Love Before Graduation

We thought the matter was over.

But no, it was just a simmering storm, ready to raise its head again.

In the hot afternoon sun, while the children were running around like ants in the field, Nami and I reluctantly settled down in our respective places. There was a stone bench, whose coolness also contained the anger of the afternoon.

I poked my food with my fork as if it were a corpse.

Nami mumbled, crushing her juice box,

"Something is cooking."

I looked up.

There it was—Suhina.

In the midst of her flock, making poison.

She glanced at me every few seconds, then disappeared into a deep whisper.

As if she was plotting some great conspiracy, but there was a layer of stupidity on her face, which anyone could read.

I laughed and twisted the fork.

"Let her fall into her own trap."

Nami smiled, like a soldier's eyes shine before a battle. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"This is my girl."

All day long I had behaved like a bewildered monkey—

When she bumped into my shoulder, I just bowed my head.

When her words hit my back like smoke, I smiled.

Her courage grew.

She hovered around Arin, listing my faults.

She thought she would change the story.

She thought I would keep quiet.

But stories don't change like that.

The last period was like the last scene of a funny play.

Project presentations were going on.

Suhina took over the stage.

"Miss Sharma," her voice was sweet, but there was a venom inside,

"Should we get marks not just on results, but also on efforts?"

The whole class knew where the arrow was aimed. I said, leaning back in my chair,

"Yeah, like people who pretend to be innocent but can't really live without a spectacle."

Her face cracked a little.

"I was just talking about responsibility."

I rested my fingers on my chin,

"Like the day you were filling Arin with bad things About me?"

The room gasped.

Heads turned.

Chairs creaked.

Arin raised his head.

"Who are you talking about?"

There was no softness in her voice, no anger

just a silence that could choke someone.

"I was just..." Suhina's words caught in her throat.

"I was taking care of arin."

"I don't need to be protected from that," Arin said, as if he was passing judgement.

"But your words... are now visible to everyone."

Suhina's face looked as if someone had thrown water on it—washed out, devastated.

A few heads shook in the room.

Miss Sharma coughed and said,

"Let's settle personal enmity outside. Continue with the presentation."

The decision had been made.

Suhina got up.

Her gait was no longer as stiff as before.

She was dragging her feet.

Her face was tense, but not defeated.

Her silence was a promise—that she would return again.

After the break, Nami held my hand.

"Did you see her face? As if she had chewed the whole bitter lemon!"

I laughed.

A broad, loud, free laugh.

"I told you, she will get herself into trouble."

We disappeared into the crowd.

But I froze.

Arin was still sitting at his desk, flipping through his notebook.

As if nothing had changed for him.

I was about to start walking when his voice stopped me.

"Do you think I'm your personal library?"

I raised my eyebrows.

"What?"

He raised his head.

There was a coldness in his eyes, but a slight smile at the corners.

"You always borrow my notebook. This time bring yours, and that notebook of mine too, which you've borrowed for so many days."

I crossed my arms, "Okay? Now the complaints start?"

He didn't smile, just turned a page.

But there was a spark in his eyes that anyone could see.

Suhina had lost today,

But the fight was still on.

And Arin?

He wasn't open like a book.

He was a puzzle that would probably take the whole story to solve.