Love Before Graduation

Tuition finally ended — and it felt like my heart let out a long, tired breath.

"Thank God..."

That awkward, tangled, sometimes funny, sometimes silently suffocating session was finally over.

I quietly closed my notebook and slipped it into my bag... along with that candy Arin had given me.

I’d told myself, "It doesn’t mean anything."

And yet, I kept it.

As if someone had silently touched my hand and said, "You still matter."

The rain had stopped, but the air was still damp — like the scent of dried tears on an old love letter.

With each step, my sneakers splashed a little — water, memories, or maybe some nameless feeling.

I couldn’t tell.

"I’m starving now, yaar," Riyan muttered, like he was carrying a burden he couldn’t wait to drop.

Tenzen had already dashed ahead, hopping over puddles toward the tea stall.

"Wanna race?" he called out into the breeze.

"No race happening," Riyan grumbled — and still ran a little.

I walked behind them, slowly.

Arin was beside me again.

As always.

Not too close, not too far.

Just... there.

Like a quiet prayer that walks beside you without making a sound.

We didn’t speak.

But for the first time, the silence didn’t feel heavy.

It felt... calm.

Almost comforting.

"Do you still overthink everything?" he asked, like his voice had just drifted out of a book’s folded page, scented like a pressed flower.

I looked at him.

"You still say weird things and expect me to understand without any context?"

He just smiled... that same quiet smile... that said everything without saying anything at all.

We reached the turn — where the road split into two: one his way, one mine.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" he asked — not like a casual question, but like he was asking for a promise.

"Maybe."

I said it with my lips,

...but my heart whispered — "Yes. Always."

He turned away, hands tucked into his pockets, walking off like he hadn’t just shaken my world...

like he hadn’t just left behind a hundred unsaid things.

I turned down my street, pulling my hoodie tighter over my head.

Like my heart was trying to hide something.

"Arin... what are you doing?"

And more importantly —

"What are you making me do?"

The moment I sat in the auto, the wind brushed against my face — cool and soft.

Maybe it was the weather.

Or maybe... it was him.

I don’t think he’s a bad person.

He’s... something else.

Something you can’t explain, but can’t ignore either.

I like him.

A lot, maybe.

(And for the first time, I didn’t lie to myself about it.)

A silly smile crept across my face — and the uncle sitting across looked at me like I was crazy.

Maybe I am crazy.

But not for just any boy.

For Arin.

And he... he’s anything but ordinary.

When I reached home, the sky was dipped in soft orange — like God had gently poured a prayer down from above.

The smell of warm dal-chawal wrapped around me like a mother’s hug.

"Uff, I’m dying of hunger!" I declared dramatically, tossing my bag on the sofa.

My little brother peeked out from behind the couch — hair wild like he’d been at war with his pillow.

"You always walk in like you just returned from some pilgrimage in Turkey or something."

"Says the kid who cried because his Maggi was too spicy," I shot back.

"Hey!" he yelled, and took off after me.

I laughed and ran toward the kitchen.

Maa just smiled, like she always does — like her smile is the quiet answer to every question.

We sat at the dinner table.

He ate like he was winning a food contest.

"You eat like you just escaped the jungle," I said. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

"And you ride in autos smiling to yourself like there’s a love story playing in your head," he replied with a full mouth.

I froze.

"You were spying on me?"

"Nope," he smirked. "Just a guess. But your face gave it all away.

Got it right, didn’t I?"

I threw a napkin at him.

"Shut up and eat."

He laughed.

And in that moment... everything felt lighter.

After dinner, I went to my room.

Studied for a bit.

But sleep started to weigh down my eyes.

The moment I lay down...

the whole day played in my head like a quiet film.

And then...

I remembered the candy.

I got up, pulled it out of my bag.

Held it in my hand.

Looked up at the ceiling.

"Why did you give this, Arin?"

As a joke?

As an apology?

Or... as a secret you couldn’t say out loud?

I got up, took out my diary.

Flipped to an empty page.

Glued the candy there.

Drew a tiny heart beside it, in red ink.

"You’re the only one who’s been reading my story with Arin, silently," I whispered to the diary.

"You never say a word, but you always understand."

I closed the diary.

Turned off the light.

And lay down, holding that candy close to my heart.

Sleep was coming.

But the sweetness...

was still there.