When the Universe Conspires

02: New Constellations

New Constellations

The first day of a new school wasn't supposed to be easy, and Ravi Estrella knew that. It wasn't his first time transferring, after all. He had grown used to the awkward introductions, the curious stares, and the whispered rumors that always seemed to follow him. In fact, he had come to expect it. His family moved a lot, for reasons he never fully understood. Every few years, there'd be a sudden shift—new city, new school, new people. He learned to adapt, to make himself fit wherever he landed, but that didn't make it any less exhausting.

As Ravi walked through the crowded hallways of his new school, he couldn't help but feel the weight of unfamiliarity pressing down on him. The corridors buzzed with life, students bustling to and from their classes, their voices blending into a chaotic hum. He scanned the faces around him, searching for something—anything—that might give him a sense of belonging.

And then, he saw her.

It wasn't like in the movies, where time slowed down and the world faded away. It was more like an odd sense of recognition, like seeing a familiar constellation in the night sky. Ravi had noticed Connie from the moment he walked through the front gates. There was something about her—something easygoing and carefree, as if she wasn't weighed down by the same anxieties that seemed to cling to everyone else. She moved through the crowd like she belonged, her laughter light and uninhibited.

He had watched her from afar that first day, intrigued by the way she carried herself. She wasn't like the other students, who seemed either overly eager to make an impression or too wrapped up in their own cliques. Connie existed in her own world, orbiting around her close circle of friends, but never really tied down by anyone or anything. It was that sense of freedom that drew him to her.

Ravi found himself watching her again, a few days into the semester. She was sitting in the courtyard, talking animatedly to a boy who looked more serious, his face set in concentration as he listened to her ramble. The two of them seemed close—best friends, maybe. Something in the way they interacted told Ravi they had known each other for a long time.

Aki, that was the boy's name. He'd overheard it in passing during lunch. People whispered about Aki being the top student in their year, practically a genius, with parents who expected nothing short of perfection. Connie, on the other hand, was known for her easygoing nature, her love for astrology, and her ability to somehow breeze through life without getting caught up in the pressures that consumed everyone else.

It wasn't jealousy that Ravi felt as he watched them—it was curiosity. He wasn't the type to get jealous easily, but something about their dynamic intrigued him. Aki, with his quiet intensity, and Connie, with her free spirit, were an odd pair. They balanced each other out in a way that felt almost cosmic.

"Hey, new guy."

The voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Ravi turned to see a group of students watching him, their eyes curious and a little guarded. He recognized them—members of the Drama Club. He had heard about the upcoming auditions and had been toying with the idea of joining, not because he had a particular passion for acting, but because it seemed like a good way to integrate himself into the school's social fabric.

"Thinking of auditioning?" one of the students asked, eyeing him up and down.

Ravi smiled, slipping into the easy charm that always seemed to work in situations like this. "Yeah, I might give it a shot. Always been interested in putting on a good show."

The group exchanged glances, and one of them smirked. "Well, you'd better talk to Connie then. She's the Drama Club's rising star."

Ravi's eyes flicked back to the courtyard, where Connie was now laughing at something Aki said. The pieces began to fall into place. If he wanted to make a place for himself here, Connie was the key. She was well-liked, involved in extracurriculars, and seemed to have a way of drawing people in. If he could get close to her, the rest of the school would follow suit.

It wasn't manipulation, not really. Ravi didn't like to think of it that way. It was just strategy. After all, he had learned long ago that in order to survive the constant moving and upheaval, you had to be smart about how you made connections. People were drawn to confidence, to charm, and he had mastered both.

But as he watched Connie, laughing in the dappled sunlight, there was something else there too. Something that pulled at him in a way he hadn't expected. He wasn't just curious about her for the sake of fitting in—he genuinely wanted to know her. To understand what made her so... different.

With that thought, Ravi made his decision.

Later that afternoon, when he spotted Connie walking down the hallway after class, he didn't hesitate. He strode up to her, flashing that same practiced smile that had won over countless people before.

"Hey, Connie, right?"