"Is this the last time I'll ask you this—do you like me or not?"
Rei's voice was firm yet uncertain, his dark eyes searching mine for an answer. We were sitting side by side on the school bus, just like always, but today felt different. There was a weight in the air, a finality in his words that made my heart race.
I stayed silent, gripping the edge of my seat, my thoughts tangled in chaos. Did I like him? Did I not? My heart and mind were at war, a storm raging inside me. For months, he had been a constant in my life, orbiting around me like a restless moon, always there—waiting. And now, he wanted an answer.
"No," the word left my lips, barely above a whisper.
I stood up as the bus came to a halt, avoiding his gaze, and stepped down onto the pavement. My legs felt heavy, as if they carried the weight of something I couldn't quite name. As the bus doors closed behind me, I knew I had just severed a thread connecting us—one he had been holding onto for six long months.
Six months ago, Rei had walked into my life, and since then, he had never left my side. He was the first boy who had ever given me so much attention, the first to make my heart flutter in ways I didn't understand. He was relentless—confessing his feelings time and again, always with that same unwavering determination.
"My heart only beats for you. I've been waiting for you all my life," he had told me once.
It was during a lunch break in the canteen, when I was sitting alone, lost in my own world. His words had sent a strange warmth through me, something close to happiness—but even then, I hadn't been able to believe him.
Rei was in 12th grade, two years ahead of me. I was only in 9th. Maybe that's why I hesitated. Maybe that's why I never gave him the answer he wanted.
I remember thinking back then, "Maybe this is the moment when life finally offers us happiness on a silver platter."
But today, on his last day at school, I had turned him down in clear, unforgiving words. My heart ached, yet deep inside, I knew I had made the right choice.
I wanted to stay with him. I wanted to hold on.
But something inside me told me I wasn't meant to.
Lost in my thoughts, I didn't even realize when I reached my classroom. The weight of my decision still lingered in my chest, but before I could dwell on it any longer, a familiar voice called out to me.
"Aira! Hurry up and come here! Where have you been?"
I looked up to see Nami, my best friend, crouched on the floor near the entrance of our classroom. She was busy creating a rangoli, her brows furrowed in concentration.
I couldn't help but chuckle. "You? Making a rangoli?" I teased, walking towards her. "You can't even draw a straight line!"
Nami shot me a glare, clearly unimpressed. "Shut up! I was waiting for you! Help me out, will you? Everyone else is busy preparing for the function." She pouted, sitting cross-legged on the ground, her hands already stained with colored powder.
I smirked, shaking my head as I crouched beside her. "Where are Ojasubi and Suhina?" I asked, glancing around.
She gestured towards the classroom. "They're inside, finishing up the decorations."
I nodded and sat down beside her, rolling up my sleeves. The entire school was buzzing with excitement for Annual Day. Students were running around, setting up decorations, arranging chairs, and rehearsing performances. The air was thick with the scent of fresh flowers and paint, mixed with the faint aroma of snacks from the canteen.
As I helped Nami fill in the rangoli design, I wanted to tell her everything—about Rei, about what had just happened on the bus, about the storm raging inside me. But I couldn't. The words wouldn't come out.
So instead, I just smiled and let myself get lost in the colors, pushing the turmoil deep inside where no one could see.
"Woohoo! The dance performance is starting—hurry up!"
Ojasubi waved excitedly from the front row, holding seats for us. Without wasting a second, the three of us dashed toward her, squeezing past other students to claim our spots. As soon as we sat down, Nami let out a satisfied sigh.
"Finally! Now we can actually enjoy the event." She stretched her arms, grinning.
Suhina, however, wasn't as enthusiastic. She folded her arms and rolled her eyes. "Yeah… but first, we have to sit through the principal's speech."
I groaned, leaning back in my seat. "Ugh, how much longer is this bald old man going to bore us?" My voice was laced with exhaustion as I slumped against the chair, barely able to keep my eyes open.
Nami, who had been laughing a moment ago, suddenly turned towards me with a concerned look. "Are you okay?" Her tone was softer than usual, almost hesitant, as if she sensed something was off.
For a brief moment, I considered telling her—about Rei, about the turmoil churning inside me. But instead, I just forced a smile and nodded. "Of course, I am. Now, let's just focus on enjoying the performances."
She didn't look convinced, but she didn't push me either. The hall lights dimmed, the music started, and for a while, I let myself get lost in the rhythm, hoping it would drown out the thoughts I wasn't ready to face.
A boy stood on the stage, his voice pouring emotion into a love song. The melody wrapped around me, tugging at something deep inside. My thoughts drifted away from the crowd, away from the bright stage lights, and into a quiet corner of my mind where a single question lingered—was love really like this? Was it as beautiful, as painful, as overwhelming as people said?
Without thinking, I turned to Nami. "Nami," I called out softly.
She looked at me, slightly surprised. "Yeah? What is it?"
I hesitated for a moment, then asked, "What is love?"
She blinked at me, confused. Then, making a funny face, she shrugged. "I have no idea."
I turned to Suhina, who was quietly watching the performance. "Suhina, do you know?"
She shook her head, her voice calm. "No."
Nami smirked suddenly, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Love is exactly what Suhina feels for Tenzin," she teased, nudging Suhina playfully.
At this, Suhina's face turned red with anger and embarrassment. "Shut up, Nami!" she huffed, crossing her arms.
Nami just laughed, clearly enjoying the reaction. Then, she turned back to me, tilting her head. "Alright then, you tell us—what is love?"
Her question caught me off guard. I opened my mouth, but no words came out. Because the truth was—I didn't know either.
"Love is that feeling which exists in your heart yet sometimes remains unknown to you. And sometimes, even when it doesn't exist, the heart still claims it as its own."
The words slipped from my lips without thought, as if they had always been there, waiting to be spoken.
For a moment, there was silence. Neither Nami nor Suhina said anything. They simply let my words settle in the air, blending into the soft echoes of the love song still playing on stage. Instead of responding, we all turned our attention back to the performance, losing ourselves in the melody.
But my mind was elsewhere.
As the event ended and the crowd slowly dispersed, we gathered our things and stepped out of the school gates. The evening air was cool, carrying the distant laughter of students still lingering behind. Just as I was about to leave with Nami and Suhina, my eyes caught sight of him—Rei.
He stood near the entrance, surrounded by a few of his classmates, but for a brief second, our eyes met.
And in that moment, a thought crossed my mind.
I turned away, ready to walk ahead.
But just then, Rei glanced back at me one last time. He didn't say anything, didn't call out my name. He only smiled—a small, fleeting smile, one that held neither regret nor sadness. And then, he turned and walked away.
I watched him disappear into the crowd, and for the first time, I felt something shift within me.
Some bonds, I realized, are meant to remain unnamed—unlabeled, unchained by expectations. And maybe… that's exactly how they are supposed to be.
As I turned to leave, a sudden realization struck me.
"Oh my God! Yaar, I left my book in the classroom!" I gasped, stopping in my tracks. My eyes widened in panic as I turned to Nami.
She raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "Seriously? You actually brought a book on a day like this?" she teased, shaking her head in disbelief.
I pouted, playfully scrunching my nose at her. "Bitch!" I shot back, sticking out my tongue.
She burst into laughter. "Haha, you're impossible, Aira."
Just then, Suhina, who had been watching us, sighed dramatically and gave us a disapproving look. She tilted her chin slightly, looking at me as if I had committed an unforgivable crime.
"Listen, I'm not going back with you. You two can deal with your own mess." She huffed, flicking her hair over her shoulder.
Nami and I exchanged a glance before bursting into laughter again. Typical Suhina—forever acting like a queen who couldn't be bothered with trivial matters.
As Nami and I walked toward the classroom, she sighed in relief and smirked.
"Well, at least we got rid of Suhina. She always acts so high and mighty for no reason." Nami rolled her eyes dramatically, stretching her arms behind her head.
I chuckled. It was true—Suhina had her moments of unnecessary attitude, but that was just how she was.
By now, the school was almost deserted. The once-bustling corridors were eerily quiet, with only a faint echo of distant chatter from the few students and staff who still lingered. The empty halls felt unfamiliar, stripped of the usual energy that filled them during the day.
As we reached the classroom, Nami suddenly stopped near the water cooler. "I'm so thirsty. You go ahead and grab your book, I'll be right back." She tilted her head toward the classroom door before making her way to get some water.
"Hmm," I nodded, stepping into the room alone.
The moment I walked in, a strange silence wrapped around me. The dim lighting cast long shadows on the desks, making the room feel different from how it did during class hours. I walked straight to my seat, my fingers brushing over the wooden surface before I picked up my forgotten book.
For a moment, I just stood there, staring at it in my hands. It was such a small thing, yet coming back for it had led me here—to an empty classroom, to a fleeting pause in time that felt oddly significant.
I stood in the quiet classroom, a strange sensation washed over me—the feeling of someone else's presence.
It wasn't a sound, nor a movement, but a soft, rhythmic breathing cutting through the stillness of the room. The gentle rise and fall of someone's breath, blending with the silence, made my heart race for a moment.
I turned around, my eyes scanning the dimly lit space—and that's when I saw him.
A boy was lying across one of the desks, fast asleep. His face was half-buried in his folded arms, his dark hair slightly ruffled. He looked familiar—one of my classmates. But what was he doing here, sleeping at this hour?
"Why is he still here? Everyone else has already left…" I wondered, tilting my head in confusion.
Curiosity got the best of me, and I took slow steps toward him. The closer I got, the more I could hear his steady breathing. He looked completely at ease, lost in his dreams.
I hesitated for a moment before reaching out to wake him. Just as my fingers lightly touched his shoulder—
He jolted awake.
His body tensed as his eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the sudden interruption.
"Oh! Sorry… I didn't mean to startle you," I said quickly, taking a step back. "But… why are you still here? Didn't you go home?"
He blinked a few times, still disoriented from his abrupt awakening. Then, without directly answering, he muttered to himself, "Ah… what time is it?"
His gaze shifted to his wrist as he checked his watch, while I simply stood there,...
"Its 5 pm already "