Between Classes
I first saw her inside my university campus.
It was a normal morning. Students were walking fast, rushing to their classes. Some were laughing, some were tired, some were lost in their phones. I was walking without thinking, just following my routine and my friends were already in the class waiting for me by holding a seat for me.
She was standing near the notice board.
She wasn’t loud. She wasn’t trying to be noticed. She was just there, reading something carefully, holding her bag close to her shoulder. For a moment, everything around me felt slow.
I don’t know why I stopped.
I don’t know why I looked again.
But I did.
After that day, I started seeing her often.
Near the library, Outside the classroom, Sometimes at the canteen. We never planned but it just happened. Sometimes our eyes met. She smiled softly. I smiled back that was all. No words. No reason. Still, it felt enough. I used to wait for those moments without realizing it.
One afternoon, I was sitting alone in the library, pretending to study. She walked in and sat a few seats away from me. I could hear the sound of her pages turning. I tried to focus on my book, but my mind was not there.
After some time, she spoke, “Excuse me,” she said quietly.
“Do you know where this subject book is?” I looked up and pointed at second row. She smiled and thanked me that was a simple and short conversation that has changed something after that.
Small talks and laughs have been surrounded us too early. We talked about classes, exams, and she complained about assignments. I listened. I liked listening.
She liked sitting near windows. I liked how calm she was. We started walking together after classes, just till the hostel gate. Sometimes we talked. Sometimes we didn’t. Silence between us never felt uncomfortable. I wanted to walk further with her but never said it to her.
Some days, she didn’t come to class on those days, I noticed the empty seat more than I noticed the lecture. I didn’t understand why her absence felt so loud. When she returned, everything felt normal again.
One day, she asked me, Why are you always so quiet? I smiled and told I think too much, She laughed softly and told I like quiet people that sentence stayed with me.
Days passed, we shared notes, food and tired smiled during our exams. Sometimes our hands used to touch and shoulders used to brush and every time my heart used to beat faster and I stepped back as I don't wanna rush anything and spoil the movement and the bond we had.
One evening, we sat on the university lawn the sun was going down and the sky was orange. Students were slowly leaving the campus felt peaceful.
She looked at the sky and asked, “Do you believe in love?” The question caught me off guard. “I don’t know,” I said honestly. She nodded and said “I think love is simple. People make it complicated.” I wanted to tell her that being with her felt simple but I didn’t.
Exams ended and semesters changed. One day, she told me something unexpected that she might leave the college as she got an opportunity in some reputed college in USA. I smiled for her but inside I felt something heavy and I dont know why, She looked at my eyes for a movement and said that she misses me, I know what's going in her mind but I felt a bit shy and quietly walked away.
After that day, everything slowly changed. She didn’t leave immediately. She said she still had six months before moving to the USA. Six months sounded like a long time, but somewhere inside, I knew it would pass quickly. We started spending more time together, not because we planned it, but because it felt natural .
After classes, I began dropping her home. At first, it was only till the main road, then till her street, and slowly, right up to her gate. Those walks became my favorite part of the day. We talked about small things, funny things, and serious things. Sometimes we talked about her dreams, and sometimes about nothing at all. I liked the way she trusted me, and she liked the way I stayed.
There was a quarry on the way to her home. Most people passed it without noticing, but for us, it became special. Sometimes we stopped there and sat on the rocks while the wind moved around us. The place was quiet, and time felt slow. We talked about life, fear, and the future. Sometimes we didn’t talk at all and just sat close to each other resting her head on my shoulder, and looking at the each other eyes. One evening, she looked at me and smiled, and I leaned closer that is our first kiss was soft and calm. There was no rush, no noise, just us.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks quietly turned into memories. We laughed more, understood each other better, and learned to read each other’s silence. She became my comfort, and I became her safe place. But every smile carried a little sadness, because we both knew time was moving forward. Sometimes, while walking, she asked if I would miss her. I smiled and told her that I would miss her every day. She never asked me to stop her, and I never asked her to stay. Some dreams are bigger than love, and real love understands that.
As her departure got closer, we decided to go on one last trip together. We chose Pondicherry, our usual getaway place, the place where we had already made so many memories. The trip felt different this time. The roads felt longer, and the sky felt quieter. We walked near the beach like we always did, barefoot and slow. We laughed while remembering small moments from the past, and we stayed silent while watching the waves. At night, we talked about everything we never said before. There were no promises and no plans, only honesty. She held me tightly that night, as if she was trying to remember my heartbeat.
On the last morning, Pondicherry felt empty. The streets were quiet, and even the sea sounded heavier. We stood near the shore for a long time. She looked at me with wet eyes and smiled. She thanked me for everything we shared. I nodded, because I couldn’t trust my voice. I didn’t ask her to stay, and I didn’t stop her. Some love is not about holding on; it is about letting go with respect.
At the airport, we hugged for a long time. It was silent and heavy. She kissed my forehead, and I closed my eyes. Then she walked away, and I didn’t follow. Now, when I walk inside the university campus, something feels missing. But there is no regret. Some love stories are not meant to end together. They are meant to stay alive inside us. Maybe destiny knows what happens next, or maybe it doesn’t. Somewhere, she is chasing her dreams, and here, I am holding our memories. The silence between us is still love.
