The first night with Maddy back on campus felt like a dream I didn't want to wake up from.
We didn't do anything grand. No big plans, no long conversations. Just walked around the campus, our steps falling into rhythm like they always did. He told me stories from his hometown, I showed him the corner near the canteen that served half-decent tea, and for a while, we just sat under a tree near the sports complex, watching the sky go dark.
The stars felt a little brighter with him next to me.
The next morning, we met again for breakfast. The mess food was terrible, as expected, but we were too busy stealing glances and low-key teasing each other to care.
"You really need to work on your poker face," Maddy said between bites of toast.
"And you really need to stop acting like you're not in love with me," I shot back.
He blinked, grinned, then leaned in slightly. "I never said I wasn't."
That was Maddy. A little bit bold, a little bit honest, always catching me off guard.
Our classes started officially that day. He was in a different department, but our buildings were close, and our break times overlapped just enough for quick catch-ups, shared snacks, and the occasional shoulder bump in the corridor.
By lunchtime, Harsh had joined us, along with a few others from both our groups. I watched as Maddy fit into my new world with surprising ease. Harsh gave him a smirk and a half-hearted bro-hug, and just like that, it all clicked. Two parts of my life were finally in the same place.
Later in the day, as the campus quieted and the sky shifted toward evening again, Maddy and I sat on a bench near the library.
"So… how does it feel?" I asked. "Being here. Starting this all over again."
He looked out at the field, then back at me. "Feels like I came home."
And I felt it too.
For all the uncertainty that had clouded our relationship before, this moment felt solid. Whole. Like something that could truly last.
Of course, we both knew college life wasn't going to be perfect. There would be stress, deadlines, misunderstandings, maybe even arguments.
But right now?
Right now, we had this.
The start of something new—and yet, something deeply familiar.