The classroom buzzed with chatter as Ms. Sen announced, "You'll be working in pairs for this project. Check the list."
Nia peeked at the paper pinned to the board. Her heart skipped.
Partner: Arin Mehta
Her palms felt clammy. Arin? The girl everyone knew for being lively and unafraid? Nia's chest tightened. Please don't be too loud, she whispered silently.
Across the room, Arin scanned the list. When she saw Nia's name, her grin softened. Nia, the quiet one… interesting. Something about her pulled at Arin's curiosity.
Arin rushed toward Nia's table, carrying her sketchbook and colored pens. In her excitement, she tripped slightly, sending her pencil case tumbling onto Nia's foot.
"Oh! Sorry!" Arin exclaimed, scrambling to pick it up.
Nia jumped back, almost knocking over her carefully stacked notebooks. "It's… it's okay," she stammered.
Their hands brushed while picking up scattered pencils. Both froze for a heartbeat, their eyes meeting. A strange warmth settled in Nia's chest; Arin felt a spark of curiosity she didn't expect.
"I—I'm Nia," she whispered.
"Arin," she replied, smiling softly, though her hands shook a little.
As they organized their project materials, the awkwardness slowly melted into conversation. Arin noticed Nia's precise, careful movements; Nia noticed Arin's lively energy and the way her eyes lit up when she talked about art.
"You like drawing?" Nia asked shyly, pointing to a sketch of a starry sky peeking from Arin's pad.
Arin's grin widened. "I love it! Do you like drawing too?"
"Not… really. I prefer patterns, numbers, poems," Nia said.
"Patterns, huh?" Arin said thoughtfully. "I like chaos, but I guess we could balance each other."
Nia blinked, a small smile forming. Balance… maybe this will be okay.
The two spent the next hour arranging materials, joking softly, and sharing little details about themselves—favorite books, music, snacks they secretly liked. Nia laughed quietly at Arin's exaggerated stories about school mischief, and Arin found herself genuinely impressed by Nia's thoughtfulness.
Even when Ms. Sen walked by to check their progress, the girls exchanged quick, conspiratorial glances, realizing they were forming a quiet understanding. Nia felt a tiny flutter of hope she hadn't known before, and Arin felt a new sense of care she hadn't expected.
When a pencil rolled under the table, they both reached for it simultaneously. Their fingers touched briefly, and they exchanged a shy glance. For a moment, the world outside the classroom didn't exist.
It was small, fragile, and unspoken—but it was the start of something neither girl could have predicted.
The project had begun. So had their friendship....