Riya never believed in love.
Not because she had experienced heartbreak, but because she had never seen love last. Growing up, she had watched relationships crumble—neighbors arguing, relatives separating, and stories ending in silence rather than happiness. For her, love was temporary, fragile, and often painful.
So she built walls.
Her life revolved around routine. Morning classes, afternoon library sessions, evening tea, and quiet nights with books. She didn't hate people—she just didn't feel the need for them.
Until that rainy morning.
The sky was grey, and the campus looked unusually alive. Students ran for shelter, laughing, shouting, complaining about the rain. Riya stood under the library corridor, clutching her books tightly.
She hated crowds. And she hated chaos.
Just as she was about to step forward, someone rushed past her—and suddenly—
Thud.
Her books slipped from her hands and scattered across the wet floor.
"I'm so sorry!" a voice said quickly.
Riya looked up, slightly irritated.
A boy stood in front of her, bending down to gather her books. His hair was messy from the rain, and his shirt was slightly soaked. But his eyes—his eyes were calm and warm.
"It's okay," she said quietly.
He handed her the books carefully, as if they were something precious.
"I didn't see you," he added, smiling apologetically.
Riya nodded.
"I'm Aarav."
There was a pause.
"Riya," she replied, then turned and walked away.
But for the first time in a long time, something felt… different.