It was just another morning in my routine life… or at least, that’s what I thought. Being the younger daughter of my family, I had a special talent — waking up late and getting scolded every single day. My parents said I was careless; my sister called me lazy; I just called it “my crazy behavior.”

That day, however, was different. It was my first day in a new school. New classrooms, new teachers, new faces… everything felt strange, almost like stepping into another world.

As I rushed through the school gate, I heard a familiar voice.

“Hey, sriyaaa!” two loud voices echoed.

It was Sanju and Jessy, my best friends. They were my world — the kind of friends who fight with me, laugh at me, but never leave my side. Honestly, before meeting them, I never even knew what true friendship meant. They taught me that friendship wasn’t about perfection — it was about being together, even in the silliest and craziest moments.

On that first day, the three of us were like lost travelers in a strange city. We stuck to each other’s side — in class, during lunch, even while walking in the corridor. People probably thought we were glued together! Slowly, as days passed, we started talking to others, making small connections here and there.

That’s when I met Viansh.

Viansh was the kind of boy who spoke much, his words carried a certain warmth. We didn’t talk often, but when we did, we shared about our childhood memories, silly things we’d done, the little secrets that made us laugh until our stomachs hurt. There was something genuine about him — like he understood life differently from others.

One afternoon, as we sat in a classroom it was a leisure period he opened up about his past. He told me about Varshini.

Varshini was our senior, a 10th-standard student, and to Viansh, she had been special senior. Their story wasn’t one of maturity or deep understanding — it was more like two kids trying to make sense of feelings they couldn’t even name.

He told me how they used to sit together in the library, making fun of eachother instead of reading. How she would steal his pencils, and he would sulk just to make her laugh. One day, with the innocent boldness of a child, Varshini had blurted out, “I like you, Viansh. Will you be my boyfriend?”

And he, without much thought, had said yes. Not because he fully understood what it meant, but because in that childish moment, saying yes felt right.

“They were just kids,” he said with a soft smile, “we didn’t think too much. We just liked being around each other.”

As he spoke, I could see the glow in his eyes, the happiness in his smile. Every memory he described — the walks after class, the secret nicknames, the silly fights — painted a picture of a love that was innocent, clumsy, and pure in its own way. And for the first time, I realized how much I admired people who cherished even the smallest bonds.

Curious, I leaned closer and said, “Viansh… will you introduce me to Varshini? I want to meet her, not just as your senior, but as the girl who made you so happy.”

But the moment I said it, I noticed something change. His smile faded. The sparkle in his eyes dimmed. He fell silent for a while, and finally whispered, “We… we aren’t together anymore.”

The words hit me harder than I expected. I didn’t know what to say. A part of me wanted to ask what went wrong. Another part felt the weight of destiny pressing against us all — reminding me that love stories aren’t always written in golden ink.

That day, under that tree, I learned something: every bright smile hides a story… and sometimes, those stories are painted with heartbreak.

That night, I couldn’t sleep. Viansh’s story played in my head again and again — the glow in his eyes when he spoke about Varshini, and the sudden sadness that followed when he admitted they were no longer together.

Why? Why did something so innocent and pure have to break? The question haunted me all night. By the time the sun rose, I had made up my mind — I needed answers.

The next morning, I went for a walk with Sanju and Jessy. We were talking about random things when, suddenly, I noticed a familiar face. It was Varshini. I already knew her as my senior, but now I couldn’t stop looking at her differently — she was the girl from Viansh’s story.

Gathering my courage, I walked up to her. “Hi, Varshini,” I said with a smile. She turned, surprised, but greeted me casually. Sanju and Jessy exchanged looks, and one of them whispered, “sriyaa, she’s the girl Viansh told you about.”

My heart skipped a beat. So it was true.

I wasted no time. My curiosity burned through me, and I asked her directly, “Varshini, I know about you and Viansh… what really happened between you both?”

Her response shocked me. She shrugged lightly, as if the past didn’t matter at all. With no guilt in her voice, she said, “We were from different castes. Our families would never agree. It was just a childish thing. I moved on. Now I’m close with someone else — my brother-in-law. It’s nothing serious.”

Her words pierced me like a blade. How could someone dismiss a love so easily? She spoke as though Viansh’s love story — his happiness, his glow — had never existed. She had erased it, like wiping chalk from a blackboard.

That day, I felt a heaviness in my chest. My heart ached for Viansh. To him, it had been special. To her, it was just… nothing.

Days passed, but the uneasiness never left me. Then came Rakshabandhan. The festival of brothers and sisters, of promises and protection. The school was buzzing with joy.

And then, I saw something I’ll never forget. Varshini walked up to Viansh, holding a rakhi. “Give me your hand,” she said casually. Without hesitation, Viansh extended his hand. She tied the rakhi around his wrist, smiling as though the past between them had never happened.

I stood there frozen. Shock. Anger. Disbelief. How could she? Breakups were painful, yes, but tying a rakhi to someone who once held your heart? That felt like a cruel joke.

Later, when we were alone, I confronted Viansh. “Why did you let her do that? After everything, how could you?”

He looked at me calmly, his eyes filled with an unexpected maturity. “sriyaa,” he said softly, “it was my past. I don’t regret it, and I don’t feel sad about it anymore. I was a child then. I didn’t know what love, marriage, or responsibility truly meant. Now, I understand. I’ve grown, and I will move on. That chapter is closed.”

His words left me speechless. How could someone my age carry such wisdom in their heart? In that moment, I realized Viansh was no ordinary boy — he was someone who could turn pain into strength.

And deep inside me, a question formed: If destiny could play with love so easily, what else was waiting for us in the days ahead?

After spending so much time with Viansh, I gradually began to develop a very positive impression of him. At first, I thought it was just admiration, but slowly, I found myself genuinely liking his character. He was simple, sincere, and carried a charm that was hard to ignore. Without even realizing it, I started talking about him often with my friends, and sometimes, I even mentioned him at home. My heart felt lighter whenever his name came up, though I never admitted why.

Time passed, and we were promoted to 10th standard. It was the most important year of our schooling life, the year everyone said we had to work hard and focus completely on studies. Yet, destiny had a small twist waiting for me. During the summer, I joined a mathematics tuition to improve my problem-solving skills. To my surprise, I came to know that Viansh was also planning to join the same tuition. Without thinking twice, I encouraged him to join. Deep down, I was thrilled — this meant I could see him even during the holidays.

In class, both of us were naturally good at mathematics. I enjoyed solving sums quickly, and my friend Sanju, who was always by my side, was also in the same batch. Just like in school, Sanju and I remained inseparable. Slowly, with shared classes and little interactions, I felt I was getting closer to Viansh. Every day became special in its own way.

But happiness never comes without challenges. People around us started assuming that we were in a relationship. Their teasing and whispers made me uncomfortable. I was too young to handle such rumors, so I decided to distance myself from him. To my surprise, Viansh also stopped talking to me. Suddenly, everything changed. Even though we were in the same school and the same tuition, spending nearly ten hours together, we did not exchange a single word. Instead, we passed notebooks through others and silently pretended not to notice each other.

That silence was heavy. Strangely, in those quiet moments, I began to understand my feelings more clearly. At that age, I couldn’t fully define them, but I knew something was different. I shared my thoughts with my friends, and though they supported me, I still chose to keep everything locked in my heart.

I even began acting a little childish. If by chance, Viansh and I wore matching color outfits, my excitement had no limits. When his eyes suddenly met mine, my heart would skip a beat. These tiny things meant the world to me.

Then one day, after months of silence, something magical happened. In tuition, Viansh finally spoke to me. He invited me to his birthday party. Hearing his voice again after such a long time felt unreal. I was so happy that I couldn’t even express it in words. But at the same time, I knew my parents would never allow me to attend. I honestly told him that I couldn’t come.

On his birthday, I felt torn. I went to the temple, performed 108 pradikshanas, and offered a special pooja in his name. Even then, I regretted not being able to attend his celebration.

Finally, I gathered all my courage, borrowed Sanju’s phone, and called him. My voice trembled as I wished him, “Happy Birthday.” That moment changed everything for me. It was then I realized the truth…

👉 I liked him, not just as a friend, but with my whole heart. 💖