Chapter 12: The High School Days (pt.2)
The classroom had settled into a focused silence, with students working on an in-class assignment. Shyam sat at the back as usual, his pen gliding across the paper with measured precision. His mind was absorbed in solving a particularly tricky problem, oblivious to the occasional glances Raitha cast in his direction from her seat near the front.
Unlike her usual confident demeanor, Raitha found herself struggling with the assignment. Numbers swam before her eyes, refusing to make sense. She glanced at her friends for help, but they were too engrossed in their own work. Her gaze flicked back to Shyam. He seemed so calm, so sure of himself, and for a fleeting moment, she entertained the idea of asking him for help.
The thought made her pulse quicken. She had never spoken to Shyam beyond polite formalities. What if he found her question stupid? Worse, what if he dismissed her entirely?
Her internal debate stretched on until the teacher called time. As the students began to hand in their papers, Raitha lingered at her desk, pretending to go over her notes. Shyam, lost in thought, barely noticed her as he walked past her desk to turn in his assignment.
Raitha watched him out of the corner of her eye, a mix of frustration and admiration bubbling within her. Why was he so unreachable?
---
Later that day, during lunch, Shyam and his friends claimed their usual spot under the big banyan tree in the schoolyard. It was their sanctuary, a place away from the bustling cafeteria where they could eat in peace.
"Did you notice how Raitha kept looking at you in class?" Kabir teased, biting into his sandwich.
Shyam gave him a skeptical look. "You're imagining things."
"Am I?" Kabir grinned, turning to Arjun for backup.
"She was definitely distracted," Arjun admitted. "Though, to be fair, that math problem was brutal."
Shyam shrugged, unfazed. "Maybe she was just stuck like everyone else."
Kabir and Arjun exchanged a knowing glance but let the subject drop.
---
Meanwhile, Raitha sat in the cafeteria with her friends, picking at her food. Her thoughts kept drifting back to Shyam, and she found herself wondering how he spent his lunch breaks.
"Are you even listening?" one of her friends asked, snapping her out of her reverie.
"Sorry," Raitha said, forcing a smile.
Her friends exchanged curious looks but didn't press further.
---
The school day ended with a light drizzle. Shyam, who always carried an umbrella, stepped out of the building, his two friends at his side.
"Hey, we're heading to the arcade," Kabir said. "You coming?"
Shyam shook his head. "Not today. I've got some reading to catch up on."
"You and your books," Kabir sighed, shaking his head.
As they parted ways, Shyam noticed Raitha standing at the school gate, seemingly waiting for someone. Her usual group of friends was nowhere to be seen, and she looked slightly uneasy.
For a moment, he hesitated. Then, with a quiet sigh, he walked over to her.
"Need an umbrella?" he asked, holding his out to her.
Raitha blinked, surprised. "Oh, no, it's fine. I'm waiting for my driver."
Shyam nodded and started to walk away, but a sudden burst of courage made Raitha call out to him.
"Wait!"
He turned, his expression calm but curious.
Raitha hesitated, her heart pounding. "Thanks for offering," she said awkwardly. "That was... nice of you."
Shyam gave her a small, polite smile. "No problem."
Before she could say anything more, her driver arrived, and she climbed into the car, her cheeks burning.
---
That evening, Shyam sat at his desk, replaying the brief interaction in his mind. It wasn't much, but it felt... different. He couldn't quite place why.
Raitha, on the other hand, couldn't stop smiling. It was a tiny step, but it felt like progress.