The boy i wasn't supposed to love

Chapter 1

The Boy Who Knows Me Best

TARA

"You're going to be late."

I opened one eye.

"Five more minutes."

"Tara."

I pulled the blanket over my head.

"Ten minutes."

A hand grabbed the blanket and pulled it away.

"Get up."

I groaned and sat up, glaring at the person standing beside my bed.

Arjun.

Of course.

Who else would have the courage to enter my room at seven in the morning and wake me up like he owned the place?

"You are so annoying," I muttered.

"And you're going to be late for your first day."

I froze.

My first day of college.

"Oh my God!"

I jumped out of bed.

Arjun laughed.

"This is what happens when you spend half the night choosing your outfit."

"I was not choosing it for half the night."

"You changed four times."

"Five."

He raised an eyebrow.

I immediately regretted correcting him.

"Exactly."

I grabbed my bag and rushed toward the bathroom.

"Wait!" he called.

I turned around.

He held out my ID card.

"You forgot this."

I took it from him.

"Thanks."

He smiled.

"Anything for you."

I rolled my eyes.

"Don't start."

He had been like this forever.

Arjun was my best friend.

My annoying, overprotective, impossible-to-get-rid-of best friend.

Our families had known each other for years. We had grown up together, studied together, fought over stupid things, shared secrets, and somehow survived each other's worst phases.

To everyone else, we were just best friends.

To me, he was home.

I didn't know that things were about to change.

Not yet.

---

By the time we reached college, I was already nervous.

The campus was huge.

Students were everywhere.

People were laughing, talking, taking pictures, searching for classrooms.

I tightened my grip around my bag.

"What if I get lost?"

"You will."

I looked at Arjun.

"That's not reassuring."

He smiled.

"I'll find you."

"You're not going to be in every class."

"I know."

"Then?"

"I'll still find you."

I stared at him for a second.

There was something different in his expression.

Something I couldn't understand.

Then he looked away.

"Come on."

We walked toward the main building.

A few girls looked at Arjun as we passed.

One of them whispered something to her friend.

I didn't think much of it.

Until another girl smiled at him.

Arjun ignored her completely.

I laughed.

"Someone likes you."

"Good for her."

"You didn't even look."

"I wasn't interested."

I raised an eyebrow.

"How do you know? You didn't look."

"I don't need to."

I smiled.

"You're weird."

"And you're late."

"Stop saying that."

He laughed.

For a moment, everything felt normal.

Then we reached my classroom.

Arjun stopped.

"This is yours."

I looked at the room.

"So you're leaving?"

"Unfortunately."

I smiled.

"I'll survive."

"I know."

He looked at me for a little longer than usual.

Then he said quietly,

"Call me if you need anything."

"I know."

"Anything, Tara."

I nodded.

"Okay."

He walked away.

I watched him disappear into the crowd.

Then I turned toward my classroom.

And that's when I noticed the envelope.

It was lying on my desk.

There was no name on it.

No address.

Nothing.

I looked around.

Nobody seemed to be watching me.

I slowly opened it.

Inside was a single photograph.

My hands froze.

It was an old photograph.

A little girl stood beside a young boy.

The girl looked familiar.

Very familiar.

I turned the photograph over.

There were four words written on the back.

"You don't know who you are."

My heart started beating faster.

I looked at the photograph again.

The little girl was me.

I was sure of it.

But the boy standing beside me...

I had never seen him before.

Or at least...

I thought I hadn't.

My phone suddenly vibrated.

Unknown Number

I stared at the screen.

A message appeared.

Don't tell Arjun.

My fingers went cold.

Because whoever had sent that message knew exactly who I was.

And they knew something about Arjun too.