It was the first semester at IIT Mandi — the crisp mountain air of a new campus, narrow winding lanes that whispered secrets, and for the first time, the eerie silence of a lonely hostel room.
Kartik, a boy from a middle-class background, still couldn't believe it was real. Cracking JEE had always been his dream — and now, that dream had come true.
He wasn't the smartest in the room, but his determination had brought him this far.
That day, he stepped into the college library for the first time. The old wooden door creaked slightly as he pushed it open. A subtle cool breeze greeted him, and the silence of books — that haunting, immersive silence — wrapped around him like a veil.
And that's when he saw her.
Tanvi.
A second-year student. Green eyes, completely expressionless face. Headphones on. A look in her eyes that seemed like sorrow… or maybe rage? Perhaps both.
What stood out the most was how she sat alone — despite the presence of other students, no one dared sit near her.
Kartik didn't recognize her. Probably seeing her for the first time.
He had no idea that across the campus, her name was spoken with a mixture of fear and mystery.
That day, Kartik had forgotten his pen. Hesitantly, he walked toward her and spoke softly:
"Excuse me... could I borrow a pen?"
Tanvi looked at him — just for a second.
There was no fear or judgment on his face. Only need.
Without saying a word, she handed him a pen.
Kartik thanked her. She didn't respond. She simply went back to her writing, as if he didn't exist.
To Kartik, it was just a normal moment. Nothing extraordinary.
But later that evening, back in his hostel, things changed. A few seniors stared at him as he passed by. One of them asked:
"Were you talking to that girl in the library?"
"Are you crazy? She tried to kill a guy in her first year!"
"She's mentally unstable. Doesn't tolerate jokes. It's better to stay away from her."
Kartik was stunned.
He had just borrowed a pen.
That was the first time he heard her name — Tanvi.
One of his roommates added:
"She's always in the library. No friends, never talks to anyone. Comes from a rich family, but she's completely broken. Some guy made a joke about her last year… and she pulled a knife on him."
Kartik said nothing.
He didn't know what to believe.
Was she really that dangerous?
Or just deeply misunderstood?