During COVID, everything changed. We were moving closer to his house. When I visited our new place, I spotted him standing on someone's roof. My heart skipped a beat. After two long years, there he was.
We didn't speak—just exchanged a look. Though he was far away, I could see his eyes clearly, and I knew he could see me too. He waved, but since I was with my parents, I only smiled quietly and raised my hand slightly, hoping he'd notice. Our eyes remained locked as my car drove away.
As construction began on my new house, we occasionally played cricket together, rekindling old memories. One day, while I was with Tia, my brother, his brother, and he, he casually announced,
"You know, I guess I'm leaving the school."
My heart sank."I had just passed the hostel entrance exam with excellent marks—just one point shy of perfect", he said.
He looked at me, excitement in his eyes. "Be proud of me, Kriti. I did really well!"
But all I felt was dread. He wouldn't be near me anymore. My mind raced with worries: What if I meet someone else? What if he forgets me? I had once imagined making him jealous, but now tears welled up. Two years of laughter, prayers, and stolen moments were slipping away.
He left for the hostel. And I cried.
By 9th grade, I was trying to move on, though I hadn't forgotten him. Then one day, I saw him cycling near my house. My heart leaped. With trembling hands, I grabbed my bike and rushed outside. A girl was with me, chatting away—but I wasn't listening. My focus was entirely on him. I eventually told her it was time to leave, and when she did, I stayed.
He approached me. "Hi Kriti, how are you? It's been a long time," he said.
We talked about small things, yet every word felt significant. Laughter mixed with awkward silences, and my chest tightened whenever he spoke. Then my mother called me from the balcony. I froze, unable to respond. Shivering, I left and went inside.
My father was furious. "If I see this boy near my girl again, I swear I'll go to his parents myself!"
My mother scolded more gently, "
I had no words. Tears filled my eyes. That day, I stopped going out. My first crush fell over.
A year later, in 10th grade, I told everything about Abhi to a friend. He offered, "I can find him on Instagram." Within minutes, he did. The first thing Abhi asked about was me. Though I wasn't on Instagram, I had my friend relay messages—I wanted to hear from him, even indirectly.
He had become head boy, a respected figure at school. My friend told me he described a girl with long hair, good skin, and a kind personality to him. Then came the question: "Can you ask Kriti if she will be my girlfriend?"
I froze, unsure how to respond. When I asked what he thought of the other girl, the reply came: "She's just like a sister. I'm reserved for Kriti."
Years of longing, secret crushes, and hidden prayers culminated in this moment. Yet strangely, when he finally proposed, my instinct said no. I rejected him, for the first time, saying no when my heart wasn't completely certain.
A week later, I learned he had a girlfriend—the same girl I had envied. My heart sank. The guy from my dreams? Not him. Reality hit hard.
I decided to reach out personally, shared my side of the story, and he confirmed—yes, he had a girlfriend now.
Just when I thought my world had shattered, life threw me a curveball. I had scored excellent marks in Class 10, making my parents proud—something I hadn't realized could lift my spirits so much.
Then, a sudden thought struck me. I grabbed my phone and called Maya.
"Uh, I.... I ch .....changed my school," I said, trying to sound casual despite the adrenaline rushing through me.
"You're joking, right?" she asked nervously.
But I wasn't joking. I wasn't. I want to build a new world of mine without him.....
And just like that, I stepped into a completely new world—a new school, a new beginning. Huge storms, challenges, and unexpected twists awaited me, and I had no idea what was coming.
This was the start of something bigger... something that would change everything.