Days were going really smoothly in 12th grade. We had settled into our routines, and I was getting used to my classes. One day, our painting period was being held in the 11th-B classroom because our regular teacher was absent, and there was a substitute teacher. I found myself a spot on a random bench, not paying much attention to whose bag was already there.
Then came this six-foot-tall boy with light brown hair. He walked over to the bench, looked at me for a moment, and then sat down beside me. His name was Yuvan, and he was in the medical section, which was section B. I had seen him a few times in the corridor, but we had never talked until that day.
"Hey," he said, setting his bag down. "I'm Yuvan. You're in non-medical, right?"
"Yeah, I am. I'm Incia," I replied, trying to place where I'd seen him before.
We exchanged a few more words, and soon enough, we were having a small conversation. We talked about classes, teachers, and the general school life. Then, as the class settled into a quiet routine with everyone focusing on their painting assignments, Yuvan leaned over and whispered, "Want to play Bollywood 2.0?"
I looked at him, a bit confused. "Bollywood 2.0?"
"Yeah, you know, where you say the name of a movie and the other person has to come up with another movie that starts with the last letter of the previous one."
I smiled, feeling intrigued. "Sure, let's do it."
We played behind our registers, scribbling movie names on the back pages. It was surprisingly fun and made the usually dull painting period fly by. Yuvan was good at the game, and I found myself laughing and enjoying his company more than I expected.
"Okay, 'Dangal'," I said, ending my turn.
"Hmm, 'Lagaan'," he replied with a grin.
And so it went on, the game breaking the monotony of the silent classroom. Slowly and steadily, Yuvan and I got to know each other better and became quite good friends during the painting periods.
One day, during another painting period, my friends and I decided to play Truth and Dare. It was a typical high school game, full of harmless fun and occasional embarrassment. Sushila, a girl from another section who often joined our group for these games, gave me a particularly daring challenge.
"Incia, I dare you to ask Pratham what color underwear he's wearing today," she said, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
I stared at her in disbelief. "What? I don't even know him that well!"
Pratham was in my class, and he had a girlfriend from the medical section, although they claimed to be just best friends. We all knew better than to believe that entirely. Pratham was tall, with a brown complexion, dark black silky hair, and a voice that was surprisingly soothing.
Sushila crossed her arms, giving me a look that said there was no getting out of this. "A dare's a dare, Incia."
I sighed, knowing I had to go through with it. "Fine, but this is going to be so embarrassing."
I spotted Pratham sitting a few rows away. Summoning my courage, I called out to him. "Pratham, can you come here for a second?"
He looked up, puzzled, and walked over to me. "Yeah? What's up?"
I couldn't help but laugh as I gathered the nerve to ask. "What color is your underwear today?"
Pratham's eyes widened in surprise, and then he burst out laughing. "Seriously?"
I nodded, feeling my cheeks turn bright red. The whole class seemed to be watching us now, waiting for his response.
He laughed again and started walking back to his bench. Just when I thought I was off the hook, he turned around and came back. "It's black," he said with a grin, and the whole class erupted in laughter.
I laughed so hard I thought I might cry. The sheer absurdity of the situation had me in stitches. Even Pratham couldn't stop chuckling as he walked back to his seat.
Despite the initial embarrassment, the dare actually helped break the ice between Pratham and me. Over the next few days, we started talking more. It turned out he had a great sense of humor and was easy to get along with.
"Hey, Incia," Pratham said one day after class. "That dare was hilarious. I've never been asked anything like that before."
"I'm glad you found it funny," I replied, still a bit embarrassed. "I thought you might be annoyed."
"Nah, it was all in good fun," he said, waving off my concern. "So, what else do you do for fun, besides asking awkward questions?"
We laughed and continued talking, finding common interests and sharing stories. His girlfriend, who was actually quite jealous of me, joined us sometimes, and we used to hold small conversations.
Yuvan also became a regular part of my school life. We continued our Bollywood game whenever we could and even started recommending books and movies to each other. One day, as we sat in the painting class, Yuvan turned to me with a serious look on his face.
"Incia, have you ever thought about what you want to do after school?"
I pondered his question for a moment. "Yeah, I have. I want to pursue engineering. What about you?"
"Medicine," he said without hesitation. "I want to be a doctor."
Our conversations often turned deeper during those painting periods, and I found myself appreciating Yuvan's perspective on life and his ambitions.
One particular painting period stood out among the rest. We were playing our usual Bollywood game when Yuvan suddenly paused.
"Incia, I've got a different kind of dare for you," he said, a mischievous glint in his eye.
I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What kind of dare?"
"I dare you to draw a caricature of Pratham," he said, grinning.
I laughed. "You think I can do that?"
"Why not? You're pretty good at drawing," he encouraged.
Feeling challenged, I took out my sketchbook and began to draw. It was a crude attempt, but it captured Pratham's distinctive features. I finished the drawing and showed it to Yuvan, who burst out laughing.
"That's perfect," he said. "You have to show it to him."
I was hesitant but decided to go along with it. After class, I walked over to Pratham and handed him the sketch.
"What's this?" he asked, looking puzzled.
"It's a caricature of you," I said, trying to keep a straight face.
He looked at the drawing and laughed heartily. "This is amazing, Incia! You've got talent."
His positive reaction made me feel more confident in my drawing skills. From that day on, I started sketching more often, encouraged by the support of my friends.
As the days turned into weeks, my friendships with Yuvan, Pratham, and the rest of my classmates grew stronger. We shared notes, helped each other with homework, and spent countless hours talking about our dreams and aspirations.
One afternoon, while we were sitting on our respective benches, Pratham turned to me and asked, "Incia, do you ever feel like there's so much pressure to succeed?"
I nodded, understanding exactly what he meant. "Yeah, I do. Sometimes it feels overwhelming."
Yuvan, who was resting his cheeks over the table, looked up at the ceiling and said, "I think it's important to remember why we're doing this. It's not just about grades or getting into a good college. It's about finding something we're passionate about and pursuing it."
His words resonated with all of us. We spent the rest of the afternoon talking about our goals and how we could support each other in achieving them.
As the days passed, our painting periods continued to be a mix of creativity and camaraderie. Yuvan and I had established a comfortable routine, playing Bollywood games and discussing our favorite movies and books. One day, Yuvan brought along a friend to pass the time. The rest of the class was busy completing their watercolor paintings, which we had already finished at home. The substitute teacher had given us permission to talk, as long as we kept our voices down.
Yuvan introduced his friend as Laksh. He was a sweet guy, around five-eight, wearing a black cap and sporting a teethy smile with braces. He also had a grey analog watch that stood out against his school attire. Laksh sat next to us, joining our conversation about the upcoming summer break.
"Hey, Laksh," Yuvan said, gesturing towards me. "This is Incia. She's in non-medical, but we have painting together."
Laksh smiled shyly and nodded. "Hi, Incia."
"Hi, Laksh," I replied, returning the smile. "Nice to meet you."
Laksh seemed like an introvert, not saying much initially. But as we continued talking about our plans for the summer, he started to open up a bit. We discussed movies, our favorite books, and the various places we hoped to visit during the break.
"So, any exciting plans for the summer?" I asked Laksh, trying to include him in the conversation.
Laksh shrugged. "Not really. Just planning to catch up on webseries and maybe travel with family."
Yuvan grinned. "Laksh is a binge-watcher. He can finish a lengthy series in a day."
I laughed. "That's impressive! What kind of series do you like?"
"Mostly fantasy and science fiction," Laksh replied, his eyes lighting up. "I'm currently watching the 'Mistborn' series."
"Oh, I've heard of that! It's on my watching list," I said, genuinely interested. "Maybe you can lend me a copy sometime?"
"Sure," Laksh said, smiling more comfortably now. "I'd be happy to."
As our conversations grew, so did our friendship. Even though Laksh didn't talk much, his presence was always welcomed, and I found myself enjoying his company.
Despite the excitement for the upcoming summer break, a cloud of anxiety loomed over us. The periodic tests were scheduled for July, and none of us had started studying yet. The thought of the impending exams made us all a bit nervous.
One day, during a particularly tough study revision sessions, I noticed that Laksh seemed a bit distracted. He was usually so focused, but today he seemed lost in thought.
"Laksh, everything okay?" I asked gently.
He looked up, startled. "Oh, yeah. Just a bit overwhelmed with everything, I guess."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Yuvan asked, concern evident in his voice.
Laksh sighed. "It's just the pressure, you know? Balancing school, studying for these tests, and everything else. It gets to me sometimes."
"We all feel that way," I said, trying to reassure him. "But remember, we're in this together. We can help each other through it."
Yuvan nodded. "Yeah, bro . You're not alone. If you ever need to talk or need extra help with anything, just let us know."
Laksh smiled, looking a bit more relieved. "Thanks, guys. I appreciate it."
As the summer break approached, we felt more prepared for the upcoming tests. We knew we had done our best, and whatever the outcome, we had the support of our friends.
One evening, as I was going through my notes one last time, I received a message from Yuvan. It was a simple text, but it meant a lot.
"Hey, just wanted to say thanks for everything. You've been a great friend and study partner."
I smiled and replied, "Thank you, Yuvan. It's been an amazing journey. We'll get through these tests together."
I also received similar messages from Laksh and the rest of the group. It was a reminder that we weren't alone, that we had built something special, and that no matter what the future held, we had each other's support.
As I closed my notebook and prepared for bed, I felt a sense of peace and readiness. The journey through 12th grade had been filled with unexpected friendships, challenges, and moments of joy. And as we faced the upcoming tests, I knew we were prepared, not just academically, but emotionally as well. Not really, but we truly did our best in revising the concepts and watching Oneshot videos on YouTube.
With a sense of gratitude and anticipation, I looked forward to the future, knowing that whatever it held, we would face it together.