𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞

Chapter 1: First Encounter

The first day of college was supposed to be exciting, but for Aanya, it felt like stepping into a world she wasn't ready for. She kept her head down, her bag slung tightly over her shoulder, and moved through the sea of students in the crowded hallway. It wasn't that she was shy, but more that she liked her space, her quiet, and her thoughts. New places with unfamiliar faces had a way of making her anxious. She already missed the comfort of home, her small town, and the predictability of her previous life.

But college was different. It was buzzing with life, and the air felt charged with possibility. Aanya felt out of place, a little unsure of herself as she navigated her way through the new environment. She was on her way to her first class when it happened—a collision that changed everything.

"Watch it!" A voice, sharp and cutting, broke through Aanya's concentration, just as she felt someone bump into her shoulder hard enough to send her books flying.

Aanya looked up, her cheeks flushing red, more out of surprise than anger. Before her stood a girl, taller than her, with wild dark hair and piercing eyes. She was striking in a way that was hard to ignore, with an air of confidence that made her seem larger than life. Aanya's first thought was to apologize, even though she hadn't been the one to walk into someone. But the way the girl looked at her, challenging, almost daring her to speak, made Aanya's words freeze in her throat.

Meera stood there, arms crossed, her expression unreadable, but her eyes seemed to be scanning Aanya, taking her in with a mixture of curiosity and impatience. "You could at least say something," she muttered, her voice low and unimpressed.

Aanya blinked, taken aback. "You were the one who bumped into me," she finally managed to say, her voice coming out softer than she intended.

Meera's lips curved into a small, almost mocking smile. "Is that right? Maybe you should pay more attention next time." With that, she bent down, picking up Aanya's fallen books with an exaggerated slowness, as if to prove a point. When she handed them back, her fingers brushed Aanya's for the briefest moment, sending a jolt of something strange and unfamiliar through Aanya's body.

"Thanks," Aanya mumbled, unsure of why she felt so unsettled. There was something about Meera that made her uncomfortable, but not in the usual way. It was more than just irritation—there was an intensity there, a pull that she didn't understand.

Meera didn't respond. She just gave Aanya one last look, her gaze lingering a little too long before she turned and walked away, her strides confident and unapologetic, leaving Aanya standing there, heart beating faster than it should have been.

From that moment on, Aanya couldn't get her out of her mind.