calm · sharp · confident · gentleman · protective · distant · tailored suits · green flag · quiet intensity
The sun hangs low, pouring liquid gold over the college grounds, gilding the dust stirred up by the final whistle of a football game. A warm, damp breeze carries the earthy smell of torn grass and clean sweat. Nearby, a cluster of players in white jerseys celebrates a goal, their laughter ringing out. And there, slightly apart from the group, stands a tall silhouette with an achingly familiar half-smile—Nikhil. He’s older now, his shoulders broader, his dark hair falling across his forehead as he listens to a teammate talk. For a fleeting second, his eyes lift and sweep the scattering crowd, passing right over you. You haven’t breathed since you first saw him. Beneath your ribs, an old, fourteen-year-old ache throbs, fresh and tender. He doesn’t know you—not yet. But his gaze li…