chapter 5

Meanwhile...

After lunch, Maya was walking back to her classroom.

The corridor was crowded with students.

Some were chatting.

Some were laughing.

Some were still searching for their classrooms.

And Maya?

She was in her own little world.

A song was playing inside her head.

♪ Capital W... small w... ♪

She was even humming it softly while walking.

Completely unaware of her surroundings.

A few boys standing near the corridor noticed her.

One of them nudged his friend.

"She's the girl from the first-year class, right?"

Another nodded.

"Yeah... the one in the blue dress."

A third one smiled.

"She's pretty."

Their eyes followed her as she walked past.

But Maya didn't notice.

Not even a little.

If a meteor had fallen beside her at that moment, she probably would have just continued humming her song.

Because when Maya entered her own world...

Nothing else existed.

A little distance away...

Vikram noticed everything.

He saw the boys staring at her.

Then he looked at Maya.

Still walking peacefully...

Still humming.

Still completely clueless.

He sighed.

"This girl doesn't notice anything around her, does she?"

He shook his head.

For a moment, he thought about saying something.

Then he stopped himself.

The boys hadn't done anything yet.

They had only looked at her.

So he remained silent.

But his eyes stayed on them for a few more seconds.

Then he looked at Maya again.

She had reached the classroom door and was now trying to remember where she had kept her pen.

After searching for it for a whole minute...

She realized it was already in her hand.

Vikram couldn't help but smile.

"Hopeless."

Maya happily entered the classroom, still humming-

♪ Capital W... small w... ♪

Completely unaware that a few people had been staring at her...

And completely unaware that someone had quietly noticed it too.

________________

A Few Minutes Later...

The classroom slowly became quiet as a professor walked in.

It was Vikram.

The students immediately stood up.

Students: "Good afternoon, sir."

Vikram: "Good afternoon. Sit down."

Everyone sat.

He looked around the class.

New faces.

Nervous expressions.

Some excited.

Some terrified.

And a few looked like they were mentally preparing their farewell speech already.

Vikram smiled slightly.

Vikram: "Since this is your first day..."

"Let's start with self-introductions."

Half the class immediately became nervous.

The other half started praying that the bell would ring.

Unfortunately...

The bell had other plans.

Vikram: "One by one."

"Stand up and introduce yourselves."

The introductions began.

Some students spoke confidently.

Some forgot what they wanted to say halfway through.

One boy was so nervous that he introduced himself with his friend's name.

The entire class laughed.

Meanwhile..

Maya and Saharshini looked at each other.

Both had the same expression.

Fear.

The true fear of introverts.

Public speaking.

Saharshini looked ready to disappear under the bench.

Maya looked calm on the outside...

But inside...

Her soul was already packing its bags and leaving.

Then...

The words she feared the most came.

Vikram: "Maya."

She slowly stood up.

The entire class looked at her.

Immediately...

Her hands became cold.

But her face remained expressionless.

Like a stone statue.

Vikram noticed it.

He could clearly see the nervousness in her eyes.

She was scared.

Very scared.

But she was trying her best not to show it.

Maya took a deep breath.

Maya: "I'm... Maya."

She paused.

"My parents are in Chennai."

"I completed my schooling at Kanta Vidyalaya."

"My hobbies are painting, cooking, singing, and making crafts."

"And..."

She forgot what she wanted to say next.

For two seconds...

Silence.

Then she quickly nodded.

"That's all."

And immediately sat down.

Inside her mind...

She was congratulating herself.

"I survived."

Vikram almost smiled.

He could tell she had memorized every word before standing up.

Beside her...

Saharshini looked even more frightened.

She slowly stood up when her turn came.

But before she could say a single word-

Tring... Tring... Tring...

The bell rang.

For one second...

The entire classroom became silent.

Then several students secretly smiled.

It felt like the bell had personally come to save them.

Vikram looked at the clock and then at the remaining students.

He closed his notebook.

Vikram: "The rest of your introductions can wait."

"As for the others..."

"I'll get to know all of you by seeing how you perform in class."

Saharshini's eyes widened.

Then...

Relief.

Pure relief.

She slowly sat down and let out the breath she had been holding.

Maya leaned toward her and whispered,

Maya: "I think the bell saved your life."

Saharshini nodded seriously.

The two girls looked at each other...

Then quietly smiled...

At the front of the class...

Vikram noticed them.

A small smile appeared on his face.

"These two..."

"One looks calm but is scared inside..."

"The other looks scared both inside and outside."

He shook his head with amusement and walked out of the classroom.

________________

Outside the College...

Saharshini adjusted her bag.

Saharshini: "I'll go to the hostel. See you tomorrow."

Maya: "Okay! Bye!"

The two friends waved at each other.

Saharshini left.

Meanwhile...

Maya stood near the college gate, waiting for an auto.

After five whole minutes...

An auto finally arrived.

Maya's face lit up.

Maya (thinking): "Finally! My chariot has arrived."

She happily walked toward it.

Just as she was about to get in...

A person suddenly rushed from the other side and got into the auto.

It was Vikram.

He looked like he was in a hurry.

He quickly sat down and told the driver,

Vikram: "Please go fast."

In his hurry...

He didn't even notice Maya standing there with one foot inside the auto.

Maya blinked.

Then blinked again.

She looked at him.

Then at the auto.

Then back at him.

Maya (thinking): "Sir..."

"That's my auto."

The driver looked at Maya.

Then at Vikram.

Then at Maya again.

The poor man looked like he had accidentally become a referee.

Maya raised her hand.

Maya: "Sir..."

No response.

Vikram was busy looking at his phone.

Maya: "Sir..."

Still no response.

Finally-

Maya: "SIR!"

Vikram looked up.

"Oh."

Silence.

He looked at Maya.

Then at the empty seat beside him.

Then at Maya again.

Vikram: "Were you getting into this auto?"

Maya stared at him.

Maya (thinking): "No, sir. I was blessing it."

But she politely nodded.

Maya: "Yes."

Vikram looked slightly embarrassed.

Vikram: "I didn't notice."

Maya: "I can see that."

The driver bit his lips to stop himself from laughing.

Vikram: "You can share the auto if you don't mind."

Maya nodded and got in.

The auto started moving.

Silence.

Five minutes passed.

Still silence.

The driver looked in the mirror.

"Are they strangers?"

Two minutes later...

He looked again.

"Did they fight?"

Another minute.

"Why is this auto quieter than a library?"

Just then...

A cow suddenly decided to cross the road.

The driver panicked.

Driver: "Aiyyo!"

Screeeech!

He hit the brakes.

The auto jerked violently.

Maya, who was sitting near the edge, suddenly flew forward.

For one horrifying second...

She was halfway out of the auto.

Maya: "Aaaaaaa!"

Her hands started waving in the air.

Her bag flew one way.

Her water bottle flew another way.

Even her hair gave up.

The driver screamed.

Driver: "Amma! Hold something!"

Maya tried.

Unfortunately...

There was nothing to hold.

Just when she was about to perform an unexpected flying stunt...

A hand grabbed her dupatta.

Then her wrist.

Whoosh!

Instead of falling out of the auto...

She fell backward.

Straight onto Vikram.

Silence.

Complete silence.

The driver looked in the mirror.

The cow looked back.

Even a passing dog stopped walking.

Maya blinked.

Vikram blinked.

Maya looked up.

Their faces were only inches apart.

Her brain immediately shut down.

Error: System not responding.

She quickly sat up.

Maya: "S-S-Sorry, sir!"

Vikram looked equally surprised.

Vikram: "It's okay."

The driver placed his hand on his chest dramatically.

Driver: "Aiyyo... for one second, I thought I'd have to explain to your grandmother why you flew out of my auto."

As he was the know person of grandma.

Maya's face turned red.

The driver continued.

Driver: "And you, sir..."

He looked at Vikram.

"Excellent catch."

"You saved the girl like a movie hero."

Vikram coughed awkwardly.

Maya looked like she wanted to disappear.

The driver shook his head.

Driver: "These cows..."

"They walk on the road like they pay road tax."

As if offended...

The cow turned and looked at him.

The driver immediately apologized.

Driver: "Sorry, Amma Cow."

Maya couldn't hold it anymore.

She burst into laughter.

The driver grinned.

Vikram looked at her.

This was the first time he had seen her laugh.

A small smile appeared on his face.

Meanwhile..

The cow continued walking proudly...

Completely unaware that it had almost turned an ordinary auto ride into an action movie.

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