The sun was high in the sky, making the Bangalore heat even worse. Time was running out, and we had to reach the office before 1:30 PM. My friend had rented a scooter for our daily commute. The roads were jam-packed, and we were already late. The tension was building up. As we rode through Niladri Road, the traffic was crawling. Cars, bikes, and autos were stuck everywhere. My friend, trying to save time, took the off-side path. We saw an auto taking the same way, so we followed. Everything seemed fine for a moment. But then, suddenly, the auto shifted back to its lane, leaving us alone on the narrow path. Before we could react, a bike appeared from the opposite side. It all happened so fast — a loud collision, and we were thrown to the ground. I remember the sharp pain in my hands and knees. The front part of the scooter was completely damaged. My friend had hurt his shoulder, and his leg was scratched. The biker, a Swiggy delivery guy, was also hurt. His phone was broken, though it w...