Chapter - 1 : Shadow of the Past
Shreya POV
It’s 5:00 AM.
There was a buzz from my mobile. It was Harish, my best friend since childhood.“Good morning, President,”he texted.
I always wake up at five, but on important days, he sends me a wake-up text. I usually go to bed at 11:00 PM because eight hours of sleep is too much for the President of the Humanitarian Club.
The morning was cold, and the roads were filled with mist. I wore a white hoodie and went for a jog. At a nearby park, I saw Maya, my neighbor, sitting on a bench.
“Good morning,” I waved with a smile. She simply nodded back.
“White doesn’t suit you,” she said as I jogged past her.
I continued to jog. Suddenly, there was a flash of light. I turned around, but there was no one there. Then, at the entrance of the park, I saw a figure wearing a black hoodie walking away.
I returned home. Today, I am supposed to give a proposal to the HOD for an awareness event. I’ve been thinking about how this event will benefit the students.
A few hours later, I went downstairs for breakfast. Usually, it’s the same: bread toast and an egg.
After breakfast, I went to the bus stop where Divya and Harish were waiting. They have been my two pillars forever. Divya is the rational one who dispenses the right words of wisdom.
Then there is Harish. He knows what I need most, even when I don’t know it myself. But he is short-tempered. Back in second grade, he broke a boy’s nose during a fight, which left a huge scar on his left hand. He never told me why he beat him.
Without these pillars, the building called Shreya would have fallen into pieces.
Once we boarded the bus, Harish asked me, “Ready for the presentation?”
“To an extent,” I said, yawning.
I started to take some notes. A boy from the seat behind me leaned forward. “Will the event be conducted?”
“Sssh, don’t disturb her,” Harish said, putting his arm between me and the boy.
I began to sleep—or at least, I pretended to. Two seats in front of me, I saw a college couple sitting together. Last year, I was also with someone I believed to be my soulmate. Seeing them brings back those memories.
Even though Harish and Divya knew I was pretending, they didn’t question me. They know how deep that scar runs. Some memories don’t fade, no matter how many years pass.
Suddenly, I was pushed forward as the driver hit the brakes. We had arrived.
It was 8:00 AM. We are supposed to be in class by 8:10. We ran like athletes to reach the room on time. As we ran, a car passed by, splashing water from a puddle. My dress was fine, but Harish was completely drenched.
I stared at his soaked shirt, feeling guilty, but he just wiped his face and kept running. He’s always been like that—protecting me from the edge of the sidewalk since we were kids.
Classes went on until noon. After a quick ten-minute lunch, I headed to the library. On my way, two junior boys called out, asking for help with their assignment.
Harish appeared with a cup of coffee—four spoons of sugar. He discovered I like sweet coffee during stressful times by testing different sugar levels on me for a long time.
Seeing me with the juniors, he warned, “Don’t encourage them. They should take care of their own work.”
“Don’t be so harsh,” I told him. “They could have other work to do.”
“It’s good that you try to help others, but be careful,” he said. “Don’t trust everyone blindly.”
I said nothing and proceeded to help them. Because of that, I couldn’t finish my own preparation. I ended up stuttering through the entire presentation. Afterward, the HOD told me he would only consider the event if I managed to get the funds from social groups.
It was late evening. I was strolling through the college garden when I suddenly heard an unfamiliar voice call my name.
“Shreya.”
I turned around to see a person with spectacles and tidily combed hair, wearing a t-shirt and jeans.
“Who are you?” I asked, confused.
“Don’t you remember me?” he asked calmly.
“You are Raghav, right? My senior from school.”
“I thought you forgot me.”
“What are you doing here?” I asked him.
“I come here sometimes. You usually leave by this time,” he said.
“Do I?”
“Yes.”
“So, what are you doing in life now?” I asked, trying to shift the topic.
“I am taking care of my family business.”
“Nice.”
“Your life goes pretty well, doesn’t it?” he asked.
“Yeah, to an extent,” I sighed.
Just then, I tripped over my shoelace. He caught me, grabbing my hand firmly. Him holding my hand... something about it did not feel right. A small smirk played on his face, making my skin crawl.
I tried not to judge him. Maybe he just wanted to help.
“You need to learn to tie your shoelaces,” he said. “You often fall during your jogging, too.”
My heart skipped. “How do you know that?”
“I just see things,” he said calmly. “It is difficult to be a club president, juggling different tasks, waking up at 5:00 AM.”
“How do you know I wake up at five?” I asked quickly.
“I always see things. Things that are valuable,” he said without blinking.
“Oh... you’re a good observer. Anyway, it’s getting late. I need to leave.”
I started walking away, but his voice followed me.
“Shreya, in case you need any help, I am here.” He paused for a moment. “I am here even if you don’t need any help.”
And that’s Chapter-1. What are the overall vibes? Raghav seems to know a lot about Shreya’sroutine that he should, isn’t it ? Don’t forget to like and comment.
