With the lockdown restrictions easing slightly, life was beginning to feel a bit more normal. Amidst all this, I found myself developing a crush on a boy named Dhruv. He was really handsome, and while it might sound shallow, looks are often the first thing people notice before deciding to talk to someone, even if we don't like to admit it. Dhruv lived near my house, just a gully apart. He was a year and a half older than me, and I liked everything about him.
One day, I was chatting with my neighbor friend Krishna when Dhruv walked by. My behavior changed instantly. I couldn't help but glance in his direction, feeling my heart race. Krishna noticed and raised an eyebrow.
"Is there something going on?" he asked, a teasing smile playing on his lips.
I tried to deny it. "No, nothing's going on."
"Come on, it's written all over your face," he persisted.
"Okay, fine," I relented. "I'll let you know."
We sat down on a nearby bench, and Krishna looked at me expectantly. "Tell me everything."
I took a deep breath. "Dhruv is my crush, but I have no idea how to approach him."
Krishna grinned. "Alright, I'll talk to him for you."
The next day, in the evening, heavy winds were blowing, creating the kind of dark, dramatic weather that I loved. Krishna texted me, saying he would bring Dhruv near my house to let him see me. I agreed and waited patiently outside my house, the gusty winds playing with my hair.
After a few minutes, I saw two boys approaching from a distance. I knew it was them. Nervously, I turned away, pretending to be engrossed in my phone. In reality, I was just scrolling through my home screen for what felt like an eternity. Then Krishna's message popped up.
"Slightly turn your face towards us," he wrote. "We're almost there."
I heard them talking as they got closer. Dhruv asked, "Where is she?"
Krishna pointed towards me. Summoning all my courage, I turned. But as luck would have it, the winds chose that moment to go wild. My curly hair blew right into my face, and dirt got into my eyes. I must have looked like someone who hadn't shaved in years, with hair flying everywhere and a pained expression from the dirt.
Krishna burst out laughing, and I saw Dhruv suppress a smile as they walked away. I heard Dhruv say in a sarcastic tone, "Hmm, she was really beautiful," because he hadn't even seen my face properly thanks to the wild weather and my unruly hair.
Later that day, Krishna and I laughed a lot about the whole incident. "Of all the times for the wind to go crazy," I sighed.
Krishna shook his head, still chuckling. "It was epic. But don't worry, I'll talk to him again."
A few days later, Krishna and I were hanging out in the gully when he brought up the topic again. "So, how are you feeling after the great wind debacle?"
I rolled my eyes. "Embarrassed, mostly."
Krishna patted my shoulder. "Look, Dhruv is a good guy. He'll get to know the real you eventually."
"But how?" I asked, feeling frustrated. "I can't even get a proper introduction without something going wrong."
Krishna thought for a moment. "Maybe we should try a different approach. How about we invite him for a group activity? Something casual, where you can interact without pressure."
"That sounds better," I agreed. "What do you have in mind?"
"We could organize a small game night or a movie evening with a few friends," Krishna suggested. "It'll be fun, and you won't have to worry about any crazy winds messing things up."
I smiled, feeling a bit more hopeful. "Alright, let's do it."
Krishna set things in motion, and soon we had a small group gathered for a movie night at his place. Dhruv was there, along with a few other friends. It was relaxed and casual, just as Krishna had promised.
As the evening progressed, I found myself sitting next to Dhruv. We started talking, and to my relief, the conversation flowed easily. We discovered shared interests and laughed over silly jokes. For the first time, I felt like I was getting to know the real Dhruv, and he was getting to know me.
After the movie, as we all chatted and snacked, Dhruv turned to me. "You know, that day with the wind... it was pretty funny."
I blushed, remembering the embarrassing incident. "Yeah, not my best moment."
He smiled. "But it was memorable. And it made me curious about you."
I looked at him, surprised. "Really?"
"Yeah," he said, his eyes twinkling. "Sometimes, it's the unexpected moments that make the biggest impression."
As the evening came to an end and we were all heading home, I realized that maybe, just maybe, things were starting to look up. And while the winds might not always be in my favor, with good friends like Krishna and a bit of courage, I could face whatever came my way.