Chapter 1 - The Feeling I didn't believe in
Tara was sixteen
She wasn't extraordinary in any way. Not a topper, not a failure, just an average student trying to get through school like everyone else. She had average looks, the kind that didn't stand out in a crowd. People rarely noticed her unless they needed something. She was introverted, kind shy girl. She spoke softly, avoided unnecessary attention, and preferred listening over talking. While others discussed crushes, relationships and love stories, Tara usually stayed quite...
Not because she was jealous
But because she didn't believe in love.
To her, love existed only in dramas, where everything was dramatic, intense and perfect. I real life she believed, feelings like that doesn't exist. People disappoint each other. Promises broke. Love looked good only on screens not in reality.
That day school school hadn't been good.
Nothing major had gone wrong, but everything felt heavy. A wrong answer in class, a teacher's disappointed look, whispers she pretended not to hear.
By the time school ended, Tara was tired. She just wanted to go home. On her way back, she stopped at her regular stationary shop, the same shop visited often. The smell of fresh paper and ink felt familiar, she bought a paper and pen, paid silently and stepped outside, she was lost in her thoughts
That's when it happened
She crashed into someone
The notebook slipped from her hands and fell to the ground along with the pen. Already having a bad day, Tara's anger burst out before she could stop herself.
"Can't you see where you're going!? - she said angrily
"At least watch.." - she paused
The man standing in front of her looked unfamiliar.
He was wearing a simple white T-shirt with a blue jacket over it. The sleeves were folded casually, as if he didn't tried too hard. He was wearing ordinary jeans. His hair was neatly combed.
He just looked simple yet dreamy.
As he bent down to pick up her things
Tara realized something
The mistake had been her's
She had been walking absent mindedly. Yet he said nothing
He quitely picked up her notebook and pen, dusted them carefully and held them out to her. He bowed slightly, respectfully and said gently
"I'm sorry"
That was all
No argument
No irritation
Just understanding
As Tara took her things from him, she noticed something....
He smelt like warmth, not a strong perfume.
Just a soft, comforting scent. Something that felt safe, calm and familiar. It stayed with her even fter he stepped back.
He gave her a faint smile and walked away.
Tara stood there, frozen
Her heart was beating faster than it should have..
Her face felt warm..She held the notebook close to her chest, replaying the moment in her head. It confused her - how someone could be so gentle even when she was wrong. That kindness stayed with her all the way home.
That night, when Tara fell asleep, her mind drifted back to him.
She dreamed of the same man.
The same kind eyes.
The white T-shirt, the blue jacket, the folded sleeves
And the same warmth in her heart
In the dream he didn't speak much, he didn't need to. His presence alone made her feel calm.
For the first time in her life, her heart felt light and full at the same time.
When she woke up, the feeling didn't disappeared. It stayed, Tara sat up in bed, confused, her heart was heavy in a way she couldn't explain. It wasn't sadness, it was something new.
Something she had never believed in
And for the first time in 16 years, Tara wondered...
"What if love wasn't just a drama after all?"
