The waves of love

Chapter 1: The Waves of Peace

The story began in a beautiful place, where beautifully scented waves followed the very root of peace.

In this peaceful neighborhood lived a young girl with her family—her mother, her father, her three sisters (one of whom was already married), and her brother. Although her life moved at a calm and tranquil pace, she had a habit of overthinking everything, her mind constantly racing with a million thoughts.

Her college life was just about to start. It had been two months since she passed her 12th-grade board exams. Today was the day she had to go to the college campus for admissions, accompanied by her close friend. The sheer weight of the transition made her incredibly stressed. Together, they walked into the administrative office, collected the required forms, and carefully completed their admission process, officially marking the start of a new chapter.

Chapter 2: The Volleyball Match

When the date of her first day of college finally arrived, she was overwhelmed with nervousness. She managed to sit through her very first lecture period, absorbing the atmosphere of higher education. Once the class concluded, she and her friends went out to sit in the campus courtyard to relax.

A volleyball match was underway on the grounds, where the senior students were locked in a competitive game. As she watched, her eyes instantly got stuck on a handsome, gorgeous man playing on the court. She was so captivated by him that she completely lost track of the game. Suddenly, the volleyball flew rapidly toward her side of the court. Because her eyes were glued entirely to him, she didn't see the ball coming at all.

Thwack! The ball struck her directly on the head.

Immediately, the players halted their game and rushed over to the side of the court to check on her. Though she was physically stable, she felt deeply embarrassed by the sudden attention. The handsome senior stepped forward out of the crowd, looked at her remorsefully, and softly said, "I'm sorry for this."

Chapter 3: The Secret Neighbor

The handsome man she had just encountered was actually her neighbor. He and his family had shifted into her neighborhood around six months prior. However, she had never actually seen him face-to-face before today; she had only heard rumors about him. He was a mysterious figure who always returned home very late at night, or sometimes chose to stay cooped up inside his house for days. In college, he was her senior, currently studying in his third year.

The moment she looked at him, she developed an instant crush. Deep down, however, she felt a pang of hopelessness, knowing she would never possess the courage to tell him how she felt.

As fate would have it, their timings for heading home aligned perfectly that afternoon. They crossed paths right at the entrance door of their street. Meeting eyes, the realization finally dawned on them that they lived on the exact same block.

"Oh, you live here?" he asked, breaking the silence.

She was utterly surprised to learn that such a handsome man lived right in her neighborhood, feeling a sudden wave of self-consciousness. What a shame that I never noticed him before, she thought to herself, completely lost in her own mind.

Observing her quiet, dazed expression, the boy thought she was a bit strange. Without saying much more, he simply walked ahead, leaving her at the street entrance to make his way home.

His name was Sahil. Sahil was a young man who was incredibly particular about his belongings. He possessed a strict set of personal rules: he never allowed anyone to enter his bedroom without his explicit permission, and he absolutely never let anyone sit on his bed under any circumstances. He was also the proud owner of a gorgeous motorcycle. It was his prized possession; he never gave it to anyone else to ride, nor did he ever allow anyone to sit on it.

Chapter 4: Rooftop Conversations

Later that same evening, the main lead's mother and Sahil’s mother stood on their respective rooftops, chatting across the gap between the houses. Needing to run an errand, the main lead went upstairs to find her mother. "Maa, please give me some money," she requested. "I need to buy some stationery from the shop."

As she stepped onto the rooftop, Sahil’s mother noticed her and immediately caught sight of the mark on her forehead. "Oh, beta, how did you get that wound on your head?" she asked out of concern.

"It was hit by a volleyball at the college ground today," the girl replied politely.

"Didn't you apply anything to it?" Sahil's mother inquired.

"Yes, I did," she replied. "I've been compressing it using a cotton cloth and warm water."

After the brief exchange, she headed back downstairs to go to the shop.

A short while later, Sahil’s mother walked down her own stairs and headed toward the living room. Spotting Sahil, she stopped him. "Do you know about the volleyball incident at your college today? The neighbor’s daughter got wounded because of it."

Sahil looked up, keeping his expression neutral. "Yes, Mom, I know. It was just an accident."

His mother looked at him suspiciously. "Was it you who hit the ball on her head?"

"No, Mom," he replied quickly, deflecting the blame. "It was my teammate, not me."

Chapter 5: Tensions and Teasing

The next morning, both of them got ready for college at the same time. The main lead decided to leave her hair untied and flowing as usual, using the loose strands to carefully hide the swelling wound on her forehead.

Predictably, they met again at the street entrance since their schedules matched perfectly. Looking at her, Sahil paused and asked, "Are you fine now?"

"Yes, I am good," she replied softly.

Without another word, Sahil hopped onto his motorcycle and headed toward the college.

Watching him speed away, she murmured under her breath about how handsome yet incredibly rude he was. He didn't even bother to ask me to come to college with him, she thought, a bit disappointed.

When she finally arrived at the campus, she met up with her two friends, Tanvi and Shriya. As they walked through the gates, a few second-year seniors intercepted them to start a round of ragging. The seniors kept it lighthearted and funny, treating it as a normal campus tradition, so the girls took it in good spirits.

"Do squats for five minutes," one senior commanded, instructing them to bunk their upcoming lecture and follow orders.

A little distance away, Sahil was sitting down, watching the interaction unfold. To him, it looked like standard, harmless campus fun, so he didn't intervene.

However, just as the main lead lowered herself into the squat position, a boy named Riyan walked up to the group of seniors. He stepped beside her and firmly told the second-year students to leave them alone.

"Why?" the seniors asked, confused.

"Just leave it for my sake," Riyan replied smoothly.

The seniors backed off and walked away. Riyan then turned around to face the main lead directly. Smiling warmly, he spoke in a sweet, polite tone. "You are so beautiful and sweet. Can you give me your number so we can be friends?"

Taken aback, she looked at him and replied firmly, "I don't give my number to strange people."

Riyan simply smiled, entirely unfazed. "Okay, I get it. First, we will become friends, and then you can give me your number," he replied sweetly before walking away.

Chapter 6: A Sudden Change of Mood

After finishing their afternoon lecture, the three girls went outside to the courtyard and sat on a bench, waiting for their next class to begin.

At that moment, Sahil and his friends happened to be passing by the exact same path. As they drew closer, Sahil overheard Tanvi and Shriya teasing the main lead.

"Oh, look at you!" Tanvi teased, laughing. "Riyan is so cute, and he was so eager to ask for your friendship!" Shriya chimed in, making dramatic, teasing gestures with her hands to mock-romanticize the interaction.

Hearing Riyan's name paired with the girl next door caused Sahil’s behavior to switch instantly. A wave of aggressive irritation washed over him, catching him completely off guard.

Without a word to his friends, he abruptly turned around, grabbed his motorcycle, and sped out of the college gates. He rode until he reached a quiet, peaceful spot away from the bustle of the city. Stopping the engine, he stood there, trying to process the unfamiliar anger boiling inside him. What kind of behavior is this? he thought to himself, deeply frustrated. Why am I thinking so much about her? She is a girl I never even considered looking at, a girl I've never given a formal reaction to. This is not right. I need to leave this attitude behind.

Forcing himself to calm down, Sahil started his bike and headed straight home. He rushed through the front door in a hurry, completely bypassing his mother and his younger sister, Kashvi, without offering his usual greeting. He walked straight into his room and locked the door behind him.

Confused by his sudden outburst, Sahil's mother turned to her younger daughter. "Kashvi, go upstairs and invite your brother down for lunch."

Kashvi nodded and walked toward the stairs...