700 ᏦᎥᏝᎧᎷᏋᏖᏒᏋᏕ ᏗᏇᏗᎩ

Chapter 1: A Quiet Beginning

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Harsha had never been the kind of person to wear his heart on his sleeve. It wasn't because he didn't care; on the contrary, he cared deeply about everything, especially when it came to the people he loved. But he had always been reserved, careful not to show too much of himself to others. He had mastered the art of keeping his emotions hidden behind a calm exterior, even if they raged inside him like an endless storm.

He had been in love , though he had never once spoken those words aloud. Her name was Ishwaani Hanshi, and she was everything Harsha was not: outgoing, bright, and effortlessly charismatic. She didn't try to be the center of attention, but somehow, she always was. It was the way she walked, the way she smiled, the way she made everyone feel like they were the most important person in the room.

It was a slow-blooming thing, a soft recognition that grew over time, like a plant that takes root before it begins to blossom. Harsha, who had always kept his emotions in check, found himself increasingly drawn to her presence. But even then, he didn't allow himself to acknowledge it fully. He was content just being in her orbit, watching her from afar.

He would see her across the classroom, sitting by the window with a book in her hands, her hair flowing in the sunlight. She wasn't perfect-no one was-but to Harsha, she was the closest thing to it. And while everyone around them could see the way she lit up a room, Harshan noticed the small things-the quiet moments when she would smile at someone, and the way her eyes sparkled when she was passionate about something. It was in those moments that he felt a connection to her, a silent understanding that, in another world, they might have been something more.

It was an unspoken bond. A quiet connection that neither of them ever acknowledged, and yet, it was there. Harsha would never forget the day she looked at him, truly looked at him, for the first time. It wasn't a fleeting glance or a passing interaction; it was a moment of recognition. She had smiled at him from across the classroom, and it had felt like time had stopped. It wasn't a smile that meant anything special, at least not on the surface, but for Harsha, it was everything. It was the moment that everything shifted. It was the moment he realized he couldn't hide from his feelings any longer.

But even then, he didn't speak up. He didn't ask her out, didn't tell her how he felt. Harsha was too afraid. What if she didn't feel the same? What if it ruined their friendship? What if it changed everything? The fear of rejection and the unknown held him back, and so, he stayed silent.

As time passed, Harsha 's feelings for Ishwaani only deepened. He would spend hours in his room, lying on his bed, thinking about her. He would replay moments in his mind, moments when they had crossed paths or exchanged words, trying to find some hidden meaning in every interaction. But it was always just a passing moment, a fleeting smile or a casual conversation. He longed for more, but he didn't know how to ask for it.

It wasn't until their final year of school that Harsha 's feelings reached a breaking point. The realization hit him like a wave, crashing over him with the force of a storm. Ishwaani was leaving. She was going to move to a new school, and soon, she would be gone, out of his life forever. Harshan had never allowed himself to think about the future, but now, with the end of school looming, he couldn't avoid it any longer. If he didn't tell her how he felt now, he might never get the chance. The thought of losing her without ever expressing his feelings was unbearable.

But even then, he hesitated. He was scared. He was scared of ruining what they had, scared of losing her friendship, and scared of the possibility that she might not feel the same. So, he kept quiet. He let the days slip by, one after another, until the inevitable day came. Graduation. The end of an era.

On the morning of graduation, Harshan stood by the window in his room, staring out at the world beyond. He had always been an observer, someone who preferred to watch life unfold rather than participate in it. But today, as the sun rose over the horizon, he felt a deep ache in his chest. It was the ache of regret, the ache of knowing that he had let the most important moment of his life slip through his fingers.

"I should have told her," he whispered to himself, his voice barely audible. "I should have said something."

But it was too late now.

---

The ceremony was everything he had expected: a blur of faces, speeches, and clapping hands. Harsha barely registered the excitement around him. His mind was elsewhere, focused on the one person who wasn't there. Ishwaani. She was sitting in the row behind him, a few seats away. Harsha could see her out of the corner of his eye, but he couldn't bring himself to look directly at her. It was too painful, knowing that this would be the last time they would be in the same place.

When the ceremony was over, Harsha found himself standing alone in the hallway, surrounded by friends and classmates who were celebrating their future. He had never felt more disconnected from everyone. The noise of the crowd, the chatter, the laughter-it all felt so distant. The only thing that mattered to him was Ishwaani.

And then, as if fate had heard his silent plea, she appeared before him.

"Harshan," she said, her voice soft but steady. "Can we talk?"

Her words hit him like a shockwave, and for a moment, he couldn't move. He had imagined this moment a thousand times, but now that it was happening, he didn't know what to say. All of his carefully constructed walls came crashing down, and in that instant, he realized that he had never been more afraid in his entire life.

"Of course," he said, his voice trembling slightly.

They found a quiet corner of the schoolyard, away from the chaos. For a few moments, they stood in silence, both unsure of where to begin. Harshan's heart was pounding in his chest, and he could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on him.

"I'm sorry, Harshan," she said, breaking the silence. "I didn't mean for things to get so complicated. I never meant to hurt you."

Harsha 's breath caught in his throat. He had expected this moment to be difficult, but he hadn't anticipated this level of raw honesty from her. His heart ached as he looked into her eyes, searching for the words that had been stuck in his throat for so long.

"I don't know what to say," he finally admitted, his voice barely a whisper. "I've been in love with you for so long, but I didn't know how to tell you. I was too afraid of ruining everything."

Ishwaani looked at him, her eyes soft with understanding.

"I know," she said quietly. "

Harshan nodded slowly, the pain in his chest becoming almost unbearable. He had wanted so badly for things to be different. But life, it seemed, had other plans. And as he looked into her eyes one last time, he knew that their paths were diverging.

"I guess this is goodbye then," he said, his voice cracking.

Ishwaani smiled faintly, though there was sadness in her eyes.

"Goodbye, Harshan," she said softly. "And thank you."

As they parted ways that day, Harsha felt a sense of loss that he couldn't quite describe. He had finally told her how he felt, but it wasn't enough. There was so much left unsaid, so many emotions that had been locked away for too long.

The only thing Harshan had left now were memories, and those memories would stay with him, etched into his heart forever.