In a classroom filled with laughter, noise, and familiar faces, two names had always floated past each other—never colliding, never connecting. Nia and Kriti had shared the same school, the same class for years. But to each other, they were nothing more than a name on the attendance sheet, a face lost in the crowd.

Fate, however, has a quiet way of changing everything.

It happened on a random Monday morning when the seating chart was shuffled, and a teacher's firm voice left no room for negotiation:

"Nia, Kriti — Roll 3 and Roll 21 will share the bench."

What began with silent glances and awkward small talk slowly unfolded into something neither of them had expected. A friendship stitched together not by years of knowing, but by the right moment finally arriving.

This is the story of how two strangers, always side by side yet worlds apart, found a bond that would change both their lives forever.

To be continued..