the day we first met : version [ enhanced ]

CH3: It All Started With an ( Q ) - Part 1

VOL 2 - Was It Just Luck?

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It was a quiet weekend morning, and Shyam found himself in Raitha's family bookstore, browsing through shelves of books. The store smelled faintly of old paper, a comforting scent that seemed to embrace anyone who walked through the door.

As Shyam flipped through the pages of a random novel, Raitha entered the room, balancing a tray with two cups of tea. She placed one in front of him and the other by her father, who was sitting casually nearby.

Raitha's dad, Woaliam, sat down beside Shyam as if they were long-time friends. Shyam felt a bit out of place but remained polite.

Woaliam leaned in, grinning. "Hey, I'm Raitha's dad, but you can call me Dad. Hahaha, just kidding! Call me Woaliam. And since you're going to date my daughter, let me tell you how I met her mom."

Shyam froze, tea halfway to his mouth. His brain tried to process what Woaliam had just said. "Going to date his daughter?" The thought made his face heat up. He glanced nervously at Raitha, but she was busy organizing books on a nearby shelf, oblivious to their conversation.

Shyam leaned closer to Woaliam and whispered, "Uh, sir, I think you might be getting ahead of yourself. Raitha and I… we're just friends. And why are you telling me this story anyway? Don't you think you're trusting me a little too much?"

Woaliam didn't respond directly. Instead, he gave Shyam a knowing smile and began his story.

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"When I Met Her..."

Woaliam settled into his chair, his gaze distant as if he were looking back in time.

**"I was in 12th grade, just like you, and Raitha's mom was in 11th grade, just like my daughter now. One afternoon, I was eating lunch behind the school. It was my usual spot, away from all the noise, where I could enjoy my food in peace.

Out of nowhere, this girl walks up and sits beside me—no introduction, no warning—just sits down and starts eating her lunch like she owned the place. I was stunned. I'd never seen her before, and here she was, acting like we were best friends.

I finally asked her who she was and why she was sitting next to me. And you know what she said? Nothing at first. She just smiled. Then, without any hesitation, she looked me in the eye and said, 'I love you. I've been in love with you for a long time now.'

She had no fear, no shame—just pure, unwavering confidence. Her smile was as radiant as a sunrise, and she had this aura, you know? The kind that says, 'I'm going to make you fall for me, whether you like it or not.'

I was completely shocked. I didn't even know this girl's name, and here she was, confessing her love out of the blue. My brain went into overdrive, trying to make sense of the situation. But before I could say anything, she leaned in, so close I thought she was about to kiss me. Her hand rested on my shoulder, and she said, 'Why are you thinking so much? Just say yes or no.'

What could I do? No man could say no to a girl like that. Saying no would have been like breaking her heart into a thousand pieces. So, I did what any real man would do—I said yes.

That day, our love story of the unknown began, and soon enough, it became a love story of the well-known. We got married, and Raitha was the beautiful result of our romance. And that's where my story of love ends."**

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Shyam sat there, hanging onto every word of Woaliam's tale. Part of him thought it sounded too perfect, almost like something out of a movie or a book. But another part of him couldn't help but wonder. After all, hadn't something similar happened to him?

The story left him with a strange feeling in his chest—a mix of disbelief, curiosity, and something else he couldn't quite name.

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To Be Continued...