Title: “Eyes Behind the Smile”
Episode 1: The Silent Spark
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It was the beginning of a new school year. The stuffy walls of Mr. Thakur’s Maths Tuition filled with the scent of chalk and faded ambition. Students trudged in, some bored, some excited. And then came Aaradhya—quiet, soft-spoken, with curious eyes that spoke more than her lips ever did. Dressed in a sky-blue kurti, she sat in the middle row, placed her books down gently, and adjusted her dupatta with a grace that went unnoticed by most... except him.
Veer.
The boy in the last row who cracked jokes during equations and still somehow aced them. The one who hid his charm beneath a smirk and always made the room echo with laughter. His eyes found her the moment she entered. He blinked once—then twice—his demon-like chuckle paused mid-breath.
Who was she?
From that day onward, he made sure to sit behind her every class. His tall frame leaned lazily over the desk, but his eyes stayed alert—on her. He watched her twirl her pen, tuck her hair, scribble doodles on margins. She never noticed. Or pretended not to.
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A year passed.
Aaradhya was now in Section B, pursuing Medical, while Veer was in Section A, taking Non-Medical. Yet fate—or rather, stubborn teenage affection—had other plans. One week into +2, Veer strolled into Section B, bag slung casually over one shoulder, telling the teacher with practiced innocence, “Ma’am, I just feel more connected to my friends here.”
In reality, his “friend” had never even talked to him properly.
In class, he became the class clown. That naughty but oddly charming guy whose demonic laugh could make even the teachers roll their eyes while holding back a smile. But one day, everything changed—subtly but surely.
“Hey… is your English notebook complete?” he asked Aaradhya, leaning slightly toward her seat.
She looked up, startled, but nodded. “Yes.”
“Cool. Can I… get your number for notes?”
After a beat of hesitation, she scribbled it on a page and handed it to him. Their fingers brushed. She looked down. He looked away but smiled.
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They had a mutual friend—Khwaish, the ever-curious link between them. Veer, dying of curiosity and too shy to ask directly, begged Khwaish to do the detective work.
“Just ask her… yaar, casually… does she like anyone in class?”
Later that evening in tuition, Khwaish asked Aaradhya.
“So… anyone in class caught your eye?”
Aaradhya’s answer was a murmur—neither yes nor no.
Just a confusing, cryptic smile and a shrug.
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Weeks passed, and Aaradhya joined a new Chemistry Tuition.
She gasped when she spotted him again.
Veer? Here too?
She wasn’t sure if it was fate or a very persistent coincidence.
During one class, the teacher was explaining a complicated reaction, and Aaradhya, confused, scrunched her eyebrows and tilted her head—her lips pouting slightly in thought.
Veer, seated diagonally behind, noticed.
Even the teacher chuckled, “Arey, Aaradhya beta, your confusion face is cuter than the reaction.”
Everyone laughed—including Janmeet, the teacher’s assistant.
Another day, they had a chemistry test. Aaradhya caught Veer staring and raised her eyebrows playfully.
He turned red and quickly looked away, pretending to focus.
From then on, asking for pens became his daily excuse.
Each time she handed him one, their fingers brushed again. And each time, she smiled a little more.
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One day, during a school test, Aaradhya got bored and began drawing little hearts and stars in the corner of her answer sheet.
Veer, seated beside her, peeked at her paper and whispered mockingly, “Nice art gallery.”
She stuck her tongue out and blushed.
Something was brewing—soft, silent, unsure—but real.
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But just as the warmth was about to bloom, a storm of misunderstanding came.
Aaradhya began noticing Veer talking to Bani, a popular girl from their batch. They laughed in corridors, shared books, and even sat together in some classes. Once, she entered the room to find them sitting alone.
She froze. Something inside her quietly shut down.
She began to keep her distance.
No more eyebrow raises. No more blushing smiles.
Just polite nods and stolen glances she didn’t know he caught.
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Then came the lunch break.
Veer’s friend approached her outside the classroom.
“Hey, Aaradhya... Veer wants to talk. Come near the basketball court.”
She hesitated, then brought another friend for support and followed.
As they stood waiting, Veer appeared—heart racing, words tumbling.
“I like you.” He said it fast, all in one breath. “I mean… I have for a long time.”
Aaradhya blinked, stunned.
Her heart thudded painfully against her ribs.
“I... I don’t know,” she whispered and quickly walked away—leaving him staring after her, unsure whether that was a no... or a maybe wrapped in fear.
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End of Episode 1.
—To Be Continued.
Would you like Episode 2⚡💓 if yes comment for more ....
