Everyone began packing up. Aarav and a few others had already changed into their sports gear and headed out, loud and confident. Aarav called out to Dev, and Dev followed reluctantly. It was obvious, Aarav wasn't inviting him to play. It was just another excuse to mess with him.
Divin zipped up his bag and left quietly, earbuds already in.
Shreya, Ananya, and their group were still chatting near the door, laughing about something that had happened during lunch. Their voices echoed down the hallway as they walked out together.
Devi and Kiran had returned to class sometime after lunch. Devi left without a word, but Kiran lingered, watching her with a strange expression—something unreadable, almost tense.
Bhairava and Mano stepped outside, the sun low and golden. They walked to the cycle stand, unlocking their bike. Just as Mano was adjusting his seat, a familiar voice called out.
It was Aarya.
She rolled toward them on her pink cycle, a soft smile on her face, her hair catching the light. "Hey, you two. Wait for me"
Mano pedalled steadily, and Bhairava sat behind him, relaxed. Beside them, Aarya rode her pink cycle, the evening breeze gently lifting her hair. The road was quiet, bathed in soft golden light.
They reached Shivani's school and waited outside the gate. The bell rang, and students poured out in waves of chatter and backpacks. Then came Shivani—bright-eyed and energetic as ever—running straight toward her brother.
Bhairava smiled as she reached him, her joy contagious.
The four of them set off together. Mano and Bhairava shared one cycle, while Aarya rode hers with Shivani perched on the back, arms wrapped around her waist.
After a while, Mano hopped off, waving goodbye, and Bhairava took over the cycle alone. Aarya continued beside him, Shivani still giggling behind her.
They reached home. Bhairava opened the gate and wheeled his cycle inside. Shivani jumped off, waved cheerfully at Aarya, and ran toward the door, kicking off her shoes—one of them flew into the air.
As she opened the door, a golden blur leapt out.
Bell, their Golden Retriever, bounded toward Shivani, tail wagging furiously, tongue out, eyes full of love. The collar around her neck jingled, the name tag reading Bell.
Shivani laughed, hugging Bell tightly as the dog licked her face. Then she gently grabbed the collar and guided her inside, still smiling.
Aarya stood outside with her cycle, watching the scene unfold. Her smile was soft, touched with something deeper. "Such a beauty," she said quietly.
Bhairava, standing near the gate, nodded. "Yes."
Aarya glanced at him. Her smile faded slightly. Something in her eyes shifted—uncertainty, maybe hesitation.
Bhairava noticed. "You're quieter than usual. What's wrong?"
Aarya hesitated, her voice barely above a whisper. "Bhairava… I wanted to talk to you about what happened this afternoon."
He looked puzzled. "What happened this afternoon?"
She looked down, struggling to find the words. "I mean… that… I…"
Bhairava stepped closer, concerned. "Aarya, what is it?"
She paused, then shook her head. "Nothing. Bye. I'll see you tomorrow."
Before he could respond, she turned quickly, rolled her cycle toward the house next door - her home. Childhood friends, neighbours, always side by side.
Bhairava watched her retreating figure, her silence lingering in the air. He murmured to himself, "Weird."
Aarya entered her home. "I'm home," she said, and went straight to her room on the first floor.
Without waiting for a reply, she climbed the stairs to her room on the first floor, her footsteps quick, almost frantic.
As soon as she entered, she threw her bag aside and ran to the bed, jumped onto the bed, and buried her face into the pillow. Her legs dangled off the edge, swinging nervously like her thoughts were pacing inside her head.
She rolled over, grabbed a pillow, and pressed it against her face with a muffled groan. Then—without warning she threw it away. The pillow hit the wall with a soft thud and dropped to the floor.
Aarya lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling with one hand resting on her forehead. Her breath was uneven, her chest tight.
"What was I thinking back then?" she whispered to herself. "I was about to propose to him."
She took a long breath and closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. "Relax. Nothing happened. It's okay now," she told herself.
The room was quiet.
But the silence didn't help. Suddenly, she sat up and scratched her head hard with both hands in frustration. Her hair got messy but in a way that made her look even more like herself. A little wild. A little lost.
"But why did I do that?" she said aloud. "I was about to ruin everything."
She sat still, fists clenched, fighting with her own thoughts.
"He's just a friend. There's nothing between us."
But another voice inside her whispered louder. "Then why do I feel so comfortable around him? Why do I want to be with him forever?"
She scratched her head again, harder this time. "Stop," she said, almost like scolding herself.
Then she froze.
A new thought entered her mind. "Wait… I was about to express love just now. Did he notice?"
Her chest tightened. "I know I was acting weird. He must've seen it… right?"
She turned slowly toward the window, her heart beating fast. She walked over quietly and looked outside. Across the lane, she saw the house next door. The balcony window was open. It was Bhairava's room.
She stared at it, her thoughts swirling. "What if he knows what I was about to say?""What will he think of me?"
Just then, a voice echoed from across the lane. "Shivani, get ready, we're leaving in 30 minutes!"
A moment later, Bhairava stepped into his room. Aarya watched from behind the curtain, her breath held.
Her heart thudded louder. And then he looked toward the window.
Aarya panicked. She quickly pulled the curtain shut and stepped back, hiding behind it. Her hands trembled slightly as she pressed herself against the wall, hoping he hadn't seen her.
She waited in silence.
But Bhairava didn't seem to notice. He turned away and continued with whatever he was doing. Aarya stood quietly behind the curtain, her heart slowly calming down.
"I think he didn't see," she whispered to herself, relieved. "He doesn't know what I was trying to say."