CHAPTER 5

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As Advika looked out of the window, the cityscape passing by felt surreal, like watching a movie of her own life. Her mind drifted back to where it had all started-the university. She remembered the mix of excitement and nervousness bubbling in her chest as she stepped onto the campus for the first time. The air was electric with anticipation, students milling about, chatting and laughing, but she felt alone in the crowd, knowing no one. Taking a long, steadying breath, she tried to calm her nerves. "It's okay," she whispered to herself. "Just blend in, act normal."Suddenly, she heard a voice next to her, light and reassuring. "Hey, chill out! You look way too good to be this nervous. No one's going to judge you!"Advika turned to see a girl with a wide grin and sparkling eyes. There she was-Suhani. Full of life, instantly warm and welcoming. Advika smiled, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. "Hi, I'm Advika." "I'm Suhani," the girl said, extending her hand with infectious energy. Advika couldn't help but match her vibe, shaking her hand with the same enthusiasm. From that moment, something clicked. Their connection was instant, natural, and easy.
They began talking, about everything and nothing, and before Advika realized it, her nerves melted away. The conversation flowed effortlessly, as if they'd known each other for years. The university orientation session was starting soon, and they walked together toward the dome, but neither seemed to care about the formalities of the event. They were too engrossed in their own world, sharing stories, laughing, vibing to the rhythm of their newfound friendship. Halfway to the dome, the sky suddenly darkened, and raindrops began to fall. It was a light drizzle at first, but soon it turned into a full downpour. Advika and Suhani squealed in surprise, running toward the dome, laughing as the rain soaked them.
They didn't care-they were too happy in the moment. By the time they reached the back of the dome, they were drenched. Both girls caught their breath, leaning against the wall, water dripping from their hair. "Well, that escalated quickly!" Suhani laughed, shaking the water from her arms. "Tell me about it!" Advika grinned, trying to wring out the ends of her wet clothes. They stood there for a moment, still giggling like little kids who had just gotten away with sneaking candy. It didn't matter that they were soaked or that they had missed the start of the orientation session. All that mattered was the connection they'd made.

Advika and Suhani made their way to the back of the dome, scouting for empty seats among the bustling crowd. They spotted two empty chairs next to a couple of guys. "There, let's grab those!" Suhani said, nudging Advika as they squeezed through the rows.

Once seated, Advika, always the extrovert, glanced at the guy beside her. He had an air of calm about him, his attention seemingly on the orientation schedule in his lap. Without hesitation, she leaned slightly toward him with a warm smile. "Hi! I'm Advika!"The guy looked up, a bit startled by her directness, but soon smiled politely. "Hey, I'm Sumit," he replied, shaking her outstretched hand briefly. His voice was soft but friendly. Advika's eyes lit up. "Nice to meet you, Sumit! So, what's your branch?"Sumit hesitated for a moment before responding. "Computer science," he said simply.Advika gasped, her excitement evident. "No way! Same here! We're going to be classmates!"Sumit chuckled, scratching his head. "Yeah, looks like it."Suhani leaned over, grinning mischievously. "Well, congrats, Sumit. You're officially stuck with her now."Advika gave Suhani a mock glare. "Oh, please, Suhani! You make it sound like a bad thing." She turned back to Sumit, her enthusiasm unrelenting. "So, are you one of those people who are super chill and unbothered, or are you secretly freaking out about starting college?"Sumit smirked, his initial shyness starting to fade. "I guess I'm more on the chill side. But yeah, it's all a bit new. What about you? You seem pretty... confident."Advika laughed. "Oh, I'm nervous as hell, trust me. I just hide it well."The guy sitting next to Sumit cleared his throat, drawing their attention. "I'm Kunal," he introduced himself with a nod.Suhani jumped in with her usual energy. "Hi, Kunal! I'm Suhani, and this chatterbox is Advika."Kunal chuckled. "Nice to meet you both. So, what do you think of this whole orientation thing?"Suhani rolled her eyes dramatically. "Honestly? Total snooze fest. But meeting you guys has made it worth it, I guess."The four of them continued chatting as the orientation dragged on, their laughter and whispered jokes often earning them glares from the more serious attendees. By the end of the session, they were already acting like old friends.As they stepped out of the dome, Suhani stretched her arms and announced, "We need coffee. Like, right now. Who's in?"Advika immediately raised her hand. "Me!" She turned to the boys. "Sumit? Kunal?"Sumit hesitated but nodded. "Yeah, okay. Coffee sounds good."Kunal shrugged. "Sure, why not."

They walked to a nearby café, still dripping slightly from the rain. Huddled around a small table, they ordered their drinks and began swapping stories about their school lives, favorite hobbies, and random quirks. Advika turned to Sumit, curious as ever. "So, what's your thing? Like, what do you do when you're not being all chill and mysterious? " Sumit looked a little embarrassed but answered. "I play cricket. It's kind of my thing."

Advika's face lit up. "No way! That's awesome! Are you on some team or something?"Sumit shrugged modestly. "I played for my school team. Haven't thought about joining a team here yet, though."Advika leaned forward, clearly intrigued. "You totally should! Cricket is huge here. Imagine being the star player of our college." Sumit chuckled softly. "I don't know about that, but yeah, maybe."Suhani grinned. "Careful, Sumit. She'll probably drag you to the field herself if you don't sign up soon."Advika laughed, raising her cup. "I make no promises!" The group's chemistry was undeniable. They teased each other, shared stories, and laughed until their stomachs hurt. For a first meeting, it felt like they had known each other for ages.As they finished their coffee and stepped outside, the rain had stopped, leaving the streets shiny under the soft glow of the streetlights. They said their goodbyes, but Advika and Sumit lingered a moment longer when they realized they lived nearby.Sumit offered hesitantly, "Uh, since we're heading the same way, If you want, I can walk you home."Advika hesitated briefly, unsure at first, but his calm demeanor reassured her. "Sure. Why not?"Suhani gave her a playful wink. "Go on, Adi. Don't worry, Sumit looks harmless enough"Advika rolled her eyes, laughing as she waved Suhani off. "Yeah, yeah. See you tomorrow, Suhani."As she and Sumit walked home, the conversation between them flowed naturally. Despite their contrasting personalities-her bubbly and his reserved-they found themselves enjoying each other's company.Sumit glanced at her as they reached her building. "Well, this is your stop. Guess I'll see you tomorrow, classmate."Advika smiled warmly. "See you tomorrow, cricketer."As he walked away, Advika felt a small wave of relief. The day had started with nerves and uncertainty but ended with something better than she could've imagined-new friends who felt like a promise of something wonderful to come.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

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