first encounter

it's my first story, so pls don't judge me:)

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Maya always believed school corridors had their own personality—chaotic, noisy, dramatic, and somehow comforting. She navigated through them like she owned the place, waving at juniors, teasing her friends, and jumping into conversations she wasn’t even part of. She was the type who could talk to anyone, argue with teachers respectfully, and crack jokes in class without hesitation.

Except when it came to Aryan.

Her senior. The one glitch in her otherwise fearless system.

Aryan was tall, around six feet, and always wore those rectangular glasses that made him look like he read more than he actually did. But he was the most over-friendly person in the entire school—laughing loudly, talking to everyone, making inside jokes with random classmates from other sections. He had this habit of pushing back his hair while speaking, and the worst part? He was genuinely nice. Not the fake kind. The actual, annoyingly charming type that made Maya lose her voice every time he passed by.

Her friends thought it was hilarious. She thought it was torture.

That Monday morning felt like any other. Maya walked through the school gate, adjusting the strap of her bag as her deep brown hair fell to one side. Her brown doe eyes scanned the crowd automatically, though she told herself she wasn’t searching for Aryan. At 5’7 with a soft, slightly chubby look, she blended in easily—comfortable, familiar, nothing that made people stop and stare.

Which is why she didn’t expect the new boy.

He stood near the notice board, tall—definitely taller than Aryan, maybe around 6’2. He wore dark-framed glasses, the kind smart kids always had, and his build suggested he played at least one sport seriously. A few students whispered, “Who’s that new guy?” and “He looks like a topper.” And honestly, he did. He had that focused expression, scanning the timetable like he was mentally organizing his whole academic year in one go.

Maya wouldn’t have paid much attention if his eyes hadn’t lifted at the exact moment she walked past.

For a moment—barely a second—his attention fixed on her. Not in shock or judgement. Just a look, steady and curious, like he’d spotted something he wanted to understand.

Maya slowed for half a step. Why was he staring? Did she drop something? Was her hair weird? Did she look sleepy?

Whatever the reason, she pretended not to notice and kept walking toward her classroom, returning to her comfortable chatter with her friends. Within minutes she was laughing again, dramatizing her weekend story, easily blending back into the crowd.

But Rishav—because that was the new boy’s name, written neatly on the admission sheet—didn’t forget that moment as quickly.

He stayed near the notice board a little longer, pretending to reread the timetable even though he already memorized it. His mind kept going back to the girl with the brown eyes and the loud laugh he’d heard as she walked away.

He didn’t know anything about her yet. Not her name, not her grade, not the way she froze around one specific senior.

But he knew one thing.

His first day wasn’t going to be boring.

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