Main Beta hu : Stuck in Time Loop

Chapter - 1 Fumbling in 10th Standard

The memory of that day remained seared into Arjun's mind, a vivid chapter from his teenage years when hope and humiliation collided. It was a warm spring afternoon in 10th grade. The school courtyard buzzed with the chatter of students during recess. Arjun had spent weeks mustering the courage to confess his feelings to Shilpa, the radiant, effortlessly confident girl who seemed to brighten every room she entered.

She was out of his league, and he knew it. Shilpa wasn't just pretty; she had an aura—a magnetic pull that turned heads wherever she went. Her laugh rang out like music in the air, her bold, unapologetic attitude making her the center of attention without even trying. She wasn't cruel, though; once or twice, she'd smiled at Arjun in passing or exchanged a cheerful "Hi" when borrowing his notes. Those fleeting moments had been enough to plant the seed of his crush and fuel his dreams.

That day, clutching a hastily scribbled note in his clammy hands, Arjun approached her while she was not surrounded by her friends. His heart pounded in his chest, his throat dry despite rehearsing the words countless times in front of the mirror.

"Sh-Shilpa," he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.

She looked up from her conversation, surprised. "Yes, Arjun?" she said, her tone light and kind.

"I...I like you," he managed, the words tumbling out in a rush. "I mean... more than like you. I...I think you're amazing."

Her expression softened, and for a moment, there was silence. Then, as Arjun stood there, clutching the note, her lips twitched. She fought to suppress a giggle—more out of surprise than malice—but the effort showed.

Arjun noticed it. His ears burned, and the note trembled in his hand. "I...I'm sorry," he muttered, retreating before she could say anything. Her friends exchanged knowing glances, and though she called out, "Wait, Arjun," her voice was drowned out by the ringing bell signaling the end of recess.

From that day forward, Arjun's interactions with Shilpa dwindled to polite nods in the hallway. She went on, as she always had, her laughter and confidence unshaken, while Arjun retreated further into himself. He buried himself in books and kept to the edges of social circles, the sting of rejection eroding his self-confidence.

Shilpa, bold and unbothered, moved on as though nothing had happened. Life seemed effortless for her, filled with moments of joy and attention from those around her. Arjun, however, carried the weight of that day like a heavy stone, shaping the years that followed.

But life is long, and this story doesn't end here.