Pov:Max
Exam week —
The phrase alone could make your soul want to escape your body.
Everyone was running around like headless chickens, books clutched to chests, last-minute revision battles in every corner of the campus. Sleep-deprived faces, chai spills, pen thefts — it was the real hunger games of college.
I was no different.
Sweat trickled down my spine as I revised equations that didn't want to stay in my brain, and Kitty? She was burning through pages like she had a secret pact with caffeine gods.
But even with all the chaos…
The seniors?
Chilling. Like it was summer vacation.
They were playing games, watching reels on the benches, and walking like the kings and queens of leisure.
That's when I met her.
Vin.
Full name — Vindhiya.
But no one called her that. Not even the staff.
And honestly?
She looked like the kind of girl fairytales were written about.
Clear skin that glowed without a hint of makeup, an innocent smile that made you wonder if she even knew how pretty she was. Her hair?
Short, soft waves that brushed her shoulders — effortlessly graceful.
She approached me in the corridor like we'd always been friends.
"Hey, Max right? Kitty's bestie?" she said, holding a coffee in one hand, and her phone in the other.
"Uh… yeah," I replied, blinking. "You know me?"
She smiled, brushing her bangs aside. "Heard about you. From Kitty. Also saw you shouting at Rithul last week. Kinda iconic."
I laughed nervously. "That wasn't one of my best moments."
"Maybe not. But it was a real one," she said, her voice soft but clear.
Just like that, I liked her.
She had a warm energy, and for the first time in days, I felt… safe.
We sat on the bench, talking about random things — childhoods, weird professors, and how unfair exam timings were.
And in between, I noticed Ram pass by.
He looked drained — like he hadn't slept properly.
Our eyes met.
Only for a second.
But it felt like a full conversation neither of us had the courage to say out loud.
Vin nudged me, "He's been quiet lately, huh?"
I nodded. "He's always been quiet."
She looked at me for a moment, then changed the topic.
Smart girl.
Sometimes, life throws you a new person just when you need one.
Not to replace what's broken —
But to remind you… you're not alone in the mess.