Indhu's POV
Even though lunch break had ended, Charlotte hadn't let go of the thread.
On the walk back from class, she kept throwing small hints.
"So… what happened next? Like, after that moment you stopped telling me?"
I stayed quiet. Not because I didn't want to tell her — but because some things hurt too much to say all at once.
Swetha and Rohan walked ahead, laughing at something. Charlotte walked beside me, still watching me with those patient, excited eyes. I gave her a small smile.
"One day, Char. I'll tell you the whole story. Just… not today."
Charlotte nodded softly, but the spark of curiosity never left her face.
As we reached the school gate, a sharp presence made me pause mid-step.
It was Leanor.
Standing near her father, bag over her shoulder, she didn't say a word. But her eyes glared directly at me — a side-eye sharp enough to cut glass.
It wasn't confusion.
It wasn't jealousy.
It was an accusation.
As if she knew I was telling something.
As if she felt the past coming back to life — and wasn't ready to be a part of it.
I looked back at her, not in fear, but in quiet understanding. Some stories didn't need to be spoken aloud for the people in them to feel exposed.
Charlotte noticed the stare.
"Did she just—?" she asked.
I nodded once.
"Yeah. That's Leanor's goodbye."
And we walked away.
The next day, I entered the classroom quiet and early. I placed my bag on the bench and sat in silence. My thoughts were still caught in yesterday's unfinished story.
Moments later, laughter filled the doorway — Charlotte and Swetha arrived, arms swinging and voices bubbling. Charlotte rushed over to me like a kid unwrapping a secret.
"Okay! You have to continue the story today. I'm dying to know!"
Swetha slid into her usual seat beside me and smiled.
I hesitated, but somewhere in my heart, the memory was already rising.
"Fine," I said softly.
"But imagine it with me."
Charlotte beamed.
"Gladly."
(Flashback – 9th Standard, October)
Well our 9th starting ran like it was on a threadmill and
It was October — a few months before Christmas.
Our class teacher had announced a competition:
"The best decorated classroom wins the award."
Everyone buzzed with ideas.
I arrived late that morning, withdrawn — my mind tangled in things no one else could see. Still, I gave a few quiet suggestions — like building a paper house or sticking hand-drawn decor on the walls — then stepped back, planning to leave early.
But Swetha approached me, smiling gently.
"Let's do this together," she said.
And just like that, our bond slowly rekindled.
We spent the week sharing ideas, cutting paper, taping fairy lights, laughing softly when things didn't stick right. It wasn't a loud friendship. But it was real.
Naira helped too — not out of affection, since she and I were barely speaking after our past fight — but out of shared interest. We kept our distance, yet worked side by side like parallel lines.
On the fifth day, I was absent. But Swetha continued decorating alone — finishing up our paper house, adjusting the wall posters. When I returned, we looked at the class and smiled. It felt like something beautiful was taking shape.
Toward the end of the month, something shifted. Everyone began getting closer, and I grew quietly attached to Aditya and Rohan. It wasn't dramatic. Just shared laughs, exchanged glances, small conversations. But it mattered.
Meanwhile, Leanor returned. She had missed the entire decoration phase. When she came back, she noticed how close Swetha and I had grown. She didn't say a word. But she had a plan of her own.
Since she also wanted to join the decorations, Leanor suggested to Swetha that they sit together for a while. Swetha, not suspecting anything, agreed.
What she didn't realize was that decision would change everything. Oh about Naira yeah ..she left
Leanor didn't usually talk much to boys like me but i changed and slowly, she started speaking to Aditya and Rohan — joining their conversations like it was all natural.
But I noticed. I noticed it all.
Back to Present
I finished softly.
Charlotte blinked, returning from the imagined world. Swetha stayed quiet — a knowing expression on her face.
"So that's how it started," I murmured.
"Just glue, paper, and timing."
"And a change no one saw coming," Swetha added.
Charlotte looked stunned.
"This story is better than any series I've watched."
I gave a small laugh, but deep inside, I knew the real episodes hadn't even started yet.