Part 1

Anushkaa

@nushhkiee

Part 1 -

The college campus was alive with the usual hustle and bustle. Students were either chatting excitedly in groups, walking in and out of lecture halls, or lounging on the sprawling lawns, enjoying the late afternoon sun. In the middle of it all was Maan Singh Khurana, striding through the corridor with his usual air of focus and composure. Tall, athletic, and with a presence that demanded attention, Maan was the kind of person who didn’t go unnoticed. His sharp jawline, intense eyes, and neatly combed hair were enough to leave a lasting impression on anyone who crossed his path.

However, today, there was one person who would manage to knock him off his usual stoic self - and it wasn’t because of his intimidating looks or the numerous admiring gazes he received. It was because he was about to meet Geet Handa.

Geet, on the other hand, was the epitome of organized chaos. A whirlwind of energy, clumsy charm, and youthful exuberance, she lived her life at full speed. The moment the bell rang to signal the end of her class, Geet didn’t waste a second. She stuffed her books into her bag, tossed her phone from hand to hand as she typed furiously, and dashed toward the next event on her busy college schedule.

She was supposed to be meeting her group for the college fair preparation. But right now, all that mattered was the message that had just pinged on her phone - a reminder from her mom about wedding plans (again). And knowing her mom, she wasn’t going to let Geet forget about the endless “family matchmaking” conversations.

Geet was so engrossed in reading her mom’s lengthy message that she didn’t notice the tall figure of Maan walking in her path. With her eyes glued to the screen, she rounded the corner at full speed.

Crash.

A sudden impact sent both her and Maan sprawling in opposite directions. Books and papers flew in every direction, landing in an untidy heap, while Geet, in her usual flair, yelped in surprise.

"Oofo! Sorry!" Geet squeaked as she quickly scrambled to gather her things, her phone slipping out of her hand and landing next to Maan’s polished shoes. She looked up, only to freeze for a second as she realized who she’d just collided with.

Maan Singh Khurana.

The name alone was enough to send a shiver down the spine of any student on campus. He was a legend - a top student, the guy with perfect grades, perfect looks, and who never seemed to crack a smile. And here she was, sprawled on the floor in front of him, her books scattered like confetti.

A slightly flustered Geet rose to her feet quickly, dusting off her jeans. “I wasn’t looking,” she said, her tone apologetic but still managing to sound a little too casual, as though she hadn’t just crashed into a very important person.

Maan, meanwhile, stood up smoothly, as if it were second nature to recover from such collisions. His expression was one of mild annoyance, but it didn’t quite match the small glint of amusement in his eyes. As always, his movements were deliberate and precise, as he bent down to help her collect the papers.

“You really should watch where you're going,” Maan said in a deep voice that carried a hint of reprimand. He made it sound like the entire situation was an inconvenience to him, but his tone wasn’t harsh - more like someone who was used to perfection and didn’t expect this kind of chaos in his life.

Geet, however, was unbothered. She raised an eyebrow, flashing him a cheeky grin. “Oh, trust me, I was watching,” she replied as she bent down to pick up her last remaining piece of paper. “But my phone’s way more interesting than the ground right now.”

Maan gave her a deadpan look.

Geet stood up and gave him an exaggerated shrug. "Totally my fault, though. I’m a walking disaster." She was already trying to make light of the situation, perhaps because she knew that getting embarrassed around a guy like Maan would only make her seem more out of place.

The air between them was thick with awkwardness, but Geet’s casual nature made it a little easier to breathe. She flashed a bright smile as she bent down to grab her phone, still unaware that it had been placed neatly in front of Maan’s polished shoes, almost as if he were waiting for her to take it back.

Maan picked up her phone with his fingers, holding it out to her without a word. Geet blinked in surprise, her eyes wide. “Oh! Thanks!" she said, still half-embarrassed but trying to recover. "That’s definitely a new way of picking up a phone, though. Usually, people just bend down.”

Maan said nothing, only raising an eyebrow at her. Geet, who had expected no further comment from him, couldn’t help but let out a small giggle at his stoic face.

“What? You’ve never heard of a human tornado before?" she said, eyes twinkling with mischief. "I swear, I’m like a one-person natural disaster. I mean, look at the evidence," she motioned to the books still scattered across the floor. "Hurricane Geet, always leaves a trail behind."

Maan’s lips twitched slightly, though he didn’t quite smile. The truth was, there was something oddly fascinating about her - about how she didn’t care about making a fool of herself or being ‘proper.’

“I can see that,” Maan said dryly, bending down to help her gather the last few papers. He could barely suppress the glint of amusement that had crept into his eyes. “But do you always run into people this way?”

Geet laughed again, a bright, unaffected sound that made the cold, professional Maan feel a little less... serious. "Well, not always. But I guess you're just lucky, huh?"

She gave him a mischievous grin as she finished collecting the last paper and stood up, brushing her skirt. “But hey, I can’t help it. People have to learn how to dodge me eventually."

Maan finally allowed a small smirk to tug at his lips. “I’m not sure I’m ready to learn how to dodge a tornado.”

Geet’s face lit up with a huge, delighted smile. "You’ll get used to it!" she said, giving him an exaggerated wink. "Trust me, after a while, it’s just background noise."

She grabbed her bag and gave him one last playful look. “Well, it was fun, Mr. Maan Singh Khurana. Don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll run into each other again. But next time... watch out for me!”

Maan watched her walk off, still grinning to himself, his initial annoyance evaporating into something he couldn’t quite place. It was strange how, in a few short minutes, this hyperactive whirlwind had left him feeling... something else.

He hadn’t expected a collision quite like this.

But somehow, he was starting to think that maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t as annoyed by Geet Handa as he thought he would be.