The Parallel Lines Meet..

St. Jude Primary School was an old, British-era brick building surrounded by tall pine trees. For Siya, this was her true home. Here, she wasn't an unheard, unnoticed middle child; she was Miss Siya—a teacher who taught stories with so much love that the children would forget the world outside.

​A week had passed since that rainy encounter. Siya tried her best to suppress the memory of that sad-eyed boy, but his face kept coming back to her thoughts. She scolded herself, thinking how foolish she was. She was a girl trapped within the walls of fear; love and romance were luxuries she couldn't afford.

​One Monday morning, the school principal called an emergency staff meeting to introduce a new faculty member to everyone.

​"Everyone, please welcome our new Physical Training and Sports Instructor," the principal announced, gesturing toward the door. "He has joined today to take charge of the senior primary batches."

​The door opened, and a tall, well-built young man walked in. He wore a clean white sports track jacket, and his hair was neatly brushed back. It was him. Shiyaan.

​Siya’s heart jumped into her throat. Terrified, she shrank back a bit more into her chair, trying to hide behind a senior history teacher sitting next to her.

​Shiyaan respectfully scanned the entire room and bowed his head before the senior teachers. But just then, his gaze fell upon the small, innocent girl sitting in the corner. His heart skipped a beat. The girl with the yellow umbrella. She was a teacher here. A wave of happiness, the likes of which he hadn't felt in years, rushed through Shiyaan’s heart, but he kept his expression professional.

​"Hello everyone. I am Shiyaan. I look forward to working with you all," he said, his eyes lingering on Siya for a fraction of a second longer than the others.

​But destiny didn't favor their distance. That very afternoon, amidst the hustle and bustle of recess, Siya was walking down the corridor in a great hurry. She held a large stack of student exam notebooks in her hands, and her mind was completely focused on the next lesson plan.

​At that exact moment, Shiyaan was turning the corner, carrying a basket of footballs.

​They suddenly collided.

​All the notebooks flew into the air and scattered across the floor like white leaves. A gasp escaped Siya's mouth as she lost her balance. Before she could fall, Shiyaan’s hand shot out swiftly and firmly yet carefully caught her by the waist to steady her.

​The physical contact was sudden. Siya’s eyes widened in sheer terror. Her old fear rushed back—a man was touching her. Her breathing turned shallow, and she began to tremble violently.

​"Let go... let me go," she whispered in a panic-stricken, choked voice.

​The moment Shiyaan realized her distress, he immediately withdrew his hands and stepped back, raising both hands in the air to show he wasn't a threat. "I’m sorry! I’m so sorry, Miss Siya. I didn't mean to scare you. Breathe. Just breathe. You are completely safe."

​He immediately dropped to his knees and began quickly gathering the scattered notebooks, avoiding any sudden movements so as not to startle her further. He kept his eyes lowered, giving Siya all the time and space she needed to handle her panic.

​Siya watched him. Her heart was pounding wildly, but as she looked at his bowed head and saw how respectfully he was organizing her papers, her panic attack subsided before it could fully take over. Her innate maturity helped her see past her fear—this man was different. He didn't want to hurt her. In fact, he seemed deeply understanding of her fragile state.

​"Thank you," she said softly, sitting down on the floor herself to collect the papers. When their fingers accidentally brushed, a strange spark jolted through both of them, and they froze for a brief moment.

​Shiyaan looked into her eyes, his gaze filled with a profound calm and concern that only true affection holds. He didn't say a single word, but his eyes said everything—it was a protectiveness that offered complete safety.

​Over the next few weeks, a quiet rhythm developed between them. They crossed paths every day in the corridors, the staff room, and the courtyard. Siya remained quiet as usual, focusing on her work and keeping her distance out of habit. Yet, Shiyaan’s presence became a comforting shadow in her life. He never forced a conversation or tried to intrude upon her personal space, but whenever Siya needed a heavy window opened, a bulky box moved, or a path cleared through the noisy crowd of children, Shiyaan was always right there ahead of time.

​With each passing day, he found himself falling deeper in love with her gentle nature and pure innocence...

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