Chapter 1 — The Quiet Beginning
Sakshi sat quietly at the back of her classroom, her notebook open but mostly blank. Around her, students chatted, laughed, and shared notes, but she barely noticed. She had always preferred to observe rather than participate — not because she didn’t want friends, but because trust had once hurt her too much.
A long time ago, she had a friend she trusted completely. They had shared secrets, jokes, and plans — everything that made friendship feel magical. But one day, that friend had betrayed her. Words were twisted, rumors spread, and Sakshi was left hurt, humiliated, and painfully alone. Since then, she had built walls — invisible but strong. She didn’t speak, didn’t reach out, and rarely let anyone get close. Silence had become her shield.
Her left side ached slightly, a dull, familiar pain she had carried since birth. She pressed a hand to it, wincing, and adjusted the weight of her books.
She sometimes noticed him — Vivaan, a 12th-standard senior from her school. He moved through the hallways with ease, always laughing, always confident, always at home in any crowd. She had seen him a few times, fleetingly, and her heart had fluttered — though she never allowed herself to think too much about it.
Today, at the inter-school competition, she caught sight of him again. He stood casually near the entrance, greeting friends, his smile warm and inviting. She glanced at him once, curious and nervous, and quickly looked away, keeping her head down.
He noticed her too. For a moment, their eyes met across the hall, and something unspoken passed between them — curiosity, a flicker of recognition. But Sakshi didn’t dare linger. Her heart raced, her cheeks warmed, and the dull ache in her left side reminded her to keep moving, to stay invisible.
Vivaan started to step toward her, intending to say hello, but she walked a few steps away, keeping her head down, awkward, uncomfortable, and distant. She didn’t speak, didn’t glance back, didn’t even acknowledge him.
Vivaan paused, watching her retreat into the crowd. There was something fragile, quiet, and distant about her — and though he didn’t understand why yet, he found himself wanting to know her. But he didn’t follow. He respected the walls she had built around herself.
Sakshi kept walking, blending into the crowd. And even though she had avoided him completely, a small, quiet spark flickered inside her — curiosity, admiration, and something tender she didn’t yet have words for.
For now, she remained distant, invisible, and silent. But maybe, just maybe, the world didn’t always have to hurt.
