"chapters of us "

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The first day of college smelled like freshly printed notebooks, nervous energy, and, in Naina's case, way too much vanilla perfume.

I took a deep breath, adjusting the straps of my backpack. "Okay, new chapter. Let's do this."

Beside me, Naina stretched dramatically. "New chapter? Hazel, this is not a textbook. This is college! Freedom, adventure, and—" she twirled in front of me, almost knocking over a guy carrying a stack of books, "—the chance to finally live a filmy life."

I grabbed her arm before she could cause more damage. "I don't need a filmy life, Naina. I need good grades, a solid plan, and a well-organized schedule."

Naina groaned. "You sound like my dad. Loosen up, genius. College is supposed to be fun."

Fun. Right. My idea of fun was color-coded notes, acing my courses, and staying as far away as possible from unnecessary drama. Naina, on the other hand, thrived on chaos. We were polar opposites—me, the overachiever with a life plan; her, the whirlwind of spontaneity who somehow always dragged me into trouble. Yet, she was my best friend, my human alarm clock, and my personal reality check when I got too lost in my head.

We walked into the bustling campus, the energy around us a mix of excitement and panic. Students were rushing to find their classes, seniors were already judging freshers, and somewhere in the distance, someone was playing guitar, because of course they were.

Naina nudged me. "So, tell me, Hazel. Are you ready for your romantic college moment?"

I shot her a look. "What romantic moment?"

She grinned. "The moment when you trip over your own feet and fall straight into the arms of a ridiculously good-looking senior who smells like expensive cologne and makes your heart race."

I sighed. "In case you forgot, I don't trip."

The universe, of course, had other plans. Because right then, as if on cue, someone bumped into me—hard. My books went flying, I lost my balance, and before I could even process what was happening,

--

I crashed straight into something-or rather, someone-solid. A very firm, very warm someone. My books hit the ground, my breath caught in my throat, and before I could make an absolute fool of myself, strong hands gripped my arms, steadying me.

Oh no.

I looked up, and wow-big mistake.

He was tall. Like, really tall. At least six feet, towering over my 5'4" self like some kind of ridiculously well-sculpted statue. His wavy hair was just the right amount of messy, like he'd rolled out of bed looking effortlessly perfect. And his eyes -deep brown, warm, and slightly surprised-met mine, making my stomach flip in a way I was absolutely not prepared for.

He had a pair of sleek, expensive-looking headphones over his ears, the faintest sound of music leaking through. Dressed in a brown hoodie and light yellow jeans, he looked both casual and impossibly cool, like the kind of guy who walked through life with a permanent soundtrack playing in the background.

And here I was, ruining the moment with my inability to function like a normal human.

"Uh-sorry, I-" I started, but my brain had officially short-circuited.

He didn't let go immediately, his grip gentle yet firm, as if making sure I wouldn't face-plant onto the floor. His brows pulled together slightly, concern flashing across his features , "You okay?" His voice was deep, smooth, and-of course-unfairly attractive.

Fantastic. First day of college, and I had already embarrassed myself in front of someone who looked like he walked straight out of a romance novel

I scrambled to pick up my books, my fingers fumbling as I shoved them into my arms. My brain was still lagging behind, stuck on oh no, oh no, oh no, and my cheeks were burning hot.

He was still standing there, probably expecting some sort of response-a "thank you" at the very least. But nope. My fight-or-flight instincts had kicked in, and apparently, they had chosen run.The history lecture ended, and I stretched, feeling that satisfying post-class glow. My notes were pristine, my brain was happy, and for a blissful moment, I had completely forgotten about-

"Ohhh, Hazel."

I groaned before even turning to look at Naina. She had that look-the I-know-something-you-don't-want-me-to-k now look.

"What?" I said, pretending to be oblivious as I packed up my things.

Naina leaned in, resting her chin on her hand with a dreamy sigh. "You. Him. The corridor. The moment."

Without looking back, without another word, I turned on my heel and power-walked straight to my classroom like my life depended on it.

Nope. Not happening. Not dealing with this. Not today.

I could still feel the heat of his gaze on my back, probably confused, or worse-amused. Great. Absolutely fantastic. This was not how my first day was supposed to go. I had planned everything down to the last detail, and nowhere in my schedule did it say, "Embarrass yourself in front of an insanely attractive stranger."

I practically threw myself into the first empty seat I found, heart still hammering. Naina slid into the seat next to me, looking way too entertained for my liking.

"Hazel." She smirked. "What was that?"

I stared straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge her. Maybe if I ignored it hard enough, it would cease to exist.

Spoiler alert: it didn't.

And all this end when , The moment the professor started talking about the war of 1930, my mind finally did what it was supposed to-focus.

History had always been my safe space. The way past events shaped the present, the stories of people who had lived and fought for what they believed in-it fascinated me. Unlike real life, history had structure, cause and effect, reasons behind every action.

I quickly flipped open my notebook, jotting down key points as the professor spoke. My earlier embarrassment faded into the background, pushed aside by the familiar thrill of learning something new. This-this-was what I had come here for. Not awkward hallway encounters, not mysterious guys in hoodies, just knowledge, structure, and the satisfaction of a well-organized notebook.

For the next hour, nothing else mattered.

The history lecture ended, and I stretched, feeling that satisfying post-class glow. My notes were pristine, my brain was happy, and for a blissful moment, I had completely forgotten about-

"Ohhh, Hazel."

I groaned before even turning to look at Naina. She had that look-the I-know-something-you-don't-want-me-to-k now look.

"What?" I said, pretending to be oblivious as I packed up my things.

Naina leaned in, resting her chin on her hand with a dreamy sigh. "You. Him. The corridor. The moment."

I stiffened. "There was no moment."

She gasped dramatically. "No moment? Hazel, you literally fell into his arms! Like some Bollywood heroine! If background music had started playing, I wouldn't have been surprised."

I rolled my eyes. "You're exaggerating."

"I am not." She grinned. "Tell me at least one thing. Was he as tall and gorgeous as I imagine?"

I stood up, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "I don't know. I wasn't paying attention."

Naina gasped louder this time. "You weren't paying attention?" She grabbed my arm dramatically. "Hazel, you fell into a walking romance novel, and you weren't paying attention? That's it. We're going to the cafeteria. I need to process this over fries."

I sighed, but I followed her anyway. There was no escaping Naina once she had a topic she was determined to dissect.

By the time we dragged ourselves back to our apartment, I was done.

First days were exhausting. Between awkward introductions, overwhelming classes, and nearly crashing into a human version of a book boyfriend, my brain was officially out of service.

I dropped my bag on the floor and collapsed onto the couch with a dramatic sigh. "I can't move."

Naina kicked off her shoes and flopped next to me. "Same. College is a scam. Why does learning require so much effort?"

I groaned in agreement. "And why did we think taking it seriously was a good idea?"

She patted my arm. "Because we're nerds, Hazel. But nerds need fuel."

With that, she jumped up and headed to the kitchen. I peeked over the couch. "What are you doing?"

She tossed me a grin. "Making pasta, obviously. First day of college tradition."

My stomach growled in response. Our ultimate comfort food—creamy, cheesy, and the only thing that could revive my soul after today's chaos.

I closed my eyes, letting the sound of Naina clanging pots and humming dramatically fill the apartment. This was home now—messy, exhausting, but weirdly perfect.

Maybe college wouldn't be so bad after all.