Waiting for You

Chapter 8 (First Encounter)

Maya POV:

Sitting in the front row of the lecture hall, I was locked in an epic battle against the pull of sleep. The professor's voice droned on about some ancient theory—something that probably made sense back when dinosaurs were getting their diplomas. My eyelids felt heavier than a stack of overdue library books, and despite my best efforts to stay awake, I nodded off. The jolt of my head smacking against the wall behind me was what snapped me back to reality. Brilliant. Just brilliant. A classic move for someone who wanted to pass out in front of half the student body.

Before I could fully comprehend my brilliant decision to become a lecture hall headbanger, a voice boomed through the dull murmur of the room, cutting through the monotony like a knife through day-old cafeteria meatloaf.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" The voice was loud, bold, and way too enthusiastic for a room full of zombies masquerading as students.

The professor turned sharply, her irritation palpable. "What?" she barked.

But the guy wasn't fazed. Not even a little. "Our department has issued a circular about a collaboration day with your department on 'sustainable growth.' I'm here to announce—"

"Fine, just get on with it," she snapped, rolling her eyes like she was asking for directions and not a groundbreaking educational announcement.

The guy in the middle of the room tried to regain his composure, clearing his throat like he was about to drop the hottest mixtape of the semester. "Tomorrow at 1:00 PM, all students from this department are required to report to Section E, Third Block. It's a group project—two members from each department. You choose your teams."

As soon as the bell rang, signaling the blessed end of class, the entire room surged towards the exit like it was Black Friday and someone had just announced a 90% off sale on sleep and sanity. I was right there with them, fueled by a need to escape the stifling boredom and possibly get my hands on a triple-shot espresso.

But before I could make my grand escape, someone grabbed my arm, yanking me back so hard I stumbled. My foot landed squarely on someone's shoe, and I heard a pained "Ouch!" I turned, dazed and apologetic, only to find myself face-to-face with Shrey, wearing his usual vintage shirt and jeans, but with an expression that could only be described as desperately confused. Beside him, a guy in a checked shirt was glaring at his newly scuffed white shoe like it had just insulted his mother.

"I—I need your help," Shrey stammered, his usual cocky swagger replaced by an awkward sort of desperation that didn't quite suit him.

I blinked, trying to piece together this bizarre scenario. "With what, exactly?"

"It's about my friend Dhruv," the other guy, the one with the offended footwear, chimed in. He stepped forward with an intensity that would've been intimidating if it wasn't so totally unexpected. "He's in love—with your friend."

"What?" I blurted out, my brain still trying to catch up.

"With your friend," Shrey echoed, like that would somehow clear things up. Which friend? Did they think I had a selection? I was barely friends with myself on most days.

They were both staring at me, waiting for a reaction. I tried to look thoughtful, but inside I was panicking. Did I even have a friend that could match up with this Dhruv character? My social circle was a square with zero sides.

"Okay," I said, attempting to sound calm and collected. I turned to leave, but Dhruv, the guy I'd just heard about, suddenly stepped in front of me. He was blocking my path like a very determined human roadblock.

"How can we contact you?" he asked, his gaze fixed on me with a determination that was almost unsettling.

Before I could come up with a response—or a clever excuse to get the hell out of there—Dhruv whipped out a pen, popped the cap off with his teeth, and without any warning, grabbed my hand and started scribbling on my palm. I stood there, stunned, as my brain went into overdrive. Was this real life? Was he seriously treating my hand like a Post-it note?

I should have been annoyed, but instead, I was frozen, watching him. He had one of those annoyingly charming smiles—the kind that makes you want to roll your eyes and smile at the same time. And his boldness! Who just walks up to a stranger and writes on their hand like it's a normal thing to do?

Then, as if this couldn't get any more bizarre, Dhruv pulled a chocolate bar out of his pocket and placed it in my hand, closing my fingers around it gently, as if he was handing me a sacred artifact. I stared at the chocolate bar in my hand, completely baffled. Was this some sort of bizarre ritual?

"Thanks," I muttered, feeling entirely off-balance.

Dhruv grinned again, flashing a set of teeth so white they practically glowed. "See you tomorrow!" he called out as he and Shrey hurried away, leaving me standing there in the middle of the corridor, holding a melting chocolate bar and staring at the scrawled phone number on my hand.

I started walking back to my dorm, my mind a chaotic mess of confusion, curiosity, and a tiny spark of excitement that I didn't want to admit to. Who just hands out chocolate and their number like it's some kind of twisted business card? I glanced down at my palm again, the ink beginning to smudge from the sweat of my grip. Should I call him? Text him? Or just eat the chocolate and pretend this never happened?

Back in my dorm room, I tossed the chocolate onto my desk, but it seemed to sit there with a sort of ominous presence, like a piece of magical evidence from an alternate reality. My eyes kept drifting back to it, drawn by the sheer ridiculousness of what had just occurred. What was I supposed to do now? Act like a cute guy hadn't just barged into my carefully managed, drama-free existence with his reckless charm and chocolate bribes?

I flopped onto my bed, staring up at the ceiling. My phone was still in my hand, its screen dark. Should I call him? Text him? I couldn't just...call him. That wasn't who I was. I was the girl who stayed out of drama, who was content fading into the background like the wallpaper in the library. I avoided unnecessary interaction with the opposite sex like it was the plague. And yet, here I was, smack dab in the middle of what could only be described as a cliché rom-com scenario.

Was this the universe's not-so-subtle way of shaking things up? A cosmic sign that I should stop being the invisible girl? I sat up, my fingers hovering uncertainly over my phone. This wasn't just about a phone number—it was about a choice, a step towards something unpredictable. The best stories were the ones that caught you by surprise, right?

Taking a deep breath, I stared at my phone, the weight of my decision heavy in the air. Maybe it was time to write my own story, one that might just be getting a whole lot more interesting, even if it meant diving headfirst into the chaos of a cliché.

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Hey Guys,

And this is the first interaction between the male and female lead and damn it was a good one-

So far, so good.

I hope you have a wonderful day!!

~Angel Energy~

˚˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧🩷˚.🎀༘⋆

Thank You,

Your loving author

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