Paper heart

Nina and Derik have been competing against each other for the top rank since elementary school, and their rivalry never ceased.

AT SCHOOL

There was an essay assignment. Nina cast a few glances at him to check his progress, and he did the same to her.

As Nina finished hers, she quickly sprang to her feet, rushing to the teacher's desk. That's when Derik tripped her and collected all the praise from the teacher while giving Nina a smirk.

Later that afternoon, he not-so-subtly bragged his full score on the test paper, passing by her desk while jabbing the report card in her face.

Nina snapped, “Can you stop being an obnoxious brat? I know it's your first time topping the class, and you want to flaunt that little achievement, but go do it elsewhere.”

Just to be spiteful to match his energy, she added, “And I topped at least twice, unlike a certain little jerk.”

That left Derik disgruntled. He watched as she shoved him aside and “cat-walked” away.

“Annoying ladybug,” he mumbled, rolling his eyes.

Derik returned to his desk and pulled out a notepad, writing down his annoyance.

Note-

Hey dear stranger,

Even without knowing each other's name, we share notes every day. It's almost become a habit now, so I shall start venting to my unpaid therapist.

Guess what? I topped every test and still got ridiculed! Gosh, that little ladybug gets on my nerves.

Derik tore off the note and left it in the book no one reads—an encyclopedia at their library —where this anonymous confidant often takes it and leaves their own note or a letter. Sometimes they offer comfort for his tantrums, and other times they share things about their day, but both of them never disclosed their identity.

This all started when he mistakenly left a note meant for his journal in that encyclopedia. When he went to look for it the next day, he found another note next to his.

Which read:

“Hello stranger,

I'm sorry that I have read your note; I presume you left it here by mistake.

But now that I've seen it, don't worry—it's a secret between us.

And the lyrics you wrote? They're really cute! Next time when you write a new one and feel that they're cringey, instead of throwing it in the dustbin, leave it here. I'll keep it instead and give feedback. ⁠♡”

That's how this exchange started—first with feedback on his lyrics, and later progressing to normal chitchat.

After lunch, Nina went to the library. She went directly to the section she often visits and fetched the encyclopedia. There, she found the note.

She muttered, “Let's see what our unknown friend wrote today.”

She took a seat at an empty table, reading the note. She laughed quietly, thinking how similar her friend's experiences were to her own rivalry.

But she noticed one thing this day:

The nickname “Ladybug” and the handwriting looked familiar. That's when she recognized it.

It was similar to Derik’s …

She quickly shut the book close and sat in astonishment. It was just a coincidence, right? It can't be that idiot! She's been swapping notes with him all this time, and even told him about the secret Barbie collection she hid in her room!

“Nooo!” she groaned. She scrambled to her feet. She had to test her hunch: go acquire one of his books and compare the handwriting with the note.

She checked her watch, guessing he was playing sports with his friends, so she could poke around his bag. Without a second thought, she sprinted to her classroom, went to his desk, and pulled out a notebook. As she sat down matching the handwriting, and to her dismay … It was indeed Derik.

“What do you think you're doing? He asked, standing right behind her with his arms crossed.

She tried to play it cool, “Uh, nothing,” she said, trying to leave in a hurry, only for him to snag the back of her hoodie, pulling her back to stand in front of him.

“Explain. Don't think you can get away when being caught red-handed going through my bag,” Derik pressed. he wore the same indifferent look, but there was a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

As she remained quiet, he reached for the note in her hand. The realization dawned upon him immediately.

“Wait, don't tell me it was your stupid self I've been talking to this whole time!” he said, mortified.

“Colour me surprised, idiot. Don't act like I'm head over heels finding out you've been complaining about me the whole time I was comforting your dramatic diva self.”

Derik gave her side eye. “Says the girl who argues jam goes better with a croissant instead of chocolate, like it's some crucial debate.”

“Hey, didn't we decide it was supposed to be confidential?” she protested.

He shrugged and answered, “That deal ended the second I found out it's my little ladybug behind the notes. I'm definitely going to share your secrets—especially that incident where you used your brother’s hair gel and your hair was stiffer than cardboard.”

Derik bolted away before she could reason.

As she attended her classes, she expected her friends to come laugh at her after Derik publicized her secrets to the whole school.

Derik sauntered through the hall. He saw his friends already chatting at their lockers. He was about to tell them her secrets but paused. He didn't know why, but he decided against it.

Maybe because it was the untold rule: never backstab the ones they confide in. Or perhaps he just didn't want her to reveal his secrets either.

As days passed, they both started avoiding each other. At least the school was more peaceful and less like a battlefield without their bickering.

They missed the banter too,

But were reluctant to acknowledge their note- sharing bond and newfound friendship after years of rivalry.

Two weeks had passed since they talked.

She was reading a book in an empty classroom when Derik slowly approached her, his hands shoved in his pockets, looking somewhat sheepish.

“Hey, ladybug, I might need a favour,” he asked warily.

“What is it, ‘Mantis’?” she replied, emphasizing her favourite nickname, which he obviously hates.

He could only glare. Despite the urge to fire back at her with a retort, he spoke, “Look, Nina it's my sister Kristy’s birthday tomorrow, and my parents aren't home. I'll need some help with babysitting and to bake her a cake.”

“I adore Kristy but hate your guts, so why do you think I'll help your cranky self?” she said, almost challenging him.

“Cause I still hold leverage over you, Nina. I very well remember I still have one of your notes in which you admitted you confessed to your crush in preschool, and he thought you were a boy because of your stupid fringes.” Derik stifled his laugh as he blackmailed her.

“Fine, chill. Don't be a little bastard,” she yielded, her ears all red as she recalled that incident.

“Good bug,” he teased, mock-saluting as he walked away.

All the classes came to an end. She was packing her bag, ready to head home, when Derik called out, “Hey, can you go to my house now? I still need help with decoration and stuff; I can't do all that on my own.”

She nodded and asked, “What about the gift?”

Derik halted in his tracks. He had almost forgotten about the gift. He turned to her with a pleading look, which translated to, “you're going to help me pick one, right?”

She rolled her eyes as she snatched her bag off the bench, went to him, and reassured, “Alright, but all this assisting is just for Kristy, not for your dumb-ass. Keep that in mind.”

He imitated her when she wasn't looking, mumbling, “Yeah, as if I'm dying to woo you.”

They both headed to the mall, looking for a dress Kristy would like and gifts for her.

As they noticed a Frozen dress replica, they both reached for it, trying to get it first.

“I saw it first! Get your hands off it, Derik!” she complained as they wrestled.

Derik simply shrugged and let go, making her stumble and bump into a mannequin.

She stomped her foot the whole way back to his home. He was grinning, feeling triumphant, but he found her efforts and enthusiasm to make his sister's day better charming. He had almost forgotten that beneath her sass, she was really kind—a quality he had first noticed when they used to share notes.

As they both reached his home, Kristy hopped in excitement, running straight into Nina for a hug.

“Hey, birthday girl,” Nina teased as she pinched Kristy's chubby cheeks.

In response, the little girl giggled bashfully.

“Come on, I'm the brother here! I deserve a hug more than this unworthy Nina.” Derik feigned offence, bending to his knees ruffling Kristy's hair.

He headed to the kitchen to prepare for baking a cake. He wasn't an expert, but he had watched dozens of recipes online. His gaze often drifted to Nina, who was busy entertaining the toddler.

A smile spread across his face involuntarily.

The timer of the oven brought him back to his senses.

As he quickly refocused, he found the decoration part tricky. Nina, who had been keeping an eye on the baking, offered to do it for him.

She expertly covered the cake with pink ganache using white chocolate and strawberries, as Kristy loved them.

She swatted Derik's sneaky hand as he tried to steal some berries.

She did call him stupid and many equally silly names, but couldn't deny she was starting to enjoy his company.

Time passed in blur as they finished off with baking and decorating the home.

Kristy, in her birthday girl glory, chomped on the cake, having the time of her 8 years of life, making them both act on her whims.

She suddenly announced, “I want you both to

reenact this book,” Kristy spoke, pointing to a fairytale kids book.

Derik: “Uhh, Kristy can we watch some cartoons instead–

Kristy let out a loud whine.

Nina complied right away, not wanting to upset a grumpy toddler.

Nina, though she protested at first, got pretty invested as Kristy showed her few dresses she had picked from her mom's dresser.

Derik just stared at them in disbelief as they gushed over nail paint, but as Nina re-entered into the room now wearing a blue dress with cute hairpins, the exaggerated makeup little Kristy did was adorable.

Derik snorted and whispered, “You look more like Cinderella’s moron duplicate.”

He was snickering until his little sister gave him a flower scarf, wanting him to put it on like a cape. Nina now laughed in his face and retorted,

“And you can compete with a granny or someone at a thrift store who is looking for a cheap cape.” He just stood there grumbling.

Little Kristy sat there as they tried to play out a scene of a ball dance.

Nina deliberately stepped on his foot every chance she got, but this time her dress got stuck, causing her to lose balance. Her hands quickly held his shoulder for support.

Kristy's instructions faded as they nervously looked at each other, his hand curling into fist as he refrained from pulling her closer.

They quickly stepped away, creating distance.

As the play came to an end, she left for home.

She couldn't stop thinking about it. A few days turned to weeks. They both tried to ignore the sparks which had ignited.

Derik and Nina once again acting like soulmates, both decided to confess via note.

Nina was reading her textbook when her friend, who was smiling like a fool, passed a note on her desk and pointed at Derik, who was watching in anticipation.

The note read:

Our friendship blossomed by shared notes,

A confidante who raised my hopes.

I hopelessly gravitate towards you

In disguise of rivalry as armour,

But beneath the iron-clad form,

I have always been yours.

Nina smiled to herself, saving the note. She stared at her nails, recalling how she spent hours and her pocket money on to get these done:

A cute red heart on her thumb and each letter of ‘Love’ marked on her nail.

She turned to Derik and pointed at her hand.

As he squinted his eyes and read the word ‘love’ on her nail, he chuckled. He had to give her credit for the creative confession.

She flipped her hair, shrugging her shoulders sassily, but she couldn't stop smiling as she watched Derik was flustered too.