RUDRA.

The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a golden hue over the sprawling expanse of New Delhi Railway Station. The chaos of announcements, the hum of conversations, and the rhythmic clatter of train wheels created a symphony unique to this place. Rudra weaved through the crowd, his mind preoccupied with the thought of meeting his relatives.

His aunt, uncle, and their two kids were arriving from Lucknow, and as the designated driver, he had to ensure their pickup went smoothly.

Pushing through the crowd of people, he found himself at the designated platform. His thoughts drifted momentarily as he looked at the sheer number of people, each with their own story, their own journey.

Among them, a girl caught his eye. She stood out not because of her looks, but because of the aura she seemed to carry. There was something familiar, almost magnetic about her presence.

She appeared to be around his age, with an air of quiet determination. She had two water bottles with her, as she was involved in a conversation with another girl, who appeared to be a bride. Her eyes, though tired, sparkled with an unspoken resolve.

Her eyes fixed on the bride as the bride and other two people of the same age as Rudra, walked away to catch a train.

Before he knew it, their eyes met. There was a brief moment of recognition, as if their souls acknowledged each other before their minds could process it.

She smiled, and he found himself smiling back, an unexplainable connection forming between them.

"Excuse me, are you waiting for someone?" she asked, her voice steady despite the noise around them.

"Yeah, my relatives. They're coming in from Lucknow," he replied, trying to sound casual. "You?"

"I'm on my way to Dehradun for further studies," she said, a hint of excitement mixed with nervousness in her tone. "I'm Shivani, by the way."

"Rudra," he introduced himself. "Nice to meet you, Shivani. Dehradun, huh? That's a long journey."

"Yes, but I'm looking forward to it. New beginnings and all that," she said with a smile. There was a warmth in her eyes, a genuine kindness that made him feel at ease.

They continued talking, sharing snippets of their lives as they waited. It was strange how easily the conversation flowed, as if they had known each other for years.

Their conversation was interrupted by the train, which was going to dehradun had started to run off the track. Shivani look at her train missing as she bid the guy a goodbye.

Rudra's face flashed with disappointment at the thought of parting ways with Shivani. She had become a friend in such a short span of time, a connection that felt deeper than mere coincidence.

"I'm sorry, I have to go!" She said running away to catch her train.

"Yeah," he yelled to her, "It was really nice meeting you, Shivani. Maybe our paths will cross again."

"Maybe they will," she said, not looking behind at him but running, still, to catch her train.

As Shivani walked away, Rudra couldn't shake the feeling that their meeting was more than just a random encounter.

Little did they know, their destinies were intertwined in ways they couldn't yet comprehend.

History they hadn't discovered, paths they hadn't walked- their stories were just beginning, and this meeting was the first chapter in a tale that would change their lives forever.

...