A Morning of Suspicions
The morning sunlight filtered through the classroom windows, casting soft golden hues over the wooden desks. Yet, despite the peaceful setting, my mind was far from calm.
I tapped my fingers against the desk, lost in thought. Someone had broken into my house and… kissed me. The more I thought about it, the more my frustration grew. How could someone invade my space like that? And more importantly—who was it?
"Good morning, Harsh."
A soft, melodic voice pulled me from my tangled thoughts. I blinked and turned toward the source.
Standing beside me was Shruti, my classmate. Her long, silky black hair framed her delicate features, and her deep brown eyes held a hint of curiosity. She placed her bag on her seat before stepping closer.
"Oh, good morning, Shruti," I said, shaking off my daze.
She tilted her head slightly, studying me. "You seem to be in deep thought. Are you stuck on a math problem? I can help! Is it limits, continuity, or derivatives?" Her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. It was no surprise—she had ranked first in the last semester's exams.
I let out a sigh. "It's not about math…"
"Then what is it?" she asked, her voice laced with genuine concern.
I hesitated for a moment before deciding to tell her everything—about what happened at the temple six months ago, the mysterious note, and the recent events.
As I finished, she placed a hand over her mouth, her eyes widening slightly. "Oh my… That happened at my family's temple?"
Her words made me pause. "Wait… your family's temple?"
She smiled, folding her hands behind her back. "Yes. My family runs and operates that temple. I actually help out there as a temple servant too."
I stared at her in disbelief. "Wait… Seriously?! That's your home?!"
She giggled. "Hehe, it's not like I advertise it to the world, you know."
I took a deep breath, trying to process the new information. If she lived there, that meant she was always at the temple. Which also meant…
"Hold on," I said slowly. "You're always at the temple? Every evening?"
Shruti nodded. "Yes! I do the cleaning, take care of small chores, and help my mom with whatever she needs."
I frowned slightly, trying to piece everything together. "But… I don't remember seeing you there. Did you start working recently?"
She shook her head. "Nope! I've been helping out since I was little."
"O-Oh, I see. That's really nice of you, helping your parents like that," I said, still deep in thought.
Then, Shruti's lips curled into a teasing smile. "Ohhh, I see what's happening here~" she said, leaning closer. "You're suspecting me of kissing you and leaving that note, aren't you?"
"H-Huh?!" My eyes widened in panic. "N-No! I wasn't saying that you did it, I just—"
She giggled, tilting her head playfully. "Hehe~ Okay then. You can question me all you want and try to get the truth out of me to your heart's content."
Her confidence threw me off. But more than that, she was staring directly into my eyes—so intensely that I could feel my heartbeat quicken.
"W-Why are you staring at me like that?" I stammered.
Shruti smirked. "People say you can see the truth in someone's eyes. So? What do you see? Any lies? Any dishonesty?"
She leaned in closer, her face just inches from mine. Her deep brown eyes were mesmerizing up close, and the faint scent of jasmine lingered in the air. My throat went dry. She was too close—so close that I could see the faintest blush dusting her cheeks.
I turned away in embarrassment. "T-That's not fair…"
She giggled again. But then, a thought struck me. Wait… This is my chance!
If she was the one behind the note, she might give herself away. And if she liked me, then there was a good chance she was the mystery kisser.
I turned back, locking eyes with her.
Shruti blinked. "Huh?! W-Why are you staring at me now?"
I smirked. "I've decided. I'm going to check and make sure whether it was you or not until I'm satisfied. You're not allowed to look away."
I remembered something I read on Vaishu's phone—if you stare into a girl's eyes and she starts blushing, that means she likes you.
One Mississippi… Two Mississippi…
Shruti's face turned red in an instant. Her fingers fidgeted, and she waved her hands in a panic. "H-Huh?! W-What are you doing?"
Her cheeks were practically the color of a ripe tomato.
"… Um, Harsh… I-I'm really sorry, but if you keep staring at me like that, it's going to make me really nervous…" she mumbled, tapping her index fingers together. "I-I don't know how to react…"
My heart skipped a beat.
"I-I'm sorry!" I blurted out, quickly turning away and scratching the back of my head.
Then, she whispered something so softly that I almost missed it.
"… I-It's not like I didn't like it…"
I froze. My eyes widened.
Did she just… admit that she liked it?
Does that mean… Shruti likes me?!
And if she does—then maybe, just maybe—she was the one who left the letter in the temple.
A Morning of Closure and New Beginnings
Just as I was settling back into my thoughts, a loud voice from the doorway snapped me out of it.
"Hey, Harsh! There's someone who wants to meet you!"
I turned to see one of my classmates standing there, waving at me.
I glanced at Shruti, who was still standing nearby, her eyes filled with unspoken curiosity. "I have to go. Bye, Shruti," I said with a small smile before making my way toward the door.
The moment I stepped outside, my steps faltered slightly.
Leaning casually against the wall across the hallway, arms crossed, was Shreya.
Her long, wavy hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her sharp, confident gaze met mine. But today, something about her expression was different—there was no teasing smirk, no playful glint in her eyes. Instead, she looked… hesitant.
The moment I saw her, memories of that Saturday flooded my mind—the prank, the humiliation, the disappointment. It's funny how human nature works. We tend to remember the painful moments far more vividly than the happy ones.
Still, I took a deep breath and walked up to her. "Hey."
"Hi," she said, her voice quieter than usual. "I wanted to talk to you about Saturday…"
I let out a small chuckle, shaking my head. "Don't worry about it," I said, keeping my tone light. "Honestly, I don't mind anymore. I was the one who ruined our friendship by asking you out. If we had just stayed friends like before, we probably would've laughed about it together, just like we always do when something stupid happens."
I sighed and looked at her seriously. "Just… don't pull pranks like that on others, okay?"
Shreya's eyes widened slightly. "About that… I didn't know about the prank at all," she said firmly.
I tilted my head, surprised, but I simply smiled. "It's okay. You wanted to enjoy your life, and that's fine. Just be careful not to hurt anyone while doing it, alright?"
Her expression changed—frustration, confusion, and something else I couldn't quite place flickered in her eyes. "Why are you saying this?" she demanded. "Why aren't you mad at me? I rejected you, I didn't show up to our date, and my friends made fun of you… Why are you just letting it go?"
I looked at her, the weight of my realization settling in.
"Why?" I repeated, letting the words sink in. Then, with a deep breath, I said, "Because I was expecting something from the wrong person."
Shreya blinked, startled.
"You're not the girl who kissed me that night at the temple. And I'm not mad because… I was the one who fell for you, thinking you were the girl who left me that note. I mistook a fleeting moment of physical contact for something deeper. That was my mistake. Love isn't about that—it's about something real, something that makes you feel at home in someone's heart."
I exhaled slowly before continuing. "You had your own feelings, and you had every right to reject me. And honestly? I'm thankful you did."
Shreya's lips parted slightly, but no words came out.
"If you hadn't rejected me, I never would've started looking for the girl who kissed me that night at the temple." A small smile formed on my lips. "And I'm also thankful you didn't show up that day. Because my first date… I want that to be with someone who loves me from the bottom of her heart. Someone who kissed me without thinking and left a note, telling me to find her."
A heavy silence hung between us.
Shreya's gaze wavered, but she didn't say anything.
I gave her one last nod. "I should get back to class. Take care, Shreya."
And with that, I turned and walked away.
Back to Class
The moment I stepped into the classroom, I noticed the energy in the air was different. The usual morning hum of conversations was replaced by a louder-than-usual buzz—students whispering, giggling, exchanging glances.
I ignored it and made my way to my seat, but before I could sit down, a familiar figure stepped toward me.
It was him. The guy I had fought with at the mall.
He pulled out the chair next to mine and sat down, his expression unusually serious.
"I'm… sorry for what happened on Saturday," he said.
I blinked in surprise. What is it with today? Is it some kind of national apology day?
I raised an eyebrow. "You already apologized that day. Why again?"
He hesitated for a second, then let out a small sigh. "You were… Never mind," he muttered.
That's when I noticed it.
His right cheek—slightly swollen.
I frowned. "Your face… Does it hurt?"
He smirked slightly. "Wanna feel my pain?"
"Nope, I'm good," I said quickly, leaning back in my seat.
He let out a dry chuckle. "Alright then. See you around."
With that, he got up and walked back to his seat.
I exhaled, shaking my head. Today was turning out to be a really weird day.
But somehow, despite everything that had happened—the prank, the rejection, the fight—my heart felt lighter.
Because earlier, when I spoke with Shruti… my heart raced like never before.
And for the first time in a while, I wasn't thinking about my past regrets.
I was looking forward.