700 ᏦᎥᏝᎧᎷᏋᏖᏒᏋᏕ ᏗᏇᏗᎩ

Chapter 6: The Beginning They Never Knew

The call ended, and Dharan gently placed the old mobile down beside him. The screen was slightly cracked, and the speaker distorted voices when the signal dropped, but right now, it felt like gold in his hands. The voice of his best friend still echoed in his ears-broken, tired, but alive. Dharan closed his eyes for a second, as if storing that voice inside forever.

"Did you finally talk to him?" came a voice from behind.

He looked up. A girl stood , holding two steel coffee tumblers. Her face wasn't clearly visible in the dim glow, but her tone carried familiarity-and something more.

"You tried so hard to repair that stupid phone," she added, sitting beside him. "You've never even asked me for money before. Not once. But this time, you did. Just to fix this old model."

He smiled faintly, brushing his thumb over the keypad.

"Yeah... worth every penny," he muttered.

She sipped the coffee in silence, then tilted her head. "So... did he say anything about her?"

Dharan didn't answer at once. The girl continued.

"I still remember the farewell day. When Harshan stood there, a little awkward, and apologised to her for his one-sided love. And she smiled. Mildly. No reply. He walked away quietly, right?"

Dharan exhaled slowly. "One side..." he echoed, chuckling sadly. "Now he's not here, so he won't scold me for saying this out loud."

He turned to her. "It was never a one-sided love. That's just something Harshan made up. For her sake. For her safety. For peace, maybe. But no, they were in love. Both of them. Quietly. Secretly. The world never knew the real story."

The girl's expression froze. "But how?"

Chapter 6: The Beginning They Never Knew

"It all started... on the very first day of 11th."

The school corridor was busy that morning-bags rustling, voices bouncing off the walls, new students pacing in search of classrooms. The scent of fresh notebooks and new uniforms lingered in the air. Harshan, nervous and introverted, walked quickly through the main hallway, hoping to avoid unnecessary attention.

He turned the sharp corner near the stairwell-too fast.

Thud.

Two heads collided. A soft "Ow..." escaped from a girl's lips.

"I-I'm sorry," Harshan stuttered, already stepping back in panic. His eyes barely met hers. She was holding her forehead and smiling awkwardly.

"No, no, I didn't see you coming either," she said gently. "Sorry for the bump. Uh... excuse me?"

Harshan froze.

"I'm new here," the girl continued. "Do you know where the principal's office is? I need to pay my pending fees."

He didn't know what to say. His throat dried. Her voice was sweet-clear and polite. His heart raced, but not from any romantic flutter. It was just panic. This was his nightmare: being pulled into a conversation out of nowhere.

He quickly muttered directions-short and vague-and half-ran away.

In his head: I hope I never see her again. Please be in some other class. Maybe 9th? She looked young... Her voice though...

He reached his class, pulled out a book, and tried to reset his mind. First period was about to begin. The teacher entered and started the roll call.

Then came the soft knock.

"Excuse me, ma'am?"

He turned around. His heart dropped.

It was her.

"I've been to the principal's office to pay the pending fee. I'm Ishwaani Hanshi, the new student," she said, standing with a calm smile.

The teacher waved her in. "It's alright. Take a seat anywhere."

Whispers floated through the class. Everyone noticed her. Her calm demeanor, her grace, the elegance in her voice. Boys exchanged impressed glances. Girls whispered about her poise and confidence.

But one student sank further into his seat.

Harshan.

He looked down at his notebook, praying she wouldn't sit anywhere near him. His mind was already spinning.

Why here? Why this class?

And just like that, fate had pushed them into the same space. From that single collision at the stairs to a hundred days ahead of shared silence, hidden glances, and stories never told.

~ author note

Actually I'm having some work ongoing after finishing I'll publish chapters regularly Thank you for supporting.