July 14th arrived with the softness of monsoon clouds. Alice stood before the mirror, smoothing her neatly ironed uniform, her heart fluttering in excitement. Today wasn't just any day-to-day, it was the start of her 11th grade.
She had chosen the cs group, the same group her closest friends felzi and yaan had entered,. That single thought warmed her more than the morning sunlight slipping into her room.
As soon as she reached the school gate, familiar voices filled the air.
"Alice! Over here! "
Yaan waved both hands dramatically.
Felzi rushed forward, throwing a half-hug around both of them.
Their laughter echoed through the corridor,-light, carefree, and warm. The first day passed in a blur of new note books, fresh timetables, and whispered jokes. Alice loved every minute of it.
Days rolled by, and her small circle of friends slowly grew into a lively gang. Shared lunches, group studies, stolen itself quietly into her heart.
But life had it's way of adding unexpected characters into one's story.
The boy at the bus stand:
One cloudy evening, while waiting at the bus stop, Alice attention drift to a boy standing across the road. He wore the same school uniform but carries himself differently-quite, observant, almost invisible among the crowd.
Alice paused.
Who is he? I've never seen him before.
The next day, he was there again.
And the day after that.
And the next.
Soon, he became a silent routine in her everyday world . A face she searched for unintentionally a presence she noticed even without looking.
She didn't know his name.
She didn't know his class
She didn't know anything about him.
The first conversation:
That evening, the sky turned a threatening shade of grey. Alice hurried to the auto stand, clutching her bag close. As she stepped under the shade, her breadth caught .
He was there.
Closer than ever.
Standing just a few steps away from her.
A strange nervousness spread through her chest. Her fingers trembled slightly. She could either stay silent or speak. For some reason, the thought of silence felt heavier today.
She swallowed hard and took a small step forward.
"Umm... What's your name? " She asked, her voice softer than she intended.
The boy turned, surprise flickering in his eyes before they softened.
"My name is San, " He replied.
The name setted in her mind gently.
San.
"Where are you from? " Alice asked, unable to hide her curiosity.
"Wanyang, " He said, shifting his bag slightly.
"Oh... I'm from Suyang. "
A small smile curved on san's lips.
"I know, " He said quietly. I've seen you leaving from there before. "
Alice blinked, heat rushing to her cheeks.
"Oh... You noticed? "
"Maybe, " He answered, his smile widening just a little.
The silence that followed wasn't awkward it was warm, new, and strangely comforting
The chocolate moment:
To escape her nervousness, Alice took out a small chocolate from her bag. She unwrapped one piece for herself and held the other out of him .
"Do you want? " She asked.
San shook his head. "No,it's okay. "
"Just take it, " She insisted softly.
When he refused again, Alice stepped forward and gently placed the chocolate in his hand. Their fingers blushed lightly a brief touch, but one that sent a soft shiver through her.
San started at the chocolate, then at her.
"Thank you, " He murmured
Alice looked away, hiding the smile that was threading to escape .The air around them felt different now lighter, warmer, as if a new thread had quietly tied them together.
This moment-shared between two strangers standing at an ordinary auto stand became the very first chapter of their story.