Anna had always thought she could focus on her work and nothing else. But lately, she found herself noticing him more than she wanted.
Sid.
She hadn't realized how often they were in the same spaces. In the cafeteria, in the hallways, even near the design lab where she sometimes went to sketch ideas. It wasn't intentional. It just… happened.
She tried to ignore it. She told herself he was quiet and serious, probably just lost in his books. But there was something about the calm way he moved, the slight smile he gave when someone accidentally bumped into him, that made her pause for a second longer than necessary.
Sid, on his side, had also started noticing Anna. Not because of her sketches or her chatter, though those were interesting. He noticed her energy—the way she carried herself when she was absorbed in her designs, the way her hands moved as if they were speaking while she worked. He liked that she was different from everyone else he knew. He liked that she didn't care about books.
One afternoon, they ended up at the same table in the cafeteria. Anna had her laptop open, sketching a new design for a bag she wanted to make. Sid had a book in his hand, but he wasn't reading.
"You draw a lot," he said quietly, breaking the silence.
Anna looked up, surprised. "I guess I do. It's just… what I like to do."
He nodded. "It's good. Really good. I like seeing people do what they enjoy."
She smiled. It was the first time she noticed how soft his voice was, how calm it made the place feel. She didn't answer at first because she wasn't used to someone complimenting her work without sarcasm or fake enthusiasm.
They didn't talk much after that, but a strange comfort settled between them. She realized it wasn't awkward to have him nearby. She didn't feel rushed or judged, which was unusual. Sid, too, felt that same quiet ease.
Later, while walking to their next class, they fell into step naturally.
"You read a lot, huh?" Anna asked, nodding at the book tucked under his arm.
Sid glanced at it, then back at her. "I do. But you don't seem to care about books much, do you?"
Anna laughed softly. "Not at all. I prefer things I can see. Things I can touch or create. Books… they just don't work for me."
"Yet, somehow, you notice everything," he said, a little amused. "Colors, patterns, movements… you notice details I'd probably miss."
She blinked, surprised. "I do?"
"Yeah," he said, casually. "It's… kind of impressive."
For the first time, Anna felt like someone really saw her. Not just her actions, but her world. And Sid… she realized he wasn't like anyone she had met before. Calm, thoughtful, a little mysterious, but not distant.
It was strange how two people from completely different worlds could feel so… right in the same space.
Neither of them said anything more that day. There were no confessions, no sparks of romance. Just a quiet understanding that maybe, for the first time, they had found someone who could share the world they each lived in.
And maybe, just maybe, that was enough for now.