"Trisha! How long are you going to sleep? Get up right now! Aren't you going to college?"

Mumma's voice echoed from the kitchen, loud and very much serious. By the tone alone, I knew this wasn't her first call.

"Yeah, Mumma... I'm getting up," I replied from under my blanket, my voice muffled and sleepy. I turned to the other side, hugging my pillow tighter. The bed felt unusually warm today, like it was personally begging me not to leave.

Morning light slipped in through the curtains, hitting my face directly. I groaned and pulled the blanket over my head.

College mornings were always like this-too early, too rushed, and completely unforgiving. Some days, even opening my eyes felt like a task. I lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling, listening to the familiar sounds of Mumma moving around in the kitchen-utensils clanking, pressure cooker whistling, the smell of chai slowly filling the house.

"Trisha," she called again, calmer this time, which somehow felt more dangerous, "don't make me come there."

"I'm up!" I shouted quickly.

Silence.

For exactly two seconds.

"By the way," she added casually from the kitchen, "if you don't want to study, no problem. I'll start training you to become a perfect housewife."

I froze.

"What?!"

That was it.

I shot up from bed like someone had just lit a fire under me. Blanket flew to the floor, pillow was abandoned, and I ran straight to the bathroom.

"Not happening," I muttered under my breath. "Not in this lifetime."

After a quick shower, I stood in front of the mirror, tying my hair into a loose ponytail. My reflection stared back at me-sleepy eyes, slightly messy hair, but... not bad.

Actually, not bad at all.

I smiled softly and leaned closer to the mirror.

"Tumhe koi haq nahi hai ki itni khoobsurat dikho," I told my reflection.

Today, I had chosen a short kurti with baggy jeans and flats-comfortable but cute. I added small earrings, a bracelet, and checked myself one last time. For a moment, I felt confident.

Then my eyes drifted to the clock.

8:00 AM.

My smile vanished.

"Oh my God," I whispered. "I'm going to be late."

Panic took over. I grabbed my bag, checked my phone, and rushed out of the room.

"Breakfast!" Mumma called out as soon as she saw me running toward the door. "At least eat something!"

"I'll eat in college, Mumma!" I shouted, slipping on my sandals. "I'm already late!"

She sighed, muttering something about my future while I bolted out of the house.

Today wasn't just any day.

It was the first lecture with the new professor.

First impressions mattered. Everyone knew that. And here I was, running late like my reputation depended on it-which it probably did.

By the time I reached college, my breathing was uneven and my bag felt heavier than usual. The campus buzzed with the usual noise-students chatting, laughing, rushing to classes. But my focus was elsewhere.

"Trishu!"

Ishika's voice cut through the crowd.

I turned to see her standing near the corridor, arms crossed, clearly waiting for me.

"Where have you been?" she asked the moment I reached her. "Do you know today is the new professor's lecture?"

"I know, I know," I said quickly. "Relax."

"Relax?" she repeated. "Hum waise hi teachers ke samne late hone ke liye badnaam hai , aur tu late aake aur beizzati kar rahi hai."

[Translation: we do not have respect in front of any professor for coming late you added one more in the list by coming late]

Oh my ishu you take so much stress "look it's only 8:55 we still have five more minutes "i glanced at my watch... and my heart sank. 9:15. Too late. Too, too late. My entire plan of surviving the first impression went down the drain.

As soon as we entered the classroom, my eyes locked on the professor-and for the first time in my life, being late made me feel like the world was literally judging me. I shouldn't even be thinking this, but Professor Ishaan Shekhawat... he really looked like a Greek god had wandered into our college. Six-foot-two, brown colour , green eyes and a perfectly sculpted body, and the kind of cologne that made my head spin from the entrance itself.

I completely froze, my brain short-circuiting as I forgot everything else, including my guilt about being late. By the time I snapped back to reality... I was already late.

"Miss, you're already late. Were you standing out there, waiting for me to personally welcome you? Please, come in," he said, his calm voice sending butterflies straight to my stomach.

I mentally screamed, "Why is he so ridiculously perfect? Why is he even real?" and shuffled to my seat, trying desperately not to trip over my own feet.

"Trishu, have you completely lost your mind? You're staring at sir right in front of the whole class!" Ishu whispered sharply.

"What nonsense are you talking about? Wh...When did I..I stare at anyone?" I shot back, pretending innocence while forcefully dragging my attention away from him and trying to focus on my books.

Just then, his voice filled the classroom.

"Students, I am your new professor, Ishaan Shekhawat. Since it's my first day today, I chose to ignore your late arrival," he said calmly. "But this will not be tolerated in the future. I expect discipline in my class. And anyone who wishes to come late may as well stay outside."

That last line... he said it while looking straight at me.

My heart dropped to the floor. I felt my face heat up instantly, and for a second, I was convinced I might actually die of embarrassment right there, in the middle of the classroom.

The entire lecture went on, but no matter how hard I tried, my attention kept drifting back to him. Every few minutes, my eyes betrayed me, darting toward Professor Ishaan. And then... it happened. Our eyes met. Instantly, I dropped my gaze to my notebook like my life depended on it.

Why couldn't I just maintain normal eye contact? My brain was screaming at me, and I was fairly certain my face had turned a bright, blazing red by now. And knowing my luck... Professor Ishaan had definitely noticed.

Finally, the lecture ended, and I let out a sigh of relief so deep it felt like the first real breath I'd taken all class. Oh God, what is happening to me? For the first time in my life, I felt this... fluttery, panicked, ridiculously flustered feeling for someone. And the worst part? It was my professor. How on earth was I going to survive an entire semester with him?

"Are you okay? why is your entire face turning so red?"

She looked at me teasingly and then, barely holding back her laughter, added,

"Don't tell me you've started liking that professor."

"Are you crazy, ishu?" I snapped. "What nonsense are you talking about? Have my days really become so bad that out of the entire world, the only person left for me to like is that grumpy professor?"

I said it with complete confidence, but the moment she looked at my face, she must have understood everything.

She smiled knowingly and said, "Alright, fine, I'll believe you. Forget all this. Let's go to the canteen-I'm starving."

"Yeah," I replied with a sigh, "I haven't eaten anything since morning either.

We were just about to head toward the canteen when ishu suddenly stopped and said,

"You go ahead, I'll join you in a minute. I think I left my notebook in the classroom."

"Alright "I replied her

I had just taken a few steps forward when I crashed into something solid.

Or someone.

I was about to lose my balance and kiss the floor when two strong hands caught me instantly. The sudden warmth, the steady grip-it stopped me completely.

For a second, everything went quiet.

When I slowly lifted my gaze, my breath got stuck in my throat.

Ishaan sir.

I was standing far too close. Close enough to feel his warmth, close enough to notice the faint scent of his cologne. My hands rested lightly against his chest-hard, steady, very real.

My heart started racing for reasons I didn't understand.

His green eyes held mine, and for a brief moment, the world around us blurred. The corridor noise faded, time slowed down, and there was something in his gaze that wasn't cold or strict.

It was soft. Confusing. Almost... gentle.

Like he recognized me.

My heartbeat grew louder in my ears. I suddenly felt too aware of how close we were, how his hands were still holding me, making no move to let go.

Then his expression shifted-controlled, unreadable.

"Careful miss," he said quietly, his voice lower than before.

"Hallways aren't meant for daydreaming."

I blinked, reality rushing back.

"I-I'm sorry, sir," I said quickly, stepping back, my cheeks burning. "I wasn't paying attention."

He studied me for a second longer than necessary, as if debating something, then stepped aside.

As I walked away, my heart refused to calm down. Every step felt unsteady, every breath uneven.

I didn't look back.

But I could feel his gaze on me.

as I walked away, my heart refused to slow down, replaying that single moment over and over again.

********

So guys tell me how was the chapter please vote guys this is first time writing and English is not my first language please do comment if you like story and motivate me

Thank you