Chapter 1: Plans and Stranger

                                    

                                          
We've all had moments in our life that divided our existence into a "before" and an "after". For me, it happened on a rainy day. You might think me masochistic - but that day officially had demarked my life. 
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It hadn't started out to be one of my favourite days. One of the toughest examinations was looming around the corner and I was ill-prepared. I had chalked up yet another plan to catch up but with every passing day, the pile up was starting to create a dull strain in the back of my neck. Mind you - I wasn't the one to give up so easy- no sir! It didn't matter that I somehow was the queen of procrastination. Even at 15 chapters a day, a ray of burning hope kept me going. Just the previous night, I had devised a wicked plan that promised to cover the full syllabus and have enough time for revision! Ha. Who said I wasn't going to come out victorious? 
Sadly, it had included an early morning reading session and my alarm didn't go off. Or did it? Shit. Another plan needed - pronto! But first, I really needed to get off this bed. There was a slight chill in the air that begged me to stay cuddled in the warmth of the duvet. Annoyed with myself, I yanked my messy hair into a tight bun, kicked out of bed, strode purposefully to the window and drew the curtains open. My heart sank as I looked out at the gloomy and foreboding dark clouds. Mother Nature didn't seem to want to cheer me up today. 
That's how my day had begun - with a dash of swear words and cherry-on-top bad mood. Thinking back now, that was probably normal day for a teenager.
By the time I got past my overbearing mother (who relished the personally-stuff-the-breakfast-down-my-daughter's-throat morning ritual), I was already late in meeting the client. Beating the city traffic was nearly impossible so I opted the metro route. 
Within 10mins I was boarding the train. It was crowded, as always, and I wiggled my way through the human bodies to get to the center (somehow people only hogged the entry/exit points and that left a not so crowded center)
I realized I hadn't paused to catch my breath and was by now gasping for air (especially due to the overbearing covid 19 mask). Cold sweat trickled down my back and I readjusted my backpack uncomfortably. 
Just as the train took off, it started to rain. At least something was working out in my favour.
I fished through my backpack for my phone (holding on to my balance in a moving train!). I always sandwiched my phone and laptop with books so it stayed well hidden and safe from pickpocketers. Tucking a stray strand of hair, I began to re-adjust my study plan on the phone - one hand held on for support while the other edited at a feverish speed. At first, I didn't notice the pair of eyes boring into me. It was probably the female instinct that had made me look up. 
He was taller than me and well built. But what caught me off guard was the intensity of his eyes. I lowered my eyes away from him and felt the heat in the back of my neck.
"Sorry - I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
His voice was soft - velvety even. Didn't exactly match the physical description. I looked up with a hesitant smile. "I'm fine. Do I know you?"
Another drawback of masked faces - it was hard to distinguish between total strangers and mild acquaintance. His voice wasn't familiar to me though.
He chuckled and shook his head - that only aggravated the steady heat that was threatening to now burn my face. I was instantly annoyed - that really wasn't a funny question.
"Sorry, you looked familiar but turns out I don't know you. It's a pity too."
I wanted to roll my eyes - shoddy attempt at flirting. With a tight smile, I went back to my phone. Stranger danger, my mom would say. 
His eyes wouldn't leave me alone and when I looked up this time, I glared. His answering grin made me want to slap him but he had the decency to look away. When my stop finally arrived, it seemed like a millennia had passed - I couldn't wait to get off.
The work client I was visiting was close-by and I estimated that I would need 15mins to get there (thanks to you rain-man! Couldn't you have chosen a different day?). I wasn't sure what I was looking to find as I reached once more inside the depth of my bag. Like a magician pulling a rabbit out of the hat, I fished out a black umbrella! (poor thing was a crumpled mess - an oppressed resident since the last rain) 
My mind was abuzz with the stress of being late. The crowd's chatter served as a dull background score as I thought of all the excuses I could make up for being late. I was now rushing up the stairs but something made me pause and glance back - my eyes caught the departing train and something else. 
Someone else. 
HE had gotten off the train as well.
My heart lurched and my stomach plummeted. It was a coincidence, I told myself. It had to be. Pushing my unease aside, I picked pace and zoomed through the crowd. 
I was in a public place and there were loads of people around me. I needn't worry. 
My mind continued to sooth me with a constant stream of pep talk aimed to calm my frayed nerves. 
As I exited the station, I threw a furtive look back and breathed a premature sigh of relief as strange and unfamiliar faces looked back at me. His face wasn't amongst them.
"Hey."
I turned and came face to face with masked, burly, intense pair of eyes.