When Eyes Meet

Episode 3

Students slowly began getting up from their seats, chatting excitedly with one another while faculty members guided parents toward the exit.

Before everyone left, Mr. Rajeev stepped onto the stage once again.

“Students, your official classes will begin tomorrow,” he announced. “However, those who are interested may stay back today to explore the campus, interact with faculty members, and get familiar with your classrooms and syllabus.”

Excited murmurs instantly spread across the hall.

Some students quickly rushed outside with their parents, while many others eagerly stood back, curious to see more of the institution they had dreamed of joining.

Sakshi adjusted her bag on her shoulder thoughtfully.

“Should I go home?” she murmured to herself.

But honestly…

She didn’t want to leave yet.

Not after seeing him.

Her thoughts betrayed her immediately, making her sigh dramatically.

“Why am I acting like some movie heroine?”

Still, her feet somehow chose to stay.

Groups of students began following volunteers around the campus. Some explored the media labs while others checked out the library, auditorium, editing rooms, and photography studios.

Many students were especially curious about the classrooms and syllabus structure for the upcoming semester.

Sakshi eventually joined one of the groups heading toward the academic block.

The corridors buzzed with excitement and nervous conversations.

“I heard the assignments here are brutal.”

“Apparently the attendance rules are strict too.”

“Did you see the media lab? It’s huge!”

As the students entered one of the classrooms, a senior handed out printed syllabus copies.

“This is your semester outline,” he explained. “Subjects, internal marks, project details, everything is included.”

Sakshi took one and flipped through the pages carefully.

Media Theory.

Visual Communication.

Digital Editing.

Creative Writing.

Her eyes sparkled slightly.

“This actually looks interesting…”

Just then, another student whispered loudly beside her.

“Hey, isn’t that Professor Adit?”

The name instantly made Sakshi look up.

At the far end of the corridor, Adit stood speaking with a few faculty members near the department office. One hand rested casually inside his pocket while he listened quietly.

For some reason, he suddenly looked in her direction again.

Their eyes met for the second time that day.

And once again…

Sakshi’s brain completely stopped functioning.

She quickly looked down at her syllabus papers, pretending to read them very seriously.

But her ears burned red instantly.

Meanwhile, a small amused smile appeared briefly on Adit’s face before he turned away again.

And somehow…

That tiny smile disturbed Sakshi’s heart far more than the dream ever did.

Before Sakshi could embarrass herself any further by accidentally staring at Adit again, the group moved toward another section of the academic block.

“And this,” the senior announced proudly while pushing open large wooden doors, “is our central library.”

The moment Sakshi stepped inside, her entire attention shifted instantly.

Her eyes widened in amazement.

The library was enormous.

Tall shelves stretched across the massive hall, filled from top to bottom with books of every genre imaginable. Warm yellow lights glowed softly from above while large glass windows let the cloudy daylight pour inside peacefully.

The scent of paper and coffee lingered faintly in the air.

Students around her gasped excitedly.

“Whoa…”

“This place is huge.”

“There are literally thousands of books here.”

But Sakshi barely heard them.

Something about libraries always made her feel strangely safe.

Comfortable.

At home.

Her fingers brushed lightly against the edge of a bookshelf as she slowly walked deeper inside, completely mesmerized.

Novels.

Poetry collections.

Screenwriting guides.

Literature classics.

Creative writing journals.

It felt like heaven to her.

“You like reading?”

The sudden voice beside her made Sakshi turn.

A girl with short curly hair smiled at her warmly.

“A lot,” Sakshi admitted immediately, her eyes still sparkling. “I could literally live here.”

The girl laughed. “Same. I’m Meera, by the way.”

“Sakshi.”

Meera noticed the way Sakshi stared at the shelves and grinned knowingly. “Reader?”

“And writer,” Sakshi replied shyly.

“Really?” Meera’s eyes widened. “What do you write?”

“Mostly stories,” Sakshi said softly. “Random scenes… characters… feelings… things that come to mind.”

“Okay, that’s actually cool.”

Sakshi smiled lightly.

For the first time since morning, her mind felt calm again.

No confusing dreams.

No mysterious eye contact.

No Adit.

Just books.

She wandered toward a corner shelf filled with romance novels and creative literature. Her fingers stopped on a hardcover book with a rain-soaked cover illustration.

Almost unconsciously, she smiled.

Rain again.

“Looks like rain follows you everywhere.”

The deep familiar voice behind her froze her completely.

Slowly…

Very slowly…

Sakshi turned around.

Adit stood only a few feet away, holding a few academic files in one hand.

And he was looking directly at her.

Sakshi blinked rapidly, completely caught off guard.

Adit glanced at the book in her hand before looking back at her.

“New student?” he asked calmly.

His voice sounded even deeper up close.

Sakshi nodded almost immediately. “Y--Yes, sir.”

Why was she suddenly nervous again?