I fell in love the first time our eyes met—
tenth standard, she arrived, a stranger in our class,
fresh from another school, her presence unforgettable.
Class topper and head boy, I ruled the ranks;
she’d reigned supreme in hers. Between us sparked
a rivalry—now I’d win, now she, trading first-place crowns.
Friendship bloomed; we traded strengths like secrets.
Mathematics bent to me, so I guided her through equations;
geography dimmed for me—she lit its maps alive.
Yet still we chased that single golden spot.
Tenth standard fell behind in colors flying high.
Doctor dreams aligned; we carved the perfect path.
Neighbors, we conquered entrance exams side by side,
our shared studies a rhythm no distance could break.
Top ranks secured the same college gates.
First year, I confessed my heart—she mirrored mine.
Love unfurled like dawn; friends fanned its gentle flame.
Inseparable, we wove studies with stolen glances.
Movies, dinners—friends trailed but granted space,
a private world amid the crowd. Then one night,
just us two—we slipped to the cinema alone.
Post-film, over dinner, dusk began to fall.
“Walk me home,” she whispered to her hostel gate.
I took her hand—soft, electric—and we strolled,
fingers laced, the world a quiet, glowing blur.
At her door, she pulled me close—hug, kiss, a spark.
I held her, kissed her tender, heart alight.
She vanished to her room; I drifted to mine,
adrift in paradise, smile carved upon my face,
joy pulsing through each step, each breath, each beat.
Our first embrace, our first kiss—I craved the endless more.
