WHEN THE DOTS CONNECT

CHAPTER -1

“the look in his eyes when he found something he had been searching like his life depended on it”

“Hurry up! It's the first day of the college. We gotta be early.” a voice came through the cell phone held in the woman's hands while she was completely lost in picking up her pace to reach her college.

“Yamini! Did you hear me? Where are you?”
“Yeah! On my way! See you.” Yamini cut the call and started to rush towards the bus stop.

Yamini is a 23 year old student completing her Masters in Zoology in Hyderabad. Zoology was never a choice, but an option for her. Her parents wanted a child who settled in a science field and being the only child, it was her responsibility to get that degree.
Seeing her easily distinguishable figure, about 5’6 in length, a not too thin and a not too chubby appearance, sharp features, brown middle length hair loosely braided the colour matching with the eyes and most importantly her favourite kurtis she always loved wearing despite the generational fashions, her friend stopped by the bus stop.
“Hop on.” she said, gesturing her to get on scooty with her head.
“Why would you burden yourself?” Yamini said as she was walking towards the scooty and sitting on her friend's scooty.
“One could easily say how much of a hurry you were in while talking to me.” her friend said and started to head towards their college.

After reaching their college, Yamini and her friend rush towards their classes. Around early evening, the college bell rings and the students step out to go back to their houses and hostels.
“You down for some panipuri?” Shruthi, Yamini's friend from the morning asks.
“Yeah! and at the shop on the corner of the road!” Yamini exclaimed with excitement as soon as she heard the word panipuri.

They soon start heading towards the bazaar ahead after the little snack with their bags and I.D. cards still on them. They keep browsing through the shops until Yamini's eyes fall on an antique neck piece. The neck piece seems too old but gorgeous at the same time.
It's a simple chain made of silver that's slightly turned dull, the ruby centerpiece surrounded with clear small crystals as embellishments.
She started walking towards the shop and when she was about to pick the necklace, she saw another hand on the neck piece.
Wondering who it would be, she was blank when she saw the owner of that hand to be a guy. He was tall with a slight but clean beard, black eyes that matched his wavy hair, pale blue shirt loosely tucked.

She wondered why a guy would pick a neck piece; that too an old, antique one. She drew her hand back and watched the guy looking at the necklace.
“For your girlfriend?” she softly asked the guy.
“Huh?” he said in confusion and looked at her. The moment his eyes saw her, his pupil dilated, the brain froze and he was astonished as if he found something he had been searching for every day and night.
Yamini stood there, totally not understanding why he kept looking at her like that.
“I mean, did you like it?” she softly asked, trying to break the silence while slowly pointing towards the neck piece.
“Oh!” he said, coming back to his senses but still too shook for a reason only he knew.
“Yeah, I mean it's quite beautiful.”he said, looking back at the neck piece. He slowly puts the neck piece back in its place, and walks away from the stall.
“Wait.”
He stops and turns back listening to Yamini speak.
“Are you not going to buy this?” she continues.
“Oh, no actually. You can have that if you want to.” he says and starts walking away from the stall.
“Weird.” she thought to herself and proceeded to buy the neck piece.
“Who was that?” Shruthi asked, who was initially bargaining at another shop a little behind the one Yamini is at.
“I don't know. He looked at the neck piece like his life was in it, and left without buying it.” Yamini replied with the same confusion she was in.
“Weird.”
“Right!”