When starts align

Part 2

She stood at the bus stop shifting her weight from one leg to the other. 

Being an extraordinary student had its pros and cons. Pro was the fact that she got into the best institution which has been a dream for years now with a full scholarship. Con was that no one from her school got into it which meant she truly had no one that she knew at the college except for the guy who she had the most weird of relationships with. 

Did she hate him? NO. 

Did he hate her? Possibly. 

Did they both wish to stay the heck away from each other? YES.

Although she was bold, confident and at most times came across as an extrovert to the outside world, it wasn't in her innate nature to be that way. 

Loud noises made her heart race in panic. She was still scared to drive beside big trucks. New people and environment made her way too anxious and a little uncomfortable. The list went on and on. A lot of these were not even purview to her brother. Although he knew that the facade she put on was not entirely her true self, he was not aware of this meek and timid side which she wasn't particularly proud of either.

Over the years she consciously moulded her personality to be fun and fearless for the outside world because she was convinced that it was the only way to save her sensitive and vulnerable inner self from this selfish opportunistic world.

The last time she was in a similar situation was way too long ago when she had to move schools but she was too young to really make sense of her emotions then. 

"Tara you are going to be ok", she murmured to her inner child with confidence although her racing heart had a completely different story. 

"Hi", a male voice came from the side and brought her back into the real world.

Taking a deep-breath to compose herself, she put up her cordial smile before turning around to look. 

A guy dressed in a casual tee and jean with perfectly trimmed beard and casually styled hair stood. He smiled when their eyes locked for a brief second and she smiled back to acknowledge.

"Hi", he said again and sounded very gentle yet confident. 

"Hi", she said with her ever adorable smile that tucked away her nervousness. 

"Aakash", he introduced himself.

"Tara", she responded and he nodded in response. 

"First day va?", he asked as if he could read everything that was going on in her head which certainly caught her off guard. 

"Avlo appatamava iruku?", she chided herself for giving away even to a stranger. 

But acting as if it did not bother her she crouched her eyebrows in question. 

"I have never seen you before. Na matum dan ingendu eruven bus la. So..", he explained genuinely. 

"Paravalla... na onum avlo mosama act panla", she mentally took pride. 

"Hello... ", he called out not sure if she was listening any more. 

"Sorry... Yes first day dan. Neenga endha year?", she asked just to make conversation until the bus arrived. 

"Second year. Mech", he answered and before he could ask her anything more they were distracted by the sound of their college bus pulling over. 

"See you around Tara", he smiled and it sounded like a promise for some reason but without dwelling too much into it she boarded into the bus and settled into a window seat.