Love Before Graduation

I really tried to focus.

Swear on my father's name.

But that damn pen slipped from my hand twice.

As if it had already signed a contract for my humiliation.

Arin—yeah, the guy with the "everyone's favorite smile"—bent down and picked up the pen.

Said nothing. Just that faint smile.

The kind girls paste in their diaries.

And boys—like Tenzin—burn with envy over.

From behind, Tenzin whispered, loud enough to be heard,

"Bro, our man's sitting in VIP today!"

There was nothing real about his 'brotherhood'.

Even his laughter felt like it was mourning something.

Riyan—who always looked like he was one gust away from a ceiling fan-induced death—snapped,

"And I'm stuck under this haunted fan!"

Everyone laughed. Me too. Arin as well.

The teacher looked over—said, "Silence."

We shut up. But Tenzin? He never obeyed.

"Switch seats with me once, man! Let me have that top view too!"

Arin leaned back slightly, his eyes empty of light.

"Tenzin."

"What?"

Me and Riyan paused. Something had shifted in the air.

"Don't you think you should be paying attention to Suhina?"

He said it like a surgeon making a precise incision.

"If you keep hanging around Aira like this, Suhina might do something rash.

Forgot what happened last time?"

Tenzin went quiet.

That swagger, that smirk—gone.

And me?

I wondered—was this about me? Or was he really worried about Suhina?

I tried to lighten the mood like an idiot.

"Chill, guys..."

Riyan muttered,

"You always make Suhina the villain."

Arin said—without missing a beat,

"Because she is. And you're blind."

"Love or stupidity—same difference."

Tenzin exploded,

"I don't like it when you talk about Suhina like that!"

"Enough!"

I snapped.

Looked at Arin—my glare said more than words.

He looked back—coldly.

"Sit straight."

I sat. Like a soldier obeying an order.

Riyan leaned over,

"Aira, don't take it to heart..."

Then punched Arin on the back—playfully, but hard.

Arin jerked forward—right toward me.

The teacher saw it.

But he's human too—sometimes he lets things slide.

"Seems like our new student is grabbing all the attention today!"

Laughter again. From everyone.

Even from the guy who just told me to "sit straight."

Class returned to its old rhythm.

Tenzin and Arin—back to being boys. Like nothing happened.

What a joke.

I glanced at Arin—for just a second.

Then he leaned in and slid a small candy toward me.

I looked at him—"Why?"

He grabbed both ears—a silent apology. Not filmy, but sly.

Like he knew this would make it okay.

I took the candy.

Said nothing.

The rain had stopped. Class was almost over.

But some strange dampness still lingered inside me.

---

There were no heroes here. No pure, innocent girl either.

Arin was sweet—but full of poison.

Tenzin was loyal—but his eyes always doubted.

Riyan seemed decent—but all he ever did was complain about his seat.

And me?

What was I?

Maybe just the place where everyone dumped their frustrations.

Everyone wanted something—love, friendship, attention, or just to win.

And me—I was like that pen—falling again and again, picked up by someone else each time