The days didn't pass suddenly this time.
They moved slowly.
One by one.
---
The next day…
Mukesh reached school a little earlier than usual.
Not because he wanted to.
But because he couldn't sleep properly the night before.
---
As he entered the classroom, Smriti was already there.
She looked up.
"You're early today."
Mukesh sat down quietly.
"…Couldn't sleep."
---
Smriti tilted her head.
"Thinking too much?"
Mukesh shook his head.
"No… not really."
---
But that wasn't entirely true.
Sometimes, without realizing it,
his thoughts drifted toward her.
But he never stayed there for long.
He avoided it.
---
That day, after class—
Smriti placed a book in front of him.
"From today, we're studying properly."
Mukesh looked at the book.
"…Both of us?"
"Obviously," she replied. "Or do you think I'm doing charity?"
---
Mukesh looked away.
"I didn't ask you to help."
---
Smriti leaned forward slightly.
"I know."
A pause.
"I'm doing it because I want to."
---
Mukesh didn't reply.
But he didn't refuse either.
---
The next few days…
turned into a routine.
---
After school—
they would go to the temple bench.
Or sometimes sit near the quiet side of the market.
---
"Read this," Smriti said one day.
Mukesh tried.
He stumbled.
Stopped.
Tried again.
---
"Slowly," she said.
"No one is chasing you."
---
"…Feels like they are."
---
Smriti looked at him.
For a moment, she didn't speak.
Then softly—
"You're not in that school anymore."
---
Mukesh stayed silent.
But this time…
he tried again.
---
And this time—
he got it right.
---
Smriti smiled.
"See? Not impossible."
---
Days passed like that.
Not fast.
Not slow.
Just… steady.
---
A week later…
The teachers started talking about exams.
---
"Exams are near," one of them said loudly in class.
"Prepare properly."
---
A wave of tension spread across the classroom.
Students started discussing.
"Have you studied this chapter?"
"What will come in the exam?"
"I'm not ready…"
---
Mukesh listened.
Quietly.
---
After school, Smriti looked at him.
"You heard, right?"
"…Yeah."
---
"So? Scared?"
---
Mukesh thought for a moment.
Then said honestly—
"I don't know what to feel."
---
Smriti sighed.
"Great. Then we'll study more."
---
That evening…
they studied longer than usual.
---
"Tell me this answer," Smriti said.
Mukesh tried.
"…I don't remember."
---
She lightly tapped his notebook.
"Don't memorize blindly. Understand it."
---
"…I'm trying."
---
"I know."
---
That simple reply…
felt different.
---
Another day…
Rain started again.
Light drizzle.
Cold wind.
---
They still sat together.
---
"Why are you helping me?" Mukesh suddenly asked.
Smriti paused.
Then shrugged.
"No reason."
---
"That's not an answer."
---
She looked at him directly.
"Then don't ask."
---
Mukesh didn't push further.
But the question stayed.
---
At night…
Mukesh sat in his room.
Book open.
Pen in hand.
---
Sometimes…
his mind drifted.
Toward Smriti.
Her voice.
Her words.
---
But he quickly stopped himself.
---
"…Focus."
He whispered.
"I don't need to think about anything else."
---
And just like that—
he returned to studying.
---
Finally…
The exam day arrived.
---
The classroom felt different again.
Silent.
Tense.
---
Mukesh sat on his bench.
Looking at the question paper.
---
His mind didn't go blank this time.
But it wasn't clear either.
---
So he did the only thing he could.
He wrote…
whatever came to his mind.
---
No overthinking.
No fear.
Just writing.
---
Sometimes he got answers right.
Sometimes wrong.
He didn't know.
---
But he didn't stop.
---
After the exam…
Students gathered in groups.
---
"What did you write for question 3?"
"Was the answer this?"
"No, no, it was different!"
---
Smriti came toward him.
"How was it?"
---
Mukesh shrugged.
"I wrote… something."
---
She narrowed her eyes.
"That's not an answer."
---
"…It's the only one I have."
---
She sighed.
"Hopeless."
But she smiled a little.
---
Lunch break…
Mukesh sat alone.
As usual.
---
From his bag—
he took out simple food.
Bread.
And a boiled egg.
---
Nothing else.
---
Smriti sat beside him.
"That's all you eat?"
---
Mukesh nodded.
"…Enough."
---
She looked at him for a moment.
Then said—
"You're really strange."
---
Mukesh replied calmly,
"I know."
---
Around them, students kept discussing papers.
Laughing.
Arguing.
Comparing answers.
---
But Mukesh…
wasn't part of any of that.
---
He just sat there.
Eating quietly.
---
And somewhere in between all of this—
exams…
studies…
conversations…
silence…
---
Something continued to grow inside him.
---
Something he still didn't understand.
---
And maybe…
he didn't want to understand it yet.