The next morning, Reena rushed out of her hostel with a hurried step, hoping to reach college on time.
But as fate would have it, the city's infamous traffic slowed her journey to a crawl.
Buses honked, cars inched forward, and the minutes ticked away mercilessly.
By the time Reena finally arrived at college, the corridors were silent, and she knew she was late.
Her heart sank as she approached the classroom door, already imagining the stares awaiting her.
As she stepped inside, every pair of eyes turned toward her.
Her classmates wore a mix of amused and curious smiles, some whispering to each other.
Reena froze for a moment, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.
The professor paused mid-sentence, giving her a brief, stern glance before continuing the lecture.
Reena slipped into the nearest empty seat, avoiding everyone's gaze.
Her notebook remained unopened as her mind replayed the walk of shame to her desk.
The whispers around her didn’t stop, and though no one said anything directly, she could feel the weight of their scrutiny.
During the break, Reena overheard a group discussing the orientation session she had missed earlier that morning.
It had included crucial details about courses, extracurricular activities, and faculty introductions.
She felt a pang of regret—missing such an important session on just her second day seemed like a bad omen.
Sitting alone in the canteen later, Reena poked at her sandwich absentmindedly.
The traffic delay had not only cost her valuable time but also added to her growing list of reasons to feel like an outsider in this new world.
Meanwhile, Raghu, who happened to pass by, spotted her sitting alone again.
His curiosity from the previous day resurfaced. Picking up a coffee, he approached her table.
“Second day, and you’re already making waves,” he said, setting his cup down across from her.
Reena looked up, startled, and frowned slightly. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“You walked in late today, right? Everyone’s been talking about the mysterious fresher who’s too cool to show up on time,” Raghu teased, grinning.
“It wasn’t on purpose,” Reena muttered. “Traffic…”
“Relax, I’m just messing with you,” Raghu said, sensing her discomfort.
“Look, missing orientation isn’t the end of the world. You’ll catch up. If you need any help, just ask.”
Reena hesitated before nodding. For a fleeting moment, his easygoing attitude seemed to lighten her mood.
As Raghu left, she couldn’t help but wonder why he kept trying to talk to her.
While most of her classmates seemed content to keep their distance, Raghu’s persistence was both puzzling and oddly comforting.
By the end of the day, Reena resolved to do better—to arrive on time, participate, and slowly find her footing.
But as she left the campus, she couldn’t shake the lingering feeling of being an outsider—and the strange sense of reassurance that came from Raghu’s unexpected kindness.
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