The train rocked gently as it cut through the morning fog, the world outside blurring into green fields and half-asleep towns.
I leaned against the window, letting the cool glass press against my forehead, watching as telephone poles flickered past.
Long train rides always made me think too much.
Maybe that's why, out of nowhere, I started thinking about that day.
The day I realized I wasn't exactly like everyone else.
It Was Never a Big Moment.
I think I always knew, in some way or the other.
Not in a dramatic, filmy way—just small things that made sense only in hindsight.
Like how, in school, when my friends talked about their crushes, I'd just go along with it.
"Arre Vihaan, who do you like?"
And I'd name a random girl from class, because that's what you were supposed to do.
I never thought much about it. It wasn't like I was lying—I just didn't feel anything.
Not until….. It Was Him.
It was chemistry class.
He wasn't my best friend or my rival or anything straight out of a movie.
Just a guy.
The kind of guy who never had to try too hard. He'd lean back in his chair like he belonged everywhere. He'd talk in this slow, confident way, like nothing ever rushed him.
And me?
I used to look at him when he wasn't paying attention.
Not in some grand, love-struck way. Just small glances.
The way his fingers spun his pen absentmindedly.
The way his voice dipped when he was explaining something.
The way he laughed, like he had all the time in the world.
It wasn't some earth-shattering moment.
One day, in the middle of class, I looked at him and thought, Oh.That was it.
No shock. No panic.
Just… understanding.
Like finally hearing the lyrics of a song I'd been humming my whole life.
Even now, years later, no one knows.
Not my family. Not my friends. Not my coworkers.
It's not that I'm scared of telling them. I just… never have.
And after a while, it just became easier to let people assume.
To laugh along when my colleagues made jokes about marriage.
To nod when my relatives said things like, "Beta, it's time to find a nice girl."
To never bother correcting them.
It's not like I'm hiding. I just… keep it to myself.
Some things are easier that way.
Dating? Yeah, About That.
And before you ask—no, I'm not seeing anyone.
Not secretly. Not casually. Not at all.
"Why not?"
Good question.
Let's break it down:
Dating apps? Deleted. Tried them for a week, got bored, uninstalled.
Blind dates? Nope. The idea of spending an entire evening making small talk with a stranger sounds exhausting.
Office romance? Absolutely not. I see these people every day—I don't need to add romantic humiliation to the mix.
"But don't you get lonely?"
My love life? Completely non-existent.
It's not even about being closeted—I've just never been that interested.
I mean, sure, I get crushes. I get them way too easily.
But they're always quiet, one-sided things.
I see someone, I think they're nice, I over-analyze it for a few days… and then I move on.
That's it.
No dating apps. No late-night texts. No first dates. Nothing.
I wouldn't even know how to date at this point.
And honestly? I don't really care.At least, I didn't.
The train jolted slightly, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I sighed, stretching my legs a little, feeling the familiar ache of a long journey.
It had been years since then.And now?
I was twenty-seven, working a job that paid well enough, heading back to Bangalore after visiting home. Same life. Same thoughts. Same restless feeling I never really knew what to do with.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. Probably a work email. Or a useless WhatsApp forward from my uncle.
I ignored it.
For now, I just wanted to sit here, watching the world pass by.
Because if life had taught me anything, it was this—
Some things take years to make sense. And some things? They still don't sense.
Title: When Rain Meets Sunshine
The train rumbled to a stop, a final screech of metal on metal as the brakes settled into place. The station was loud—hawkers calling out for chai, luggage wheels scraping across the platform, families shouting hurried goodbyes.
I let out a slow breath, gripping the strap of the duffel bag as I stepped onto the platform.
Back in Bangalore. Again.
The familiar scent of damp earth after rain mixed with the sharp aroma of coffee from a nearby stall. The city was alive as always, buzzing with movement, but I felt… still.
A part of me had lingered at home, back in the quiet warmth of my mom's kitchen, where the world didn't move so fast. Where mornings started with fresh dosas and lazy conversations, not alarms blaring before sunrise.
But here? Here, it was back to the cycle. Wake up. Commute. Work. Commute again. Sleep. Repeat.
I exhaled, shaking my head. What else was I expecting? A grand revelation? Some dramatic change?
It was the same train, the same platform, the same city.
And I was still the same person, tired of running in circles.
Dragging my bag higher onto my shoulder, I moved through the crowd, weaving past hurried commuters.My body was here, but my heart? It still felt stuck somewhere in between—between where I wanted to be and where I was supposed to be.
A deep, low rumble echoed in the sky. Rain.
Great. Just what he needed.
Picking up my pace, I stepped out of the station, just as the first drops started to fall. The Bangalore streets stretched before him—grey, familiar, unchanged.
My fingers clenched around the strap of the bag. Maybe this time, something would be different.
Maybe—
Crash.
I barely had time to register the collision before his foot slipped on a wet patch of pavement. A yelp left my throat as I fell—straight into someone.
Warmth. A sharp inhale.
And then, I was on top of them.
The rain poured harder.
For a second, all I could hear was the pattering of droplets, my own breath, and the sound of my heart pounding….Badum-badum… Badum-badum… Badum-badum…
Then—
"G-Get off!"
I blinked down at the person beneath me.
Big, wide eyes stared back at me—flustered, startled, and absolutely adorable.
Well.
Maybe today wasn't going to be the same after all.
I quickly pushed himself up, laughing despite the awkwardness. "Wow. That was dramatic." I propped myself up on my elbows, eyes still locked on the person beneath me. "Are you okay?"
The guy's entire face was on fire. "G-Get off!"
"Oh, right! Sorry, sorry." I scrambled to my feet, holding out a hand to help.
The guy, very much ignoring that hand, stood up on his own, hugging his bag to his chest like a shield.
I dusted off my jeans, still grinning. "Man, that was like a scene straight out of a Serial. If this were a movie, this is where we'd stare at each other and—"
The guy turned away immediately. "No."
I pouted. "Aw, c'mon. At least let me have my moment."
Before The guy could respond, a loud splash interrupted them.
A bike sped through a puddle—sending a wave of muddy water straight toward The guy.
But before disaster struck—
My body moved.
In one swift motion, I grabbed The guy's wrist and pulled him forward. The water splashed harmlessly behind them, drenching me instead.
For a second, neither of them moved.
Then I slowly looked down at his now completely soaked clothes.
"…Huh." I ran a hand through my dripping hair. "That… did not go as planned."
The guy blinked up at him. "You—why would you do that?"
I turned to him, grinning despite being drenched. "Duh. You already suffered once today. Couldn't let it happen twice."
The guy's heart did something weird. "…That was unnecessary."
I gasped dramatically. "Wow. Tough crowd." Then, before The guy could react, he grabbed his wrist. "Alright, you officially owe me a chai."
The guy's brain malfunctioned. "What? Why?"
I tilted my head. "Uh, because I saved you?"
The guy frowned, flustered. "You… fell on me."
I beamed. "Which means you saved me first! See? We're even."
The guy had no idea how to deal with this person. His usual methods of avoiding social interaction weren't working.
"…Fine," he muttered. "But It won't be anything fancy or expensive."
"Deal!" I laughed, already falling into step beside him.
And somehow, despite the chaos, despite how much I hated everything about this evening—
—I didn't completely mind the company.