The Story Of Us

CHAPTER 3: The Change

The end of my winter vacation brought me back to college, but it wasn't until I arrived that I realized how much I missed the connection I had made there. After just a couple of days, I was back in the hostel, feeling happy, relaxed, and fully satisfied. It was the best feeling I had experienced in the past couple of years. As the second semester began, I found myself in a group with Alex, Sam, and Aarush. It was the best thing that had ever happened to me in college.

With us four together, life became even more enjoyable. Alex and I had a lot of fun in class, while Sam and I spent most of our time studying together. We did everything together, from eating meals to causing mischief in each other's rooms. This was the best time I had in college, and I didn't regret any of it.

The first month went by slowly, as I started to bond with Sam and Aarush a little more. I soon became comfortable with both of them, and I remember dragging Sam with me to take part in the working team for the upcoming college fest. I wanted us to open up and interact with different people, which I believed would make us more mature and confident. It turned out to be exactly what we needed.

As we interacted with new people and made new friends, we became more confident and focused on our studies. This was a huge help for me, as I had always been shy and hesitant to interact with people. But now, I found myself talking to almost anyone without any fear. This new feeling of confidence was very unusual for me, but it was also very good.

The weeks flew by in a flurry of activity as the upcoming fest loomed on the horizon, and the first sessional exams approached with alarming speed. Amidst all the chaos, I found myself chatting with a girl from my college who had become my doubt friend. Her name was Alizeh, and although our conversations were initially focused on academic queries, I felt a connection with her that went beyond just solving doubts. I couldn't quite put my finger on why, but there was something about her that made me feel like she understood me in a way that no one else did. I respected her a lot, and I was grateful for the budding friendship that was slowly but surely developing between us.

As the first sessionals came and went, I realized that I was no longer afraid of exams. Of course, I was still nervous - that was only natural - but I no longer felt that crippling fear that had plagued me in the past. Time flew by in a blur, and before I knew it, it was February. Ah, the month of love. Everywhere I looked, there were couples - some already in relationships, some still searching for their perfect match. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy at their happiness. How lucky they were to have someone to share their lives with, someone to lean on when times got tough, someone to hold their hand and tell them everything was going to be alright. I had never experienced that kind of love before, and sometimes it made me wonder if I ever would.

But then I reminded myself of my friends - Alex, Sam, and Aarush and I realized that I wasn't alone after all. They were there for me through thick and thin, always ready to lend a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on. With them by my side, I felt like I could conquer the world. Maybe I wasn't destined for romantic love, but I had something just as valuable - the love and support of my friends. And for that, I was truly grateful.

As the sessionals came to an end, I found myself back in my sanctuary, the library, with Sam. The classes continued as usual, but something was different this time around. My friend circle had grown, and I had made some new acquaintances who eventually turned into friends. It was a pleasant surprise for me as I never expected to find such an amazing group of people.

Among them was Akash, whom we all fondly called Sallu Bhai due to his immense love for Salman Khan. He had his unique style, and his attitude and swagger were second to none. But beneath that tough exterior was a kind-hearted person, and we soon became good friends. Then there was Reva, fearless and always laughing, she had a heart of gold. She was someone who could light up the entire room with her presence. Her best friend was Shiv, a lean guy who loved to laugh. His infectious laughter often landed us in trouble, but we couldn't help but love him. Piyush was different from all of us, a funny and understanding person who didn't care about what others thought of him. He was mature in his own way, although he did have a habit of understanding things a little later than the rest of us. Prathu was interested only in his studies, but he was a good person at heart. And then there was Rahul, who I had known for a while, but this semester I truly became friends with him.