When we first meet

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...The hostel room buzzed with excitement. Tanuja, Avni, and Diya were all smiles as they lay on their beds, chatting about the freshers party happening the next evening. “It’s at 5 PM, we can sleep in,” Diya yawned. “Perfect beauty sleep,” Avni added, already dreaming of cute outfits and even cuter seniors....

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...That night, laughter echoed in the room before they finally drifted off to sleep, comforted by the thought of tomorrow’s fun....

The next day, sunlight poured in, but none of them stirred. At 12:45 PM, Diya sat up with a shock. “Girls, wake up! It’s almost 1!”

Tanuja mumbled, “Still time…”

“No! We haven’t picked our dresses!” Avni cried.

In seconds, the room turned chaotic—music blaring, clothes flying, hair tools heating up. Excitement filled every corner.

They had no idea that tonight wasn’t just a party—it was the beginning of something unforgettable.

...****************...

...Place : College campus...

...Day: Sunday (event day)...

...Time : 5:30 PM...

The excitement in the hostel room was at its peak. Dressed in stylish short kurtis paired with well-fitted pants, and flaunting neatly done hairstyles, Tanuja, Avni, and Diya looked like they had just stepped out of a dream. Their eyes sparkled with anticipation as they reached the college campus around 5 PM, the sky glowing with hues of orange and gold. The event hadn’t begun yet, so the campus was buzzing with students taking selfies, laughing in groups, and adjusting their outfits for last-minute perfection.

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Diya glanced at the crowd and smiled. “I’ll go grab shakes for us from the canteen. You two go ahead and find seats.”

Tanuja and Avni nodded, walking ahead, phones in hand, ready for a mini photo shoot before the crowd flooded in.

As they laughed and posed near a flower-decorated archway, Tanuja turned without noticing someone walking toward her—and bumped straight into a guy.

Splash.

Cold water from a bottle spilled on his coat.

Tanuja gasped, stepping back. “Oh my God! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to—really, I didn’t see you coming—”

The guy, a tall, sharp-featured senior from second year, just stared at her. His coat was wet, yes, but his eyes weren’t on it. They were fixed on her.

Her nervous voice faded as she tried to wipe the sleeve. “I didn’t mean to— I’m so, so sorry!”

He blinked, finally snapping out of his trance. A soft smile formed on his lips. “It’s fine. Really. It’s just water—it’ll dry.”

And with that, he gave her a small nod and turned to walk back to his friends. But for a moment, his glance lingered over his shoulder—just once—before disappearing into the crowd.

Tanuja stood still, cheeks warm.

Avni smirked. “Someone just got noticed by a senior.”

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The girls laughed it off and entered the auditorium. Within five minutes, Diya returned holding three chilled shakes in hand. “Missed anything?” she asked, handing the drinks.

“Not much,” Tanuja muttered, trying to hide the sudden smile playing on her lips.

Meanwhile, at the back of the college ground, the senior who had bumped into Tanuja was still distracted.

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“Bhai, what happened?” one of his friends asked.

“The girl who spilled water on my coat… she looked familiar.”

His friend laughed. “New girl. You’re just making excuses to remember her.”

“No yaar, I swear. I think I’ve seen her before... maybe in some dance club group post?”

His other friend nudged him with a grin. “Why so curious? Dil aa gaya kya?”

He smirked, shaking his head. “Arey, no! I was just asking…”

But his smile said otherwise.

Back inside the auditorium, the lights dimmed and music played, marking the start of the event. Flashing lights danced on the stage as hosts welcomed everyone with energy and flair.

Tanuja, Avni, and Diya found themselves seated next to three boys—Rohan, Karan, and Shivam—who turned out to be roommates too. One funny comment from Karan later, and the six of them were already laughing like old friends. Their bond formed instantly, as if it was meant to happen.

The night carried on with performances, cheers, and endless selfies. But somewhere in the midst of that glowing night, eyes were still searching the crowd, hearts already starting to recognize something deeper.

...****************...

An hour had passed since the event started. The auditorium was filled with cheers, music, and laughter. The vibe was electric, and the newly formed group of Tanuja, Avni, Diya, Rohan, Karan, and Shivam were enjoying every bit of it.

Just then, Diya’s phone buzzed. It was a call from her senior from the sports club — someone she had recently become friendly with.

“Hello?” she answered.

“Where are you, Diya? I wanted to introduce you to the rest of the sports team. We’re nearby,” the voice on the other side said.

“I’m in the auditorium. I’ll send you the location,” she replied quickly, before shooting him a text with the event venue pin.

Within ten minutes, a group of seniors entered the auditorium casually, looking around. Diya stood up and waved at them excitedly. As they approached, Tanuja and Avni turned their heads—only to freeze in place.

It was him.

The same senior. The one with the wet coat. The one who couldn’t take his eyes off Tanuja earlier.

He smiled as he spotted them and said, teasingly, “Arre… aap dono phir se?”

Tanuja blushed instantly and stood up, flustered. “Woh… I’m really sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to spill water on you…”

He chuckled softly. “I didn’t say anything, did I?”

Just then, Diya looked between them, confused. “Bhaiya, you both know each other?”

Before anyone could answer, one of the senior’s friends chimed in with a teasing grin, “Know each other? Since that water splash, all he talks about is her.”

Another added with a smirk, “Lagta hai bhai fida ho gaye hain…”

The senior rolled his eyes, visibly embarrassed. “Shut up, yaar… enough nonsense. Let’s do what we came here for.”

Trying to change the topic, they turned to Diya. Each of the seniors greeted her warmly.

A few moments later, Diya smiled and began introducing everyone.

“She’s Avni, my roommate. She’s in the search team.”

“She’s Tanuja—my roommate too, and the dancing lady. She’s the girls’ side leader for the first-year dance club.”

Tanuja waved shyly as the senior’s gaze lingered for a second longer than usual.

Then Diya gestured toward the boys. “And these are Shivam, Karan, and Rohan. Our group-mates from today onwards.”

The senior smiled and gave a friendly nod to the boys before turning back to Tanuja.

“Wah,” he said, amused. “You’re in my team then.”

Tanuja raised an eyebrow, confused. “No, I’m in the dance club, not the sports club.”

“I know,” he said with a soft chuckle. “I’m in the dance club too… just from the music side. I handle background music and composition.”

Her eyes widened a little, surprised but impressed.

Soon, everyone sat down again. Coincidentally—or maybe not—Tanuja found herself seated right beside him.

Before they could even settle properly, his friend leaned over and whispered with a cheeky grin, “Lagta hai bhabhi milne wali hai…”

The senior gave him a glare. “Shut up… or I swear you’ll get slapped in public.”

But even as he said that, his fingers fidgeted nervously and the shy smile tugging at his lips didn’t go unnoticed. Not by Tanuja.

She just looked away, trying to hide her own smile.

Unspoken things had started to brew in the air—something sweet, soft, and slowly magical.

This was more than just a fresher’s night.

This was fate… quietly pulling two strangers into each other’s gravity.

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A helper soon arrived at their table with a tray full of soft drinks. One by one, everyone took a glass, including Tanuja and the senior.

As Tanuja reached for her glass, the senior leaned in playfully and said, “Arey... dhyan se! Fir se mat gira dena…”

She narrowed her eyes, smirking back. “Agar is baar gira toh aap apna coat de dena. Main saf karwa ke laa dungi.”

A chorus of “Ooooooo!” rose from the group, and the senior put a hand on his chest dramatically. “Lagta hai Miss Junior thoda gussa ho gayi!”

Everyone burst out laughing, including Tanuja, who tried to act annoyed but couldn’t hide her smile.

The night slowly began to quiet down. At around 11 PM, the event officially wrapped up, and students began leaving in groups.

Just then, one of the senior’s friends nudged him and whispered with a grin, “Chale bhi? Ya Miss Junior ko dekhte hi rahoge?”

The senior gave a little smirk and replied, “Maan toh mera dekhte rehne ka hi hai… par kya karein, event hi khatam ho gaya.”

His friend raised an eyebrow mischievously. “Event khatam hua hai, college nahi. Abhi na dinner bhi karna hai. Invite karo sabko, milke chalte hain.”

Taking the hint, the senior turned to Diya. “Diya, event toh khatam ho gaya. Agar tum log chaho toh humare saath dinner pe chalte ho? It'll be nice.”

Diya lit up. “Kyu nahi bhaiya! Of course, chalenge.”

Shivam, Karan, and Rohan quickly excused themselves. “Hum log already ek hotel me reservation kara chuke hain. Aap log enjoy karo, next time pakka milenge,” said Rohan.

With that, the remaining six — Tanuja, Avni, Diya, the senior, and his two friends — headed out for dinner. They found a cozy little place near the campus with an empty table big enough for them all. Laughter filled the air as they began eating and chatting freely.

Between bites of naan and paneer, the senior suddenly asked, “So… are you all on Instagram?”

Diya and Avni nodded. “Yes, totally.”

Tanuja shook her head lightly. “Nope.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Why not?”

Before she could answer, Diya quickly added, “Actually, chalti hai lekin isne ID deactivate kar rakhi hai.”

“Deactivate?” the senior asked, clearly intrigued.

“Hmm,” Diya nodded, sipping her drink. “Mood swings. Kabhi activate karti hai, kabhi delete.”

The senior leaned forward slightly, “Toh abhi activate karke do. How else will we tag you in the group pictures?”

Tanuja tilted her head. “Kya zarurat hai?”

Before the senior could answer, his friend grinned and jumped in, “Bohot zarurat hai! Photo post karenge toh tag dena padega. Aur tum toh first-year dance club ki leader ho, thoda famous rahogi, sabko number dena safe bhi nahi. Insta ID is better.”

The senior nodded with exaggerated seriousness. “Exactly. Bahut valid point hai.”

Tanuja looked a bit cornered but amused. “Mere phone mein data khatam hai…”

The senior grinned wider and said smoothly, “Koi baat nahi, Miss Junior… mere paas se hotspot le lo.”

The whole table cracked up again. Tanuja covered her face shyly while Avni and Diya teased her nonstop.

"Miss Junior ke liye special hotspot," Diya whispered dramatically, making Tanuja glare with a smile.

Reluctantly, Tanuja opened her phone, connected to the senior’s hotspot, and logged into her old Instagram ID. Notifications poured in, and she rolled her eyes as Diya and Avni squealed seeing her reactivated.

The senior casually asked, “ID ka username kya hai?”

“@_tanujaverse,” she muttered, clearly embarrassed.

His smile widened. “Nice. Now you’re officially Insta-available.”

“Don’t push your luck,” she warned with a smirk.

But he only leaned back and said playfully, “Too late.”

They laughed, teased, and finished their dinner. The spark was undeniable — even if unspoken. Glances exchanged, smiles that lasted a little longer, and a warm energy wrapped around them like soft music playing in the background.

It was the perfect end to a night full of firsts… and a perfect beginning to something new.

After having dinner, everyone comes to their hostel room.

Phone buzzed, it was a post collaboration message all three accept the Collab.

Avni said, go to sleep, you have to attend classes in the morning, do you want to be late on the 1st day of college.

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