, a magnetic power that made his presence even more impressive. He was undeniably captivating.

But Neil was looking somewhere else. His gaze seemed to sense a mystery far away, something that was ingrained in his subconscious. He kept walking through the crowd, but his mind was wandering elsewhere, in the memories of that palace, in those blurred paintings. There was a deep sense of longing within him.

Suddenly, a dream flashed in his mind again—the same faded portraits, and in them, a face... that was just like Neil's, with the same blue eyes, the same calm but intense expression. Is this my past? A storm of questions was rising in his mind, a storm that was churning the depths of his being. Was his past connected to this palace? Was the person in that painting an ancestor of his? This intriguing mystery was making him restless.

The gates of ADP College were crowded—old students, new faces. And Neil, who stood out even in the crowd. His presence was like a calm storm, pulling everything towards him. He walked towards the massive college gates, with each step feeling a strange mix of excitement and apprehension. It was a pivotal moment.

Just then, someone called out from behind. "Excuse me. Are you a fresher too?"

Neil turned around.

A boy was standing there—a little shy, with nerdy glasses, and his shirt tucked in tightly... an innocent vibe. There was a slight nervousness on his face, which every new student feels on their first day of college. He was awkward yet endearing.

"It's my first day too. I'm... Abhinav," he said, a little hesitantly, extending his hand.

Neil offered his hand with a slight smile. "Neil." It was a simple handshake, but in that one moment, something connected. A slight flutter stirred in Neil's heart. Why does it feel like this boy will be a part of my journey? There was something in Abhinav's innocence that drew Neil to him, a connection that felt deep despite being strangers. It was an instant connection.

Walking into the college, Abhinav was nervous. "Dude, I heard seniors rag a lot here." The fear in his voice was clear.

Neil looked at him with a confident and calm expression and said, "Don't worry. As long as I'm here, no one will do anything." There was a strange authority in his voice, as if a king was giving his word, as if every word of his held an invisible power that set him apart from the crowd. Abhinav looked at him. "You're different, man." There was surprise in his eyes, and for a moment, he felt that Neil was no ordinary boy. Neil's aura was just so strong.

Neil just smiled slightly. That smile of his... as if it was hiding a deep secret, something only he knew. He had unspoken questions within him, and he knew that on this journey, he would find the answers to all of them. It was an enigmatic smile.

The Corridor and the Gaze

As they approached the corridor, Neil's gaze suddenly stopped.

A girl was standing far away—long, open hair, deep eyes, and a strange question on her face. There was a strange sparkle in her eyes, a sparkle that was pulling Neil towards her. She was looking at Neil as if... she already knew him, or as if she was recognizing something within him. It was an intense gaze.

When Neil's eyes met hers, it was as if time had stopped. The noise of the corridor, the crowd of students—everything came to a halt for a moment. Both were just staring at each other. An unknown stir was happening in Neil's heart, a feeling he had never felt before. There was a strange pull in his blue eyes that met the girl's deep eyes. A sweet pang arose within him, a feeling that was shaking his entire being. This wasn't just attraction; it was a deep connection, a recognition felt at the level of souls. A thousand questions were rising in his mind, but not a single word escaped his lips. He just kept looking at that girl, searching for the answer to one of his own questions in her eyes. It was a soul connection he couldn't understand.

Just then, Abhinav's attention also went to Neil. For a moment, he looked at both of them closely, as if trying to observe something. There was a mischievous twinkle in his shy eyes. And as soon as he understood something, he immediately said, lowering his voice so only Neil could hear, "Oh, my king! Love at first sight!" A wide smile spread across his face, and he began to tease Neil with his eyes.

Neil seemed to be lost in the sparkling eyes of that girl. Suddenly, Abhinav's comment broke his concentration, and he immediately started to blush. His cheeks turned red like tomatoes, and he tried to look away uncomfortably. It was a classic crush moment.

He immediately said to Abhinav, trying to normalize his voice, "Dude, it's nothing like that! You're misunderstanding!" His heart was still beating fast, and he was trying to hide his feelings.

"Yes, sir, that's what your face is telling me!" Abhinav teased him even more. "It's turned red like a tomato!" He laughed, and the mischief in his eyes grew. "But Neil, sir, stop these daydreams right here. Because this is the senior class, and that girl is our senior." Abhinav said, getting a little serious, as if he was making Neil face reality. "And falling for a senior might be costly for you!" It was a reality check.

Abhinav took a deep breath. "And I can tell just by looking at her that she must have many admirers and probably a boyfriend too. So calm down and let's go to our class." Abhinav grabbed Neil's hand and started pulling him towards their class.

Neil took one last look at the girl. She was still standing there, her eyes fixed on Neil. For a moment, it felt like an invisible thread had been drawn between them, a connection that was going to bring them together in the future. There was a strange restlessness in Neil's heart, a feeling that was telling him this wasn't just a coincidence but a sign of destiny. He knew that this girl was going to play an important role in his life, no matter how much he tried to ignore it. He had a thousand questions in his mind, but one thing was certain—his journey had just begun. It was a destined encounter.

To be continued.