The first sight and the second thoughts

She was the first person he noticed upon entering the classroom. She look up from her book and their eyes met for that fraction longer before the hulking figure of the lecturer came between them. The lecturer arched his eyebrows into a question mark.
“New admission, Sir: replied Arun. The lecturer waved him to an empty chair voicing his opinion “Everybody is new!”
That was true. The academic year was just 3 days old. The forty seven students were their two years of post-graduation in Geography.
The lecturer went on and on about the shape of earth and Arun’s eyes went on and on towards that girl. ‘Wow’ he realized ‘College is worthwhile… she must be the most beautiful girl in the world’. She drew his attention more than the lecturer could match and this did not go unnoticed by the lecturer.
“You” he grunted at Arun. “What are the directions?” Arun giggled at the lecturer’s little surprise. “You ask me about the directions when for the last three years I have been grinding all books on Geography” he said to himself and replied; “North, South, East and West Sir”.
“What?” asked the lecturer in surprise. Arun for a second, thaought the lecturer must be out of his mind. “You are now studying geography at this level and you cannot name the directions in order?” he shouted in full horror.
“Shit, he had to do this to me on the first day” mumbled Arun.
“Now you tell me” the lecturer turned to the girl. Arun realized why he had asked the question. “He will make a complete shame of me for peeking at her”.
The girl smiled and answered, “North, East, South and West”.
“Umm” responded the lecturer.
The lecturer continued.
* * * *
Is she looking at me? But I dare not turn.
Is she laughing at me? I must not notice.
Arun continued with his thoughts.
* * * *
As soon as the lecturer left the class room, Arun turned back to make acquaintance with others in the class. He tried to peek in between others to look at her face. Yes, she was looking at him! She smiled and Arun left the world spin around him!
“Whe gave that wonderful smile”.
“I knew the very minute I couldn’t live my life without you in int. And now I want the whole wide world to know”. He hummed the lines again and again until he forgot the tune.
“I’m in love” he wanted to shout.
He ate her thoughts for dinner, slept on her first sight and later dreamt of her.
* * * *
He was awake two hours early. Ready for college in a flash and reached college in lightning speed. But he was still late for the geography class.
* * * *
He entered the classroom searching for her, his chest pounding hard. She smiled at him. The world began to spin again. He made it to his eat and slumped down. “I’m going to speak to her today”.
“I want to know her name”.
He rehearsed his words for her “Hi, I’m Arun, your good name…..?”
“Be bold my boy, never be slow in love, slow and steady loses the race,” his mind encouraged him.
* * * *
This is the time, Arun told himself, as one by one the students left the classroom in the break. She was not budging from her seat. So he packed and unpacked and repacked his rucksack. “Good, good, at this rate only the two of us will be left in the classroom”. He winced in joy and it happened. Everyone had left the classroom and the two were left.
Arun turned to her, “she too wanted to talk to me, God is really great”
He gave her a big smile. She smiled back and stood up picking up a crutch. He saw her polio affected leg. He went out without asking her name. He never sneaked a glance at her!