The school campus, which had been filled with noise, laughter, and excitement just a few moments ago, now felt strangely quiet.
The annual function had ended.
Students had already left with their families. Teachers were wrapping up the final arrangements. The once lively corridors, where echoes of joy used to bounce off the walls, now stood silent… almost empty… almost unfamiliar.
But our trio—
We were still there.
Standing in the middle of that long, empty corridor, surrounded by silence and confusion.
I slowly looked around, trying to understand what was happening. The decorations still hung on the walls, the stage lights were dim, and the sound of distant footsteps faded with every passing second.
Everyone had gone home.
Even most of the teachers had left.
So then…
Why were we still here?
"Bro… why are we still here?" I finally asked, breaking the silence as I looked at Sayan.
He was equally confused.
"Exactly the same question I was about to ask," he replied. "Sarthak bro, why did they ask only us to stay? If it was something related to the function, they could've told us earlier."
His words made perfect sense.
And maybe that's what made it more unsettling.
I leaned against the wall, folding my arms, my mind already running faster than it should.
Why only us?
If it was something serious… why not call others too?
And if it was about the function… why wasn't she here?
That thought hit differently.
If it was about today…
Shouldn't Payel be here too?
For a brief moment, her face flashed in my mind.
The way she hugged me…
The way her fingers tightened around me…
The way her voice trembled when she spoke…
I quickly shook my head, trying to push those thoughts away.
But emotions don't leave that easily.
And before I could think further—
poke
"Ohooo…" Abhi's voice came from behind, filled with mischief. "Sarthak Babu… Payel ke future husband…"
I closed my eyes for a second.
Not again.
Before he could continue, my hand reacted faster than my thoughts.
THAPP!
My fist landed straight on his face.
Hard.
Much harder than last time.
Abhi staggered back, holding his cheek in shock.
"ABE OYE!" he shouted, anger flashing in his eyes as he stepped forward, ready to attack.
And honestly…
I was ready too.
Maybe it wasn't just his teasing.
Maybe it was everything building up inside me—
The confusion.
The emotions.
The incomplete confession.
The sudden distance.
Everything.
And Abhi just became the trigger.
He raised his hand—
But before anything could happen—
"Sarthak! Abhi! What is going on here?"
Sanjay sir's voice cut through the tension like a sharp blade.
We both froze.
Principal sir and Sayan sir stood right beside him.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
From chaos…
To control.
Sayan sir, usually calm and composed, looked unusually strict that day.
"Abhi… Sarthak… this is too much," he said firmly. "You are still in the school campus. Behave like it."
Abhi straightened up immediately, trying to act normal.
I stepped back, controlling my breath.
Sanjay sir looked at both of us, disappointment clear in his eyes.
"This is a school, not a boxing ring."
Principal sir then shifted his gaze toward Abhi.
"And you… what kind of behavior is this?"
For once—
Abhi stayed silent.
No attitude.
No comeback.
Just quiet.
Even he understood that something had crossed the line.
After a moment, principal sir sighed and looked at all three of us.
"Alright. Listen carefully."
The tone changed.
And so did the atmosphere.
---
"There are three seminars coming up," principal sir continued. "And we have decided to send selected students from our school."
I exchanged a glance with Sayan.
Seminars?
Now things were getting serious.
"One will be held locally," he said. "Abhi, you will attend that."
Abhi nodded.
"The second one is in Pune. Sayan, you will go with the teachers."
Sayan blinked in surprise. "Me, sir?"
"Yes," sir replied calmly. "You have the discipline and knowledge required."
A small, proud smile appeared on Sayan's face.
But I was still waiting.
Then—
Principal sir looked at me.
And for some reason…
My heartbeat increased.
"The third seminar…" he paused, "…is the main one."
Silence filled the corridor.
"It will be held in Kolkata."
Kolkata.
The word echoed inside me.
My trip.
My leave.
My distance.
Her.
Everything connected at once.
"This seminar will have professors from all over India," he continued, "and even from foreign institutions."
I listened carefully now.
Every word mattered.
"At first, we thought of cancelling participation," he added. "Because it is difficult to send students to another state."
That was understandable.
"But since Sarthak is already going to Kolkata…"
I held my breath.
"…we have decided to send him."
For a moment—
I didn't react.
Just stood there.
Processing everything.
"He is one of our best students," principal sir added. "And we trust him."
That line…
It wasn't just pride.
It was responsibility.
"If you're not comfortable, you can say no," he said. "Your board exams are near."
Silence.
"I'll go, sir," Sayan said confidently.
Then sir looked at me.
"What about you, Sarthak?"
I took a deep breath.
"I'll go, sir."
My voice was steady.
But inside…
It wasn't.
Because all I could think was—
I'm going away again…
Without saying what I feel.
---
The next day came faster than I expected.
Maybe because I wasn't ready.
Maybe because I knew something was about to change.
I packed my bags.
Clothes.
Documents.
Essentials.
And memories…
Far more than I realized.
Before leaving, I looked around my room.
Not because I'd miss it.
But because I was leaving something behind.
Someone.
Even though it was just for two weeks…
It felt like forever.
---
At the airport, everything felt distant.
The noise.
The people.
The movement.
My mind was somewhere else.
Still stuck in that hug.
In those eyes.
In those unsaid words.
As the plane took off, I looked outside.
The city grew smaller.
And somewhere in that fading view…
I felt like I was leaving a part of myself behind.
The journey to Kolkata felt longer than it actually was.
Not because of the distance…
But because of the thoughts I carried with me.
Even after landing, even after stepping into the familiar chaos of the city—the honking, the crowd, the humid air—my mind was still somewhere else.
Still stuck in that corridor.
Still stuck in that hug.
Still stuck with her.
---
The first three days passed in a blur.
Hospitals, checkups, medicines, reports.
I stayed busy—running between rooms, standing in long queues, listening to doctors, managing small responsibilities. Anyone looking at me would think I was completely occupied.
But they wouldn't know…
That even in the middle of all that chaos…
There was a part of me that kept drifting back to her.
At night, when everything slowed down…
When the noise faded…
When I finally lay down on the bed—
That's when it hit the most.
Her voice.
Her smile.
That incomplete sentence.
"I… I… I…"
I stared at the ceiling, replaying that moment again and again.
"What was she trying to say?" I whispered to myself.
A confession?
A question?
Or just something simple that I was overthinking?
I turned to my side, closing my eyes.
But sleep didn't come easily that night.
---
The fourth day.
Seminar day.
---
Morning felt unusually heavy.
Not because I was nervous…
But because something inside me felt incomplete.
I got ready slowly, adjusting my clothes, trying to distract myself.
That's when my phone rang.
I didn't even need to check.
I knew it was her.
Still, when I saw her name on the screen—
My heart skipped a beat.
I picked up instantly.
"Hello Payel ji… aaj humari yaad kaise aa gayi?" I said with a teasing smile.
On the other side, she sighed softly.
"Uff… tumhe aur koi kaam nahi hai kya? Bas tease karte rehte ho…"
Her voice…
It felt like home.
Warm.
Soft.
Comforting in a way I couldn't explain.
"By the way, what are you doing?" she asked.
"I'm getting ready for the seminar," I replied. "You already know that."
"Yes, sir told me…" she said. Then her tone changed.
Softer.
Hesitant.
"Actually… I wanted to tell you something."
My expression changed instantly.
The teasing disappeared.
"What is it?" I asked, this time seriously.
There was silence.
Then—
"I… I… I…"
She started stammering.
My grip on the phone tightened slightly.
"Payel?"
Before she could complete—
"Sarthak! Breakfast!" my mother called from outside.
I closed my eyes for a second.
Not again…
"Payel, say it fast na… maa is calling me," I said hurriedly.
There was a pause.
A long one.
Then she spoke softly—
"Go… have your breakfast. I'll call you later."
The call disconnected.
And just like that…
Another moment remained incomplete.
---
After breakfast, I tried calling her back.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
But her phone was busy.
I stared at the screen.
A strange uneasiness settled in my chest.
"She must be busy…" I told myself.
But deep down…
It didn't feel like that.
---
When I reached the venue, I stopped at the entrance.
It was massive.
More than I had expected.
A huge gate, banners hanging on both sides, students from different schools walking in groups—some confident, some nervous, some discussing their topics.
Everyone looked prepared.
Everyone looked like they belonged there.
And then there was me—
Standing alone.
In casual clothes.
Because my blazer hadn't arrived yet.
I checked my watch again.
Still waiting.
Sanjay sir and Sayan sir were supposed to bring it.
I exhaled slowly, trying to calm myself.
That's when—
"Excuse me."
I turned.
A girl stood in front of me.
Confident posture.
Sharp eyes.
But her expression…
Arrogant.
"What is a person like you doing here?" she said, looking me up and down. "This seminar is for special students of special schools. You need knowledge to be here."
Her tone wasn't just rude.
It was insulting.
For a moment…
My ego reacted instantly.
But I controlled myself.
"I'm waiting for my teachers," I replied calmly.
She smirked.
"Your teachers must be like you… useless. Otherwise who sends a student like this?"
Before I could respond—
She grabbed my school badge.
And without even looking—
Threw it on the ground.
Then stepped on it.
Crushing it under her heel.
---
For a second…
Everything went silent.
Not because she insulted me.
But because she disrespected my school.
And for me—
That meant everything.
My fists clenched tightly.
My jaw locked.
I could feel the anger rising rapidly.
I was about to say something—
Something I might regret—
"Hey! Stop it!"
Another voice interrupted.
A girl rushed toward us and quickly picked up my broken badge.
"I'm really sorry," she said sincerely, looking at me. "Please don't mind her behavior."
I looked at her carefully.
And recognized her.
Shristi.
One of the top students from DPS.
Calm.
Polite.
Completely opposite of that girl.
"It's okay," I said, forcing myself to stay calm.
She nodded, then pulled the other girl away.
---
A few minutes later, Sanjay sir arrived.
"What happened?" he asked.
I explained everything.
His expression turned serious.
Without saying much, he handed me a new badge and my blazer.
"Go. Get ready," he said.
I nodded.
---
Inside the washroom, I stood in front of the mirror.
As I wore the blazer and fixed the badge…
I looked at myself.
Same face.
Same person.
But something inside had changed.
There was a different kind of focus in my eyes.
A different kind of determination.
---
When I entered the seminar hall—
The atmosphere hit me instantly.
It was different.
Serious.
Intellectual.
Powerful.
Professors were speaking.
Students were listening carefully.
Ideas were being exchanged.
Knowledge filled the room.
For a moment…
I forgot everything else.
---
Then came the presentations.
One by one, schools went on stage.
DPS performed really well.
Shristi handled it confidently.
Clear voice.
Strong presence.
But that arrogant girl—
She messed up.
I noticed it.
And for a moment…
I realized something.
Confidence without respect means nothing.
---
Then—
They announced
"Next participant…"
"Our school…"
Whispers started.
"This is one of the best schools of Mumbai…"
I stood up.
My heartbeat increased.
And then—
I walked to the stage.
Alone.
No partner.
No support.
Just me.
For a moment…
Fear tried to take over.
But then—
A thought crossed my mind.
Do it for her.
I took a deep breath.
And started.
---
I don't know how it happened.
But everything flowed.
Every word.
Every explanation.
Every answer.
It was like something inside me took control.
And when I finished—
Silence.
For a second.
Then—
Applause.
Loud.
Real.
Genuine.
The professors appreciated me.
Praised me.
And at that moment—
I felt proud.
Not for myself.
But because I had protected my school's name.
---
After some time, that same arrogant girl came toward me.
Her expression had changed.
"I'm… sorry," she said quietly.
I looked at her.
Then nodded.
"It's okay."
Because I didn't need revenge anymore.
I had already proven everything.
---
Later, during lunch—
I was walking, lost in thoughts.
The call.
Her voice.
Her incomplete words.
And then—
THUD!
I collided with someone.
Before she could fall—
I held her.
It was Shristi.
Her eyes widened.
She looked at me.
Her cheeks turned slightly pink.
For a moment—
Time slowed.
But this time…
It felt different.
Because deep inside—
I already knew the truth.
No matter where I go…
No matter who I meet…
No matter how far I travel…
My heart…
Still belongs to her.
---
To be continued… 💔✨