A Moment That Stayed Forever
The soft rumble of the Bengaluru metro vibrated beneath my feet as I clung tightly to the metal railing, packed in by a sea of people. I’d boarded all the way from Whitefield, hoping for a bit of space to breathe, but that hope quickly vanished. Majestic had come and gone, yet I remained standing, surrounded by swaying shoulders and backs pressing in. The warmth of the crowd was stifling, and with every lurch of the metro car, the ache in my back deepened. "Next stop is Vijaynagar, the doors will open to your left ..," the system announced, and I let out a small sigh, counting down the minutes until I’d finally get to escape the crush. Just then, the man sitting in front of me rose to get off, his foot landing directly on mine. I winced, stepping back instinctively to avoid further damage, only to feel my own foot collide with someone else’s. “Ouch!” came a soft, angelic voice. My heart stopped at the sound, and I spun around to apologize. And there she was. For ...