If loving you is a mistake
Chapter 1 ( the boy everyone feared but no one understood )
The Boy Everyone Judged
If someone had asked the students of St. Xavier's Higher Secondary School about Samar, most of them would've laughed before answering.
"That troublemaker?"
"The guy who skips classes?"
"The one who keeps getting into fights?"
That was the version everyone knew.
What they didn't know was that Samar had another side.
A side that never needed attention.
Despite his reckless image, he was one of the brightest students in class. He barely looked serious, rarely opened his books in front of others, yet somehow, whenever the results were announced, his name always found its place near the top.
No one understood how.
Some admired him.
Most envied him.
And a few hated him simply because they couldn't be him.
Samar never cared.
He had already learned that people judge the cover long before they read the story.
There was only one person who truly knew him.
Sudhir.
They had been friends since nursery.
Not the kind of friendship built on convenience...
The kind built on growing up together.
They had shared lunch boxes, punishments, victories, broken bones, and secrets.
If Samar jumped into trouble...
Sudhir was already standing beside him.
In school, they had an unspoken reputation.
Nobody wanted problems with them.
Not because they bullied people...
But because everyone knew one thing—
If Samar and Sudhir stood together...
Walking away was usually the smarter choice.
Life was simple.
Classes.
Football.
Arguments with teachers.
Endless laughter.
Nothing extraordinary.
Until one ordinary morning...
In September.
The classroom door opened.
Their class teacher walked in with a girl no one had seen before.
"Class," she smiled softly.
"We have a new student joining us today."
The room, usually louder than the school bell itself, suddenly fell quiet.
The girl adjusted the strap of her school bag and looked around the classroom.
"My name is Aaira."
That was all she said.
No dramatic entrance.
No attempt to impress anyone.
Just a calm voice.
A quiet smile.
And eyes that looked as if they carried stories no one had ever asked about.
Samar looked at her for barely two seconds before returning his attention to the window.
"Another new student..."
He thought.
Nothing more.
At least...
That's what he believed.
He had no idea...
That months later...
One silent glance would change the entire story of his life.
Chapter 2
The Girl by the Window
"Sometimes, love doesn't arrive with a conversation. Sometimes, it begins with a single glance that quietly changes everything."
Three months had passed since Aaira joined the class.
She wasn't the kind of girl who tried to become the center of attention. She rarely spoke unless someone spoke to her first. During lunch breaks, while everyone laughed, argued, or rushed through the corridors, she usually stayed with a small group of friends, smiling more than talking.
To Samar, she was just another classmate.
Nothing more.
December arrived, and with it came the excitement of the Annual Fest.
The school transformed overnight. Classrooms became rehearsal halls, the auditorium echoed with music, and every corridor was filled with students practicing dance steps, singing lyrics, and forgetting, at least for a while, that exams even existed.
Samar and Sudhir had signed up for the group dance.
It wasn't surprising.
Samar had always been one of the best dancers in school.
That evening, after hours of practice, everyone took a short break.
Some students rushed to the water cooler.
Others laughed over silly mistakes they had made during rehearsal.
The room was louder than ever.
Samar dropped into a chair beside Sudhir, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
"I think my legs are officially broken," he joked.
Sudhir laughed.
"You say that every year."
They were still talking when something made Samar stop in the middle of his sentence.
Not a sound.
Not a voice.
A silence.
Near the last window of the rehearsal hall...
Aaira stood alone.
She wasn't looking at anyone.
She wasn't using her phone.
She wasn't laughing with her friends.
She simply stood there, her hands resting lightly against the window frame, watching the fading orange sky as if the world outside mattered more than the noise behind her.
The evening sunlight slipped through the glass and touched her face.
A cold winter breeze moved a few strands of her hair.
For a moment...
Everything around Samar faded.
The laughter.
The music.
The conversations.
It was as though someone had turned the volume of the world down.
He couldn't explain why.
He had seen beautiful girls before.
Many had tried to get his attention.
Some had even confessed that they liked him.
But none of them had ever made his heart fall this quiet.
There was something different about her.
It wasn't just her smile.
Or her beauty.
It was the loneliness hidden behind her silence.
And somehow...
Samar wanted to know the story she never told.
"What happened?"
Sudhir's voice pulled him back.
"You've been staring for almost a minute."
Samar blinked.
"Who is she... really?"
Sudhir looked toward the window and smiled.
"So..."
"You finally noticed."
Samar didn't answer.
For the first time in years...
He didn't have the right words.
Sudhir folded his arms.
"I asked a few people about her."
"And?"
"They all said the same thing."
"What?"
"She's different."
Samar raised an eyebrow.
"Different how?"
Sudhir looked at him for a second before speaking.
"Some people are loud enough for everyone to notice."
"...and some are so quiet that only the right person notices them."
He smiled.
"I think you just found yours."
Samar laughed awkwardly.
"Don't be ridiculous."
Sudhir shook his head.
"I've known you since nursery."
"I've seen you win fights."
"I've seen you fail exams."
"I've seen girls chase you."
"But I've never seen you forget what you were saying because of someone."
He looked back at Aaira.
"If my instincts are right..."
"...she's the kind of girl people meet once in a lifetime."
The rehearsal bell rang again.
Everyone returned to their positions.
Aaira walked away from the window without ever realizing...
That somewhere behind her...
A boy had just fallen in love with the silence she carried.
Sometimes, the loudest beginning of a love story is the moment when nothing is said at all.
— End of Chapter 2
Chapter 3
A Compliment That Changed Everything
"Sometimes, a single compliment carries more weight than a thousand conversations."
The day of the Annual Fest finally arrived.
The entire school looked different.
Colorful decorations covered the hallways, music echoed through every corner, and students rushed backstage with nervous smiles and racing hearts.
The excitement was impossible to ignore.
Samar reached the auditorium early with Sudhir.
Both of them were performing in the group dance later that evening.
Backstage was complete chaos.
Teachers shouted instructions.
Students searched for costumes.
Someone was looking for a missing prop.
Someone else was trying to remember dance steps.
In the middle of all that chaos, Samar noticed Aaira standing near her team's dressing area.
She looked nervous.
It was the first time he had seen her fidget.
He smiled to himself.
"So... even she gets nervous."
Just then, Samar looked at the watch on his wrist.
"I need to change before our performance," he said.
Sudhir nodded.
"Leave it somewhere safe."
Samar looked around before walking toward Aaira.
She looked up, slightly surprised.
"Hey..."
She blinked.
"Hi."
Samar held out his watch.
"Can you keep this in your bag for a while? I don't want to lose it during the performance."
Aaira looked at the watch and then back at him.
"Of course."
She unzipped her bag carefully and placed it inside.
"I'll make sure it's safe."
"Thanks."
"It means I can stop worrying now."
She smiled softly.
"You should worry more about your dance."
For a second...
They both laughed.
It wasn't a long conversation.
But somehow...
It felt important.
A few minutes later...
The stage lights dimmed.
The host announced the next performance.
"Ladies and gentlemen... please welcome Class XI."
Music filled the auditorium.
Aaira stepped onto the stage with her team.
She danced gracefully.
Not because every step was perfect...
But because she danced with honesty.
Samar watched from backstage without realizing he had stopped talking to everyone around him.
When the performance ended...
The audience erupted into applause.
As Aaira walked backstage, slightly out of breath, Samar crossed paths with her.
"You danced really well."
She looked up.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"You looked... amazing."
For a brief moment...
Neither of them spoke.
Aaira lowered her eyes, trying to hide a smile.
A faint blush appeared on her cheeks.
When she looked back at him...
Their eyes met.
Neither looked away.
Not immediately.
Sudhir, standing a few feet away, noticed everything.
He smiled quietly to himself.
"I knew it."
Before either of them could say anything else...
The announcement echoed backstage.
"Group Dance Team B... please get ready."
It was Samar's turn.
He took a deep breath.
"Wish me luck."
Aaira smiled.
"You don't need luck."
"You'll do great."
The music started.
The audience cheered as Samar's team stepped onto the stage.
The moment the beat dropped...
Everything changed.
The boy everyone knew as loud, fearless, and carefree transformed into someone completely different.
Every move was sharp.
Every step carried confidence.
Every expression matched the rhythm perfectly.
The crowd couldn't stop cheering.
Even the teachers exchanged surprised glances.
When the performance ended...
The auditorium exploded with applause.
Backstage...
Samar was still catching his breath when he heard a familiar voice.
"Hey..."
He turned around.
Aaira stood there.
There was excitement in her eyes.
"I didn't know you danced like that."
Samar laughed.
"I survived?"
She shook her head.
"No..."
"You were incredible."
She hesitated for a second before smiling.
"My heart literally forgot how to beat for a moment."
Samar stared at her.
His mind went completely blank.
He had faced fights.
Competitions.
Hundreds of students.
But somehow...
One sentence from her had left him speechless.
From behind, Sudhir nudged him with his elbow.
"You planning to answer... or are you just going to keep staring?"
Samar blinked.
"Oh..."
"Thank you."
It was all he managed to say.
Aaira laughed softly.
"I'll return your watch before I leave."
"You can trust me."
"I already do."
For the first time...
He meant those words.
A week later...
The school closed for winter vacations.
The corridors fell silent.
The rehearsals ended.
The stage lights were turned off.
Everyone went home.
But Samar carried something with him that winter.
Not a trophy.
Not a medal.
Just the memory of a girl...
Whose smile had quietly become his favorite thought.
Sometimes, winter doesn't make hearts colder.
Sometimes, it is the season where love quietly begins.
— End of Chapter 3
Chapter 4
The Equation Between Us
"Some people don't enter your life with a confession. They enter with a simple question... 'Can you help me?'"
Winter passed quietly.
The laughter of the Annual Fest faded into memories, and the school slowly returned to its usual routine.
The excitement of performances had been replaced by something far less exciting.
Examinations.
Every classroom felt different now.
The noisy students had become unusually quiet.
Even the teachers smiled less and reminded everyone the same thing every morning.
"Your final exams are only a few weeks away."
For the first time in months, Samar found himself spending more time with his books than on the football ground.
It wasn't unusual.
He had always known when to stop playing and start working.
People never understood that about him.
To them, he was just the boy who laughed too much.
They never noticed how seriously he took the things that truly mattered.
One afternoon, during a free period, the classroom was unusually calm.
Some students were revising.
Others had their heads resting on their desks.
Sudhir had disappeared somewhere, probably looking for snacks.
Samar sat near the window, solving a mathematics problem in his notebook.
He didn't notice someone standing beside his desk until a soft voice broke his concentration.
"Excuse me..."
He looked up.
Aaira.
For a second...
His mind forgot how to think.
"Can I sit here?"
Samar blinked.
"Oh... yeah."
"Of course."
She pulled the chair beside him and sat down.
There was a short silence.
Then she smiled.
"I heard you're really good at mathematics."
He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
"I survive."
She laughed softly.
"I don't."
"I've been trying to solve this question for almost twenty minutes."
She slid her notebook toward him.
"Can you help me?"
Samar looked at the page.
The question wasn't difficult.
But somehow...
His heartbeat was.
He picked up the pencil.
"Okay..."
"Let's solve it together."
Instead of simply writing the answer, he explained every step patiently.
Aaira listened carefully, asking questions whenever she got confused.
For the next thirty minutes...
The classroom disappeared.
There were no classmates.
No teachers.
No noise.
Just two notebooks...
Two voices...
And a conversation that felt surprisingly easy.
When the last question was solved, Aaira smiled with genuine relief.
"I finally understand it."
She looked at him for a moment before extending her hand.
"Thank you."
"I'm Aaira."
Samar stared at her hand.
He almost laughed at himself.
Of course she knows your name.
Still...
He shook her hand.
"I'm Samar."
The moment their hands met...
His fingers felt cold.
His heart, somehow, even colder.
He hoped she couldn't notice.
"It's nice to finally talk to you," she said.
He smiled.
"It took us long enough."
She nodded.
"It did."
Just then, Sudhir walked back into the classroom carrying two packets of chips.
He stopped after seeing them talking.
A slow smile appeared on his face.
"So..."
He whispered to himself.
"It finally happened."
Days turned into weeks.
Mathematics became an excuse.
Then conversations became easier.
Soon they were talking about subjects that had nothing to do with school.
Favourite songs.
Dream colleges.
Childhood memories.
The movies they secretly loved.
The fears they never told anyone else.
Without either of them realizing it...
The distance between two classmates had quietly become a friendship.
And for Samar...
Every school morning had started carrying a new reason to arrive early.
Sometimes love doesn't begin with 'I love you.' Sometimes it begins with, 'Can you explain this question again?'
— End of Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Lucky Charm
"Sometimes, people don't change your luck. They simply give you a reason to believe in it."
The final examinations ended almost as quickly as they had begun.
For the first time in weeks, the classrooms were filled with laughter instead of formulas.
Students argued about answers they could no longer change.
Some were confident.
Some were nervous.
Samar wasn't worried.
Neither was Aaira.
Days later, the results were finally announced.
The classroom buzzed with excitement as everyone rushed toward the notice board.
"Move!"
"I can't see!"
"What's your percentage?"
Voices echoed through the corridor.
Samar finally made his way to the front.
His eyes searched for his name.
There it was.
He smiled.
Before he could say anything, he heard another familiar voice behind him.
"I got the same marks as you."
He turned around.
Aaira stood there with the biggest smile he had ever seen.
For a second, neither of them cared about ranks.
They were simply happy.
Samar laughed.
"Looks like you're my lucky charm."
Aaira tilted her head and smiled.
"Same to you... ji."
The last word caught him completely off guard.
Ji.
No one had ever called him that before.
Not his classmates.
Not even his closest friends.
It was such a small word.
Yet somehow...
It carried an unexpected warmth.
He smiled without realizing it.
"I don't think anyone has ever called me that."
She laughed softly.
"Then get used to it."
That evening...
Instead of going straight home, they stopped at a small café near the school.
Nothing fancy.
Just two cups of coffee, a plate of fries, and conversations that somehow lasted for hours.
For the first time, they spoke without thinking about school.
They laughed over silly classroom memories.
Made fun of Sudhir's dramatic predictions.
Argued about which songs were better.
Time disappeared.
When the sky slowly turned orange, Samar looked at his watch.
"I should drop you home."
"You don't have to."
"I know."
"But I want to."
Aaira smiled.
"Okay."
The city felt quieter in the evening.
A cool breeze brushed past them as Samar rode his bike through familiar streets.
Aaira sat behind him, holding the side handle instead of his shoulder.
Neither of them spoke for a while.
The silence wasn't awkward.
It was peaceful.
As they stopped near a traffic signal, Aaira suddenly asked,
"Can I ask you something?"
"Anything."
She looked ahead instead of at him.
"What if..."
"...one day you fall in love?"
Samar smiled.
"I'd probably become the luckiest person alive."
She looked at him.
"Really?"
He nodded.
"If someone truly loved me for who I am... not for what people say about me..."
"...I'd never let that person feel alone."
For a brief moment, Aaira said nothing.
Then a gentle smile appeared on her face.
"We'll see..."
She looked out at the road again.
"...how soon that happens."
The signal turned green.
The bike moved forward.
But Samar's thoughts stayed behind.
That one sentence echoed in his mind all night.
"We'll see how soon that happens."
He lay awake staring at the ceiling, replaying every word, every smile, every moment.
For the first time...
He stopped asking himself whether he liked Aaira.
He already knew the answer.
The only question left was...
When should he tell her?
By the time sleep finally found him...
He had already made a decision.
He would wait.
Not because he was afraid.
But because he wanted to tell her at the right time.
After Class 12.
When nothing would stand between his heart...
And the truth.
"The hardest promises are the ones we make silently... only to ourselves."
— End of Chapter 5
Chapter 6
The Space Between Two Hearts
April – Class XII
"The most beautiful relationships aren't built in a day. They're built in ordinary moments that slowly become unforgettable."
Summer arrived before anyone realized how quickly Class XI had ended.
A new classroom.
New books.
The same faces.
And the same two seats that somehow always ended up beside each other.
No one questioned it anymore.
If Samar walked into class first, he would leave the seat next to him empty.
If Aaira arrived first, she would quietly save a place for him.
Neither of them had ever spoken about it.
They simply understood.
Days turned into weeks.
Weeks turned into routines.
"Good morning."
"Did you finish the chemistry assignment?"
"Are you coming to the library after school?"
Simple conversations.
Yet somehow...
They became the best part of each other's day.
One afternoon, the library was almost empty.
Sunlight slipped through the tall windows, covering the wooden tables in a warm golden glow.
Aaira closed her notebook and sighed.
"I don't think Physics likes me."
Samar laughed.
"Physics doesn't like anyone."
She looked at him with a playful smile.
"So... you're admitting it's difficult?"
"I never said that."
"Oh?"
"I just said it doesn't like people."
She laughed quietly.
"You always have an answer."
"And you always have another question."
For a moment...
Neither of them opened their books.
They simply sat there, enjoying a silence that no longer felt unfamiliar.
Outside the library, Sudhir watched them through the glass door.
He shook his head and smiled.
His friend walked over.
"What happened?"
Sudhir folded his arms.
"They're already acting like a couple."
"But neither of them has realized it yet."
Life slowly became a collection of little moments.
Sharing lunch.
Walking through the school corridor together.
Waiting for each other after classes
Laughing over inside jokes that nobody else understood.
Even on days when they barely spoke...
Their presence was enough.
Samar had never believed that someone could become a habit.
Until Aaira.
He found himself searching for her the moment he entered school.
If she was absent...
The day somehow felt incomplete.
One evening, as they walked toward the school gate, Aaira looked at the orange sky.
"I don't want this year to end."
Samar looked at her.
"Why?"
She smiled faintly.
"Because everything changes after school."
He stayed quiet.
Deep inside...
He knew she was right.
College.
New cities.
New dreams.
New people.
The thought frightened him more than he wanted to admit.
That night, lying in bed, he stared at the ceiling.
He had known the truth for months now.
He loved her.
There was no doubt left.
He picked up his phone, opened their chat, and typed:
I think I'm falling in love with you.
His thumb hovered over the send button.
For almost a minute.
Then...
He deleted every word.
"No..."
He whispered to himself.
"Not now."
"I'll tell her after our pre-board exams."
"I want to tell her when my heart isn't competing with exam pressure."
He locked his phone.
Closed his eyes.
And made himself a silent promise.
Little did he know...
Some promises are easier to make than they are to keep.
"Love doesn't always arrive with a confession. Sometimes, it quietly waits for the courage to be spoken."
— End of Chapter 6
Chapter 7
It Was Always You
January – Class XII
"The longest journey isn't measured in miles. It's measured in the courage it takes to say what your heart has known for months."
The pre-board examinations were finally over.
For the first time in weeks, neither Samar nor Aaira had to worry about formulas, assignments, or revision schedules.
It felt as if life had pressed the pause button.
That afternoon, Samar sent her a message.
Samar: "Are you free this evening?"
A few seconds later...
Aaira: "For you? Always."
Samar smiled.
His heart had already started racing.
They met at the same café where they had celebrated their Class XI results.
Nothing had changed.
The same wooden tables.
The same soft music.
The same corner where they had once laughed over fries and coffee.
Only one thing was different.
Today...
Samar had something to say.
After a few minutes of random conversation, he suddenly grew quiet.
Aaira noticed.
"You're unusually silent today."
He looked down at his coffee cup.
"I've been trying to tell you something..."
"...for months."
She didn't interrupt.
She simply waited.
Samar took a deep breath.
"I don't know if this is the right time..."
"...or the wrong one."
"I don't even know if what I'm feeling makes any sense."
He looked into her eyes.
"But every time something good happens..."
"You're the first person I want to tell."
"When something goes wrong..."
"You're the only person I want beside me."
"I've tried convincing myself that we're just friends."
"I really did."
"But..."
He smiled nervously.
"I lost that argument."
Aaira remained silent.
Not because she was shocked...
But because she had been waiting.
"For a long time..."
Samar continued.
"I think..."
"No..."
"I know..."
"I've fallen in love with you."
Silence.
The café seemed to disappear.
The music faded.
Even time felt still.
Then...
Aaira smiled.
Not a surprised smile.
A smile that carried relief.
She looked at him and shook her head.
"You know what's unfair?"
Samar frowned.
"What?"
"You took way too long."
He blinked.
"What?"
She laughed softly.
"I kept wondering how much longer you'd make me wait."
Samar stared at her.
"You... knew?"
"Knew?"
She smiled.
"Samar..."
"I've known for months."
He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"So why didn't you say anything?"
She looked down for a moment before answering.
"Because I wanted you to say it when you were ready."
She reached across the table and gently held his hand.
"If I'm being honest..."
"I don't think you'll ever understand how happy I am right now."
She smiled through eyes that had begun to glisten.
"I love you too."
For a moment...
Neither of them spoke.
They simply smiled at each other.
It felt strange.
Not because everything had changed.
But because everything finally made sense.
As they walked out of the café later that evening, the sky was painted with shades of orange and pink.
Aaira looked at him and laughed.
"So..."
"Boy who made me wait..."
"What now?"
Samar smiled.
"Now..."
"I spend every day proving that waiting for me was worth it."
She rolled her eyes playfully.
"We'll see."
They walked ahead together.
Not as classmates.
Not as best friends.
But as two people who had finally found the courage to call their feelings by their real name.
"Some love stories don't begin with 'I love you.' They begin with someone finally saying what both hearts already knew."
— End of Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Us
February – Class XII
"Love isn't always found in grand confessions. Sometimes, it's hidden in the smallest things we do for each other."
Nothing around them had changed.
The school was still the same.
The classrooms still echoed with the same voices.
Teachers still complained about incomplete homework.
The morning bell still sounded exactly the way it always had.
But for Samar...
Everything felt different.
Because every ordinary day now began with a message.
Aaira: "Good morning, ji. Don't be late today."
He smiled every single time.
No matter how many times she called him "ji," it still made his heart smile.
Their relationship wasn't a secret anymore.
At least not to Sudhir.
One afternoon, he watched them walking together across the school ground.
He laughed.
"I've been waiting for this since December."
Samar looked at him.
"You knew?"
Sudhir rolled his eyes.
"I knew before both of you did."
The three of them laughed together.
The happiest moments were never the expensive ones.
Sometimes they shared one cold coffee because neither of them wanted to waste money.
Sometimes they stayed back after class just to walk a little slower toward the school gate.
Sometimes they argued over songs.
Sometimes they fought over who would pay the café bill.
And every single time...
Aaira somehow won.
One afternoon, heavy rain surprised everyone.
Students rushed toward the corridors.
Some screamed.
Some laughed.
Some waited for the rain to stop.
Samar and Aaira stood near the entrance, watching the playground disappear beneath the falling rain.
"It looks beautiful."
Aaira whispered.
Samar looked at her instead of the rain.
"Yeah..."
"It really does."
She turned and caught him staring.
"Were you even looking at the rain?"
He smiled.
"I was."
"Just not the one falling from the sky."
Aaira couldn't stop herself from laughing.
"You're impossible."
"And yet..."
"You still chose me."
She smiled without answering.
Sometimes...
Silence was enough.
As the days passed, they learned each other's little habits.
Samar knew she became quiet whenever something bothered her.
Aaira knew he smiled whenever he was hiding stress.
She reminded him to eat whenever he forgot.
He reminded her to take breaks whenever she studied too much.
Neither of them asked for these things.
They simply cared.
One evening, as the sun slowly disappeared behind the buildings, they sat on a bench outside the school after everyone had gone home.
"I have a question."
Aaira said.
Samar smiled.
"You always do."
She looked at him seriously.
"Promise me something."
"What is it?"
"No matter how busy life gets..."
"...don't ever stop talking to me."
Samar looked into her eyes.
"I promise."
"And you?"
She smiled.
"I promise too."
They hooked their little fingers together like children making an unbreakable promise.
Neither of them knew...
Life had a way of testing promises.
As the Board exams came closer, reality slowly returned.
Books replaced long conversations.
Late-night study sessions replaced long phone calls.
Dreams of the future slowly mixed with the fear of losing the present.
But even then...
Samar believed one thing.
"No matter what happens... we'll get through it together."
He didn't know...
That sometimes love isn't broken by a lack of feelings.
Sometimes...
It's broken by misunderstandings.
"The saddest part about beautiful memories is that you don't know they're memories while you're living them."
— End of Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Rumors
March – Class XII
"A relationship doesn't always break because of lies. Sometimes, it breaks because truth arrives too late."
The closer the Board exams came, the quieter life became.
The café visits became rare.
Phone calls became shorter.
Most conversations ended with the same sentence.
"Go study. We'll talk later."
Neither of them complained.
They both knew this phase was important.
But distance...
No matter how small...
Has a strange way of creating room for doubt.
One afternoon, while Aaira was revising in the library, a classmate sat beside her.
After a few minutes of random conversation, she smiled and asked,
"So... you and Samar are together now?"
Aaira smiled.
"Yeah."
The girl hesitated.
"I don't know if I should tell you this..."
Aaira looked up.
"What happened?"
"It's probably nothing..."
"...but I heard that Samar used to like another girl before you."
"He was really serious about her."
"I just thought you should know."
Before Aaira could ask anything else...
The bell rang.
The girl left.
But the words stayed.
That evening...
Aaira opened their chat several times.
She typed a message.
Deleted it.
Typed again.
Deleted it again.
She trusted Samar.
She really did.
But sometimes...
Trust and overthinking fight battles inside the same heart.
And that night...
Overthinking won.
The next morning...
She found Samar waiting near the school gate like always.
He smiled the moment he saw her.
"Good morning."
She forced a smile.
"Morning."
Something felt different.
Samar noticed it immediately.
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah."
"You don't look okay."
"I'm fine."
She wasn't.
After classes ended, Samar finally stopped her near the empty corridor.
"Tell me what's bothering you."
She looked away.
"I heard something yesterday."
"What?"
She took a deep breath.
"Someone told me..."
"...that before me..."
"...there was another girl."
Silence.
Samar looked at her.
Not because he was shocked.
But because he was disappointed.
Not in her.
In the rumor.
He sighed softly.
"So..."
"You believed them?"
"I didn't say I believed them."
"Then why are you asking me like I've already done something wrong?"
"I just wanted the truth."
He nodded slowly.
"Then here's the truth."
"I've met many people in my life."
"I've talked to girls."
"I've had friends."
"But the first person I ever loved..."
He stepped closer.
"...is standing right in front of me."
Aaira looked into his eyes.
She wanted to believe him.
She truly did.
But the fear inside her refused to disappear so easily.
"What if you're hiding something?"
Samar smiled sadly.
"If you really trusted me..."
"...you wouldn't be asking that question."
His voice wasn't angry.
It was hurt.
Aaira lowered her eyes.
Neither of them realized...
That both of them were scared.
One was scared of losing trust.
The other...
Was scared of being lied to.
Sometimes...
Love doesn't fail because people stop caring.
It fails because fear speaks louder than faith.
"The most dangerous lies are not the ones people tell us... but the ones our fears quietly whisper."
— End of Chapter 9
Chapter 10
The Words That Broke Us
March – Class XII
"Sometimes, the loudest heartbreak begins with words we never meant to say."
The conversation from the previous day never really ended.
It simply followed them.
Into the classroom.
Into the corridors.
Into every moment they shared.
They still sat beside each other.
But something had changed.
The silence between them no longer felt peaceful.
It felt heavy.
For the next few days, Aaira tried to convince herself that everything was normal.
She smiled.
She talked.
She laughed when everyone else laughed.
But deep inside...
The questions refused to disappear.
Samar noticed it.
Every time he looked at her, he could see she was fighting with thoughts she didn't know how to escape.
One evening, after school, they met outside the café they usually visited.
Neither of them ordered anything.
They simply stood there.
"I don't like this distance between us," Samar said quietly.
"I don't either," Aaira replied.
"Then why does it feel like you don't trust me anymore?"
She looked down.
"It's not that simple."
"Then help me understand."
Aaira took a deep breath.
"I know you told me the truth..."
"But every time I remember what I heard..."
"My mind starts asking questions again."
Samar closed his eyes for a moment.
When he opened them, there was pain in them.
"Aaira..."
"You know what hurts the most?"
She looked at him.
"It's not the rumor."
"It's the fact that someone else's words have become louder than mine."
Tears gathered in Aaira's eyes.
"I never wanted to hurt you."
"I know."
"But you did."
Silence.
The evening traffic moved around them.
People walked past.
The world continued as if nothing had happened.
But for them...
Everything felt frozen.
Samar looked away for a moment before speaking again.
His voice was calm.
Almost too calm.
"If loving me is becoming this difficult..."
"...then maybe you should think about what truly makes you happy."
Aaira frowned.
"What are you saying?"
He forced a weak smile.
"I'm saying..."
"...you still have time."
"If you believe your life would be easier without me..."
"...you can leave."
The words landed like glass shattering.
Aaira stared at him.
She couldn't believe what she had just heard.
"You're asking me to leave?"
"No."
"I'm asking you not to stay out of guilt."
A tear rolled down her cheek.
"You really think that's why I'm here?"
Samar didn't answer.
Not because he didn't care.
Because he didn't know how to fix what his own fear had just broken.
Aaira wiped her tears.
"I never thought..."
"...the person who promised to stay..."
"...would be the first one to tell me to go."
She turned around.
Walked away.
She didn't look back.
And Samar...
Didn't stop her.
Not because he wanted her to leave.
But because he believed...
She needed time.
He had no idea...
That this silence would soon become the hardest chapter of both their lives.
"The deepest wounds are often caused by the words we wish we could take back."
— End of Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Silence
March – Class XII
"Silence is dangerous. Not because nothing is said... but because everything is left unsaid."
The next morning...
Samar woke up hoping the previous evening had only been a bad dream.
It wasn't.
He unlocked his phone.
No message from Aaira.
For the first time in months...
His screen felt empty.
He opened their chat.
His thumb hovered over the keyboard before he finally typed.
Samar: Good morning... Can we talk?
He pressed Send.
No reply.
School didn't feel like school anymore.
The corridors were just as crowded.
The morning bell still echoed through the campus.
Teachers continued their lectures.
Everything looked the same.
But to Samar...
Everything had changed.
He reached the classroom earlier than usual.
The seat beside him remained empty.
A few minutes later, Aaira entered the room.
She looked at him for a second.
Then quietly sat with another group of classmates.
No anger.
No argument.
Just distance.
And somehow...
That hurt even more.
Days passed.
Samar kept trying.
A message before sleeping.
A call after school.
A simple,
"Please talk to me."
Every call went unanswered.
Every message stayed unread.
He never imagined that the girl who once waited for his texts...
Would now avoid even looking at his name on her phone.
Sudhir watched everything quietly.
One afternoon, he found Samar sitting alone on the football field after classes.
"You look terrible."
Samar laughed without smiling.
"I probably deserve it."
Sudhir sat beside him.
"What happened?"
Samar stared at the ground.
"I told her..."
"...if she wanted, she could leave."
Sudhir immediately looked at him.
"You actually said that?"
Samar nodded slowly.
"I didn't mean it."
"I know."
"But words don't wait for explanations."
Neither of them spoke for a while.
The wind moved gently across the empty ground.
Finally, Sudhir broke the silence.
"Go to her."
"I've tried."
"Try again."
"What if she never forgives me?"
Sudhir looked at his best friend.
"The question isn't whether she'll forgive you."
"The question is..."
"Are you willing to keep trying until she does?"
That night...
Samar couldn't study.
The Board exams were only days away.
Books lay open on his desk.
But every page reminded him of Aaira.
Every formula blurred into memories.
He remembered her laugh.
Her "ji."
The way she smiled whenever she solved a difficult math problem.
The way she looked at the rain.
He closed the book.
For the first time in years...
The boy who never feared a fight...
Was terrified of losing someone he loved.
He picked up his phone one last time.
Samar: I'm sorry. I know one message can't fix what I said. But if you ever decide to talk... I'll be here.
He sent it.
Then locked the phone.
No reply came that night.
Outside his window, the city slowly fell asleep.
Inside his heart...
The silence only grew louder.
"Sometimes, the hardest punishment isn't losing someone. It's knowing they left because of words you can never take back."
— End of Chapter 11
Chapter 12
The Doorstep Apology
March – Class XII
"Love isn't about never making mistakes. It's about having the courage to stand at someone's door and admit that you did."
Three days.
Three unanswered calls.
Countless unread messages.
And a silence that had become heavier than any argument.
The Board examinations were only a week away.
Everyone around Samar kept telling him the same thing.
"Focus on your exams."
But how could he?
Every chapter he opened reminded him of someone who wasn't there anymore.
Finally...
He made a decision.
If she wouldn't answer his calls...
He would go to her.
That evening, Samar parked his bike outside Aaira's house.
He had been there before.
Her parents knew him well.
Whenever school projects or competitions kept them late, they never questioned why Aaira was with Samar.
They trusted him.
That trust made today even harder.
He rang the doorbell.
A few moments later, Aaira's mother opened the door.
"Oh, Samar."
"It's been a while."
He forced a small smile.
"Good evening, Aunty."
"Is Aaira home?"
She looked at him for a second before nodding.
"She's in her room."
"You can go."
His heartbeat grew louder with every step.
The familiar hallway suddenly felt unfamiliar.
He reached her room.
The door was slightly open.
She was sitting by the window, surrounded by books.
Trying to study.
Or perhaps...
Trying not to think.
She looked up.
The moment she saw him...
She froze.
Neither of them spoke.
Not immediately.
Samar finally broke the silence.
"I know..."
"...I probably don't deserve your time."
"But I needed to see you."
Aaira looked away.
"You should be studying."
"I tried."
"It didn't work."
Silence filled the room again.
Samar stepped closer.
"I've replayed that conversation in my head a hundred times."
"I keep wishing I could take those words back."
"I can't."
"But I can tell you this..."
"I never wanted you to leave."
"Not even for a second."
Aaira's eyes slowly filled with tears.
"You told me I could."
"I know."
"And that's exactly why I'm here."
He lowered his head.
"I'm sorry."
"No excuses."
"No explanations."
"I was hurt."
"And instead of telling you that..."
"I ended up hurting you."
A tear rolled down Aaira's cheek.
She whispered,
"Do you know what hurt the most?"
Samar looked at her.
"It wasn't the argument."
"It was hearing the person I loved..."
"...tell me that I could leave."
He closed his eyes.
"I know."
"And I'll spend as long as it takes making sure you never feel that again."
For the first time in days...
She looked directly into his eyes.
"I overthink."
"I know."
"I get scared easily."
"I know."
"I ask too many questions."
He smiled faintly.
"I know."
She wiped her tears.
"And you?"
He took a deep breath.
"I'll stop letting my pride speak before my heart."
"I'll answer your fears with patience."
"Not with anger."
A small smile appeared on Aaira's face.
"You really mean that?"
"More than anything."
After a long silence...
She stepped forward.
And wrapped her arms around him.
Samar didn't say a word.
He simply held her.
Some apologies don't need long speeches.
Sometimes...
A hug says everything that words fail to express.
As they walked out of the room together, Aaira smiled softly.
"One condition."
Samar laughed.
"What is it?"
"No more dramatic dialogues."
"If you're upset..."
"Tell me."
"Don't tell me to leave."
He smiled.
"Deal."
Outside, the evening sun slowly disappeared behind the buildings.
The storm between them had finally passed.
Neither of them knew what life would bring after school.
But at that moment...
Being together was enough.
"Some love stories survive not because they never break... but because both hearts choose to rebuild them."
— End of Part One
