Chapter 1: The Girl in Sunlight
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This story is "totally real"… except I changed everything to make it slightly less embarrassing. And by slightly, I mean very.
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Life was… normal. At least I thought it was.
School, homework, friends, repeating the same tired jokes every day. The kind of life that made you feel safe… but boring. And, if you're like me, occasionally confusing, exhausting, and hungry.
After the last bell rang, me, Kido, Pridx, and Drak were walking to the bus. Naturally, the path was filled with all the usual nonsense.
Drak, as always, was complaining about life's unfairness.
"Bro, my mom gave me a sandwich with, like… pickles and chocolate. Who does that?!" he shouted.
Pridx laughed so hard he nearly tripped over his own feet.
Kido, of course, just looked at us with that calm, "I'm above all of you" face, like he had already ascended to some higher plane of chillness.
And me? I was trying not to trip over my own feet. This should be an Olympic sport if you ask me—"Competitive Nixu Stumbling," gold medal guaranteed.
We walked past the boys' side of the bus area. The girls' side was on the other end, separated by a sea of students standing around, chatting, arguing about literally nothing.
I was laughing at one of Pridx's jokes—a terrible joke, as usual—when my eyes wandered. And there she was.
Of course I didn't mean to look. My eyes just… betrayed me.
She was standing on the girls' side, the sun hitting her face perfectly. Not too harsh, not too dim—just like some movie director had spent hours getting the lighting right. Her hair glowed softly in the golden sunlight, and the way she moved… I swear, it was like the universe paused for her.
For a second, I froze. My brain shut down completely. I didn't blink. I didn't breathe. My friends were ten steps ahead, joking and yelling. Probably thinking I'd finally lost it.
"Oi! Nixu! Move your butt!" Kido shouted.
I… didn't move. I just stood there like a confused statue.
The world blurred around her. The air smelled… normal, but somehow sweeter. The sunlight hitting her face… I couldn't look away.
Her eyes? I don't even know exactly what color. Green? Brown? Black? Somewhere in between? I didn't care. They had stolen all the colors from the world and kept them for herself.
I tried to move. Just one step. ANY step. But nope. My feet were glued to the ground. My brain? Completely useless.
Then she turned and walked away. With her friends.
I blinked. Shook my head. Finally remembered my legs existed.
I ran. My friends kept walking ahead, muttering about my weirdness.
But my mind stayed there. Staring. Stuck. Stupid. Totally mesmerized.
---
The next few days were… hell.
Not because school was hard. Not because homework existed. But because she kept appearing in my thoughts. Every class. Every bus ride. Every night before sleep.
I couldn't stop thinking about her. And worse, I didn't even know her name.
One day, I finally told Kido.
"Bro… I think I like someone," I said.
Kido's face lit up like he'd just won a lottery.
"Her name?"
I froze. "…Uh… I have no idea."but I know that she is on musical activities.
We laughed. Me a little awkwardly, Kido a little too excited.
It felt both funny and tragic. I liked someone I didn't even know the name of. Classic Nixu.
Then came the miracle: School announced the Music Competition.
She was in music. She would definitely perform.
This was my chance.
I marked the date on my mental calendar. I tried not to look like a total idiot in front of Kido and Pridx, but inside… my brain was screaming.
Finally, the day arrived.
Me and one friend went to watch. The other two? Busy pretending to do yoga or some nonsense.
I sat there, heart slightly racing. I've sung before. I've loved music. But now… my attention was only on her.
And then… she walked onto the stage.
White saree. Graceful. Calm. Beautiful. Pure light.
I swear the audience around me disappeared. Only she existed.
Her voice filled the hall. Every note perfect, every pause meaningful.
After she finished, the announcer said:
"Upasya Shri."
My heart stopped. My soul… left my body.
"Upasya…" I whispered.
I sat there in awe, smiling like an idiot the entire way home.
Weeks passed. Life felt… a little brighter.
---
Then came Sports Day.
I decided I would finally show everyone I had some speed.
First race: 100 meters.
I ran like my life depended on it.
Finished fourth. Not great. Not terrible. Just… meh.
Then came the relay.
This time, I focused. Heart pounding, legs screaming, adrenaline pumping.
We got third place. Bronze medal. Not bad, Nixu. Not bad at all.
When the winners were called to the stage… there she was. Upasya.
White tracksuit. Sitting like a goddess.
Closer than ever before. My heartbeat went wild. Boom. Boom. Boom.
I got my medal.
But honestly… my eyes were glued to her the whole time.
---
Months passed. Holidays came.
Life felt empty. No school. No bus drama. No Sangeet. No sports.
Just quiet.
Then Dad said,
"We're going to another country for a while."
I froze. "Another… country?"
That night, I stood near my window. Moonlight spilled into my room.
I thought about Upasya, about Sports Day, about music, about all the small stupid moments that suddenly seemed huge.
Then my phone vibrated.
The screen changed.
A map appeared. Not of Earth. Not even close. Oceans. Islands. Storms. Some strange glowing symbol.
A voice whispered:
"Nixu… your real journey begins now."
Outside, I heard waves.
But there was no sea nearby.
Somewhere, far away… a pirate flag was rising.
And somehow… I knew.
Things were about to get messy.
And probably fun.