Spartan High School.
It was located in the center of the city. Many prestigious family members studied in this school. It was rumored that it was a branch of HILLS University, the most prestigious university in the country. Many people believed that rumor as both the school and the university located in the same region. HILLS University was established 80 years ago. Because of its popularity and teaching quality, it numbered one ever since it was established. Students studied at Spartan high school can have the lucky card to enter HILLS University. Students who have more marks and talents will be selected by the University itself. The rest of the interested students must write the HILLS Entrance Exam. Any student can apply to write the exam. Spartan high school and HILLS University had a deal that every year 30 percent of the students enrolled must be from Spartan. So, Spartan students have more chances than any other school.
...
Many students were running towards the entrance.
A girl with a ponytail rode on her cycle as fast as possible. With a bag on her back, she was like a pretty goddess of youth.
Ziya parked her baby when two shadows trapped her. She didn't show any fear instead she smiled.
"I am sorry. It was my fault. So, it's my treat today. Mm?" Ziya said apologetically.
Her puppy eyes melted her friends' anger.
"Even if you denied, you must treat us today"
Ziya, Lillie, and Emily are best friends. Lillie and Emily planned to celebrate Ziya's birthday. So, they asked her to come earlier than the other days. But Ziya came late. So, their plan failed before it started.
"Okay, I know. So shall we go?"
Lillie and Emily felt Ziya was not at all behaving like herself. It was because every year on her birthday, Ziya had never forgotten to ask for her gift. They knew how crazy their friend was about gifts. She will never move until she received her gift.
'What could have happened?'
They faced each other and shrugged their shoulders.
Minutes passed.
The lively Ziya was as quiet as the dead sea. They now confirmed something was wrong. But they couldn't say what it was.
Just then a commotion arose.
They heard, 'How handsome' 'He is surely a god' 'Where is he going...'
Emily and Lillie didn't like the noisy area because their friend Ziya was dull. They raised their heads to see what was happening when they saw a handsome boy was surrounded by a pool of crazy girls.
'Mr Beauty was coming towards them. But why?' they thought.
Leo stepped towards the trio and smiled at them.
Lillie was dumbfounded. The only thing she wanted to do now was to hide. But she couldn't. Because she knew he saw her. She thought he was here for her. If he came for her, then she was done for. She was planning how to escape when she saw her brother Leo stepped towards Ziya and handed her a piece of paper.
Lillie was now totally surprised. Her brother who had never initiated a talk with any girls, now, gave a paper to her friend. She wanted to announce this news with drums and crackers to the whole world. But she was trained perfectly not to act impulsively. If she asked her brother and if everyone knows about their relationship, she doesn't know what her brother would do. So, she controlled herself. But her curious gaze fell on the paper.
'What could it be?'
Meanwhile, Ziya was equally shocked to see a handsome boy in front of her. She thought she was in heaven and he was an angel. She had never seen such a beauty in her life. Even after some time, Ziya didn't come to earth. Emily tugged her dress from behind, recalling her to present.
Ziya finally came to the real world. She was about to ask what he wanted when she noticed a small piece of paper in her hand. She opened it.
"Happy Birthday"
'Happy Birthday? How did he know about my birthday? Wait, who is he?'
Before she could ask, he said.
"I'll wait for you in your favorite place after class. So, please come there." Then he left.
...
Inside the classroom.
Ziya was still holding that paper in her hand when she remembered the other paper she read in the morning.
Emily and Lillie didn't ask anything as they knew Ziya was also equally confused as them.
Ziya took out another small piece of paper from her backpack. She examined the two papers and found out it was written by the same person.
She was about to continue her morning thoughts when she saw two dumbfounded faces. She shook her head and was about to see what happened when a large-sized Hello kitty came in front of her.
"Hi, Ziya. Happy Birthday."
Then the Kitty boy took out a rose and passed it to her.
Ziya was so much surprised. She was moved to tears.
"Will you come with me? You must come"
She didn't reply. Instead, Ziya hugged the kitty man. The kitty man could not breathe properly because Ziya hugged him so tightly.
The whole classroom was utterly shocked to see this scene. They just saw Ziya hugging a boy. What hugging, they had never seen her holding hands with a boy. She neither accepted any gifts nor she accepted any proposals from boys.
All of the boys worshipped the Kitty boy as they never had this much confidence like him. Who not knew about the great Ziya? If anyone tried to propose to her, they would never see the next sunrise peacefully. But today, they saw Ziya voluntarily hugging a boy. Some even thought the boy may die.
"Thank you," She said.
"Come with me," he said and dragged her towards the door.
Emily and Lillie were also equally surprised to see Ziya hugging a boy. But they also noticed the dull Ziya was long gone instead a gleeful Ziya was born again. They worried about Ziya. So, they followed the duo. Some gossipy students also followed them. But just then the bell rang. So, they had no way but to return to the class.
…
The kitty boy and Ziya reached the park followed by Emily and Lillie.
The kitty boy removed the kitty face.
When Ziya was 8 years old, she watched a movie. In that movie, the hero proposes to the heroine in his panda costume. She then hoped someone will confess to her like that. No one knew about it.
She wondered how he knew her wish.
Ziya still could not calm herself so she tortured her brother by shaking, hugging, and jumping with him excitedly.
How can she be calm? She missed him so much. Even though she saw him yesterday, how can she be happy when she knew that her brother didn't even wish her on her birthday. But now, he presented the best gift before her. She was in good mood.
Emily and Lillie found out that the kitty boy was the reason why Ziya seemed mood off today. Even though they didn't know who he was, they felt happy for her friend.
'What if he is her boyfriend?' Lillie thought.
She signaled Emily.
Emily understood what she was thinking of. So, she shook her head, indicating 'no'.
"He seems much younger than her," she added.
"Ah! What did I see?"
They both shouted at once.
As Ziya was on cloud nine, she didn't notice her friends and kissed her brother on cheeks.
Zoan got used to it. Because since childhood, she liked his cheeks very much and so she will kiss him. So, every time he saw her, he'll hide when they were in public. But in private, he cannot escape from her. No one knows that secret until now.
'How come I forgot this crazy sister of mine?'
Zoan's face dyed red as he saw Emily and Lily's shocked face.
On the other side, Emily and Lillie had never seen Ziya being close with boys. She always avoided them. But now they saw her kissing a teen boy. How can they control themselves? Shock could be seen in their face. They will never believe it if they heard Ziya kissed a boy. But now, she kissed a boy in front of them. Even though he was younger than her, they could not calm themselves. They even thought their eyes were tricking them.
Ziya saw her friends' shocked faces and she was equally shocked to see them. But she soon smiled gleefully and introduced her brother to them.
"Mm, that... meet my brother Zoan. Zoan, meet my friends"
She pointed towards Emily and said, "She is Emily" and towards Lillie, "She is Lillie"
"What? He is your brother" they both exclaimed.
"Yes, I am his elder sister," Ziya was proud.
Zoan rolled his eyes.
Ziya remembered something. She pinched Zoan's ear and asked, "Where did you go today?"
"Ah… Sis, what are you doing? Ah… Please release my ear"
Zoan cried.
She patted her brother's head and said, "Don't worry. Since you surprised me, I will reduce your punishment" She thought for some time and said, "I won't ask you to cross-dress this week. Is it okay?"
"Sis, what are you saying?" Zoan shouted.
"Don't worry. We are all the same. They both also cross-dress. See now we are a team"
"You ungrateful sister. Bye, I am going," he left hurriedly as he didn't know what his ungrateful sister will do next.
"Thank you for your surprise. I'll never forget this and will reward you well"
Ziya smirked and left with her friends.
Soon lunch break came and the trio left their class. After they filled their stomach, they planned to celebrate Ziya's birthday. But Ziya still showed no response.
'Is it him or not?' 'Shall I go or not?'
These thoughts filled her mind. So, she didn't even notice her friends calling her.
Emily and Lillie did not know what to do. So, they stayed quiet.
After some time, Ziya turned towards her friends and said, "Sorry guys. I won't come today. I have important work to do. Please enjoy yourself."
Then she left.
Emily and Lillie didn't understand anything. They shrugged at themselves and left.