The fresher's party was alive with color, chaos, and campus gossip. The college auditorium had been transformed—fairy lights crisscrossed the ceiling, LED strips pulsed to the beat of the music, and a floral photo booth stood near the entrance with a suspiciously overenthusiastic junior forcing people into poses.
Anaya arrived with her usual half-curled hair, winged liner, and a silver-black fusion outfit that Meera had ruthlessly edited down to perfection. Her heels clicked softly on the marble as she stepped inside, scanning for her group.
[thump thump — bass-heavy music from the DJ corner reverberated through the floor]
She spotted Tanvi and Riya near the drinks counter, both glowing under the fairy lights—Tanvi in a deep burgundy cape gown and Riya in an off-shoulder navy blue dress, phone already out for selfies.
"You're late," Tanvi said, mock scolding as she pulled Anaya in for a side hug. "What took you so long? Did you get stuck in an outfit intervention again?"
"More like emotional damage courtesy of Meera's critique marathon," Anaya replied. "She vetoed my original outfit in under three seconds."
Riya laughed. "Honestly? That tracks. But look at you now—main character energy!"
They clinked their cold drinks together like champagne.
[clink — plastic glasses tapping gently]
The three settled into an easy rhythm—joking, posing, critiquing outfits from a safe distance. The night was still young.
But one person hadn't arrived yet.
"Where's Neha?" Anaya asked, checking her phone. "She's usually the one guarding her seat like a throne at these things."
"No idea," Tanvi said. "She texted she was 'on the way' half an hour ago."
Just then, Riya got pulled into a call with her boyfriend and stepped aside, gesturing dramatically to explain her surroundings over video. Tanvi noticed someone approaching from behind and turned.
"Wait—isn't that Mehal?" she asked, spotting her senior and low-key crush, walking toward them with a clipboard and a very official lanyard.
Mehal smiled, easy and polite. "Hey! Didn't expect to see you here so early."
Tanvi blinked. "It's almost 8:30—this is peak fashionably late."
Mehal chuckled. "True. I'm on organizing duty, though. Just doing the rounds—checking if everyone's having fun, any complaints, food allergy tragedies... the usual."
"So far, it's awesome," Anaya said, then elbowed Tanvi slightly. "And your playlist is actually solid."
Tanvi gave a tiny, grateful nod, clearly trying not to combust.
"Let me know if you need anything," Mehal said before walking off, clipboard swinging.
Just then, Neha appeared from the main hallway, her long kurti slightly dusty, a bit out of breath.
"There she is!" Riya called, back from her call. "You missed the dramatic Mehal moment."
"Sorry," Neha said, catching her breath. "I got here late... and then kind of got lost."
"Lost?" Tanvi asked.
"There was a power glitch in the side building entrance and I couldn't figure out where the staircase was," Neha explained. "I was alone and almost tripped. But someone helped me."
"Who?" Anaya asked, curious.
Neha blinked like she'd been holding in a secret. "I didn't catch his name. He was wearing black. Tall. Slightly messy hair. Not very talkative... but he was nice."
[ding — notification tone as someone's phone buzzed]
"Was he from our batch?" Riya asked, suddenly intrigued. "Give us a hint, we'll track him like detectives."
Neha shook her head, biting back a smile. "I think he might be from our batch... I don't know. But he helped me find the hallway and didn't wait for thanks."
Anaya sipped her drink slowly, her thoughts a little distracted by the description.
Something about it felt familiar. Messy hair. Black shirt. Quiet.
"Crush alert," Tanvi whispered to Riya, who nodded approvingly.
"I didn't say that!" Neha protested too quickly.
"Your smile did," Riya said, teasing. "You've got that rescued-by-a-stranger glow."
Neha blushed and muttered something into her thermos.
Before Anaya could ask more, a commotion from behind startled them.
[splash! clatter! — sound of a drink falling, followed by a few gasps]
Someone had dropped their cold drink near the snacks counter, and unfortunately, some of the splash had hit Anaya's dress.
"Oh no—Anaya!" Tanvi exclaimed.
Anaya looked down to find pinkish-orange droplets across the bottom hem of her outfit.
"Great," she muttered. "It looks like a mango lassi massacre."
"Do you want us to come with you?" Neha offered instantly. "We'll help clean it."
Anaya waved a hand. "It's okay. It's not that bad, just annoying. You guys enjoy. I'll be right back."
"You sure?" Tanvi asked, but Anaya was already turning toward the hallway leading to the washrooms.
[footsteps echoing — her heels clicking against quieter corridor tiles]
Inside the washroom, she carefully dabbed at the stain with tissue and water. It didn't vanish, but it faded enough not to look like an accidental art project.
Once done, she didn't return immediately.
She stepped out, shoes in hand now, letting the cool tiles of the corridor floor soothe her aching feet. The music had dulled into the background, and faint laughter spilled through the open auditorium doors.
[crickets chirping — the kind you hear outside big buildings at night]
She wandered a little further until she found a quiet bench under a neem tree on the back lawn. The campus was alive with light and energy, but this pocket of silence felt like an oasis.
She sat, leaned back, and looked up.
The stars above were faint—drowned a little by city glow—but still enough to be comforting.
[rustle rustle — a soft noise from behind her]
She turned her head.
"Who's there?" she asked instinctively.
From the path behind the bench, a familiar figure stepped into the light spilling from a distant corridor bulb.
It was Pradeep.
Hands in his pockets, wearing that same black shirt Neha had described. His hair was slightly wind-ruffled, and he looked as surprised to see her as she was to see him.
"I thought I was the only one hiding from the noise," he said.
Anaya blinked, momentarily thrown off by the coincidence. "I didn't think anyone else would find this quiet corner."
Pradeep smiled slightly, stepping closer but keeping a respectful distance. "It's nice, isn't it? I was starting to feel like I needed a break from the chaos."
"Yeah," she said, feeling a little more at ease in the quiet, "sometimes it's just too much inside."
They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the night settling around them. Anaya felt the tension of the party and the stain on her dress slowly slipping away.
"So, what brings you out here?" she asked after a while, still unsure why he was here.
He shrugged, his gaze turning to the stars above. "Just needed to breathe."
Anaya nodded, her voice soft. "I get that."
They stayed there for a while, neither of them feeling the need to fill the silence. It was strange, in a way—how effortlessly they coexisted in this space, even though they'd barely spoken before tonight.
Pradeep was quiet, his presence unobtrusive, but still somehow... calming.
Anaya realized, for the first time in a long while, she wasn't searching for anything in particular—just enjoying the stillness.
As the party continued behind them, Anaya felt a sense of peace she hadn't expected to find.
Elsewhere at the Party:
Back in the main hall, the rest of Anaya's group had regrouped and was continuing to make the most of the party. Tanvi and Riya, who had been busy Instagramming the event, were now catching up with Nisha. They were sitting at the snack table, nibbling on chips and chatting with a few new faces who had joined the party.
Nisha, who had been working on the event organizing committee, was having a blast. "You guys have to meet some of the new people I've met this week!" she said, her voice brimming with excitement.
"I swear, Nisha, you know everyone!" Riya teased, offering her a chip. "But okay, who are these new faces?"
Nisha smiled, eager to introduce her friends. "This is Aman and Sneha, they're in my literature class. And this is Aarav, he's new to the college and has a thing for photography."
Aman waved, his camera hanging from his neck, while Sneha adjusted her glasses, a soft, intellectual vibe radiating from her.
Tanvi, who was already making mental notes for new friends to add to her 'group,' grinned. "Nice to meet you guys! What do you think of the party so far?"
Aarav laughed, his camera lens catching the light. "It's pretty cool. But I'm honestly just here to get some shots for the yearbook." He winked.
The girls giggled, exchanging looks.
"So, Nisha," Riya said. "What's your deal with the organizing committee? You like working behind the scenes or are you just the 'be there and look cool' type?"
Nisha rolled her eyes, laughing. "Both. But mostly, I just like helping with stuff. Keeps my head busy, you know?"
"I get that," Tanvi agreed. "Especially with the whole semester looming. I've got to keep my mind on things other than, well, guys and gossip."
They all laughed, and the group continued to chat and exchange stories. It was moments like these that made Anaya appreciate her friends even more—amid the chaos, there was an effortless connection that felt as real as the quiet she'd found outside.
[footsteps returning — the sound of a group re-entering the venue]
---
To Be Continued...