“You know…I saw a reel once. Mocking ‘that one girl in class’ jo hamesha akele baithti thi, the so-called topper. And I related so hard with her. People were making fun in the comment section but I felt attacked. Why are we mocked? Just because hum confident nhi hote saamne se baat krne mai, padhte jyada hai, doesn’t mean we’re not humans with emotions and feelings.”

(Mocking ‘that one girl in class’ who always sat alone, the so-called topper….Just because we don’t feel confident to talk directly, study more doesn’t mean we are not humans with emotions and feelings.)

He spat out angrily. He sniffed again and wiped his tears again.

“Par wo phase khatam hua. I entered college. Thoda confidence aaya. Laga ki shayad yaha koi dost mil jaayega. Par waha toh environment hi alag tha. Sabke pehle se groups bane huye the. Koi school se saath tha, koi paas rehta tha toh saath tha, aur kuch bas…saath the. Aap jaante sabko the but koi aapka aapna nhi tha.”

(But that phase got over. I entered college. I got some confidence. I thought that maybe I would make friend here. But the environment was completely different there. Everyone was already divided into groups. Some were together since school, some were together because they lived close, and some…were just together. You knew everyone but no one was your own.)

She couldn’t even imagine how difficult it must have been for him. A life so lonely. Not having anyone to share feelings and thoughts with.

“But then…2nd semester mai…one of them approached. He started talking to me. Angad. We became friends. I was so happy and excited because he was my first friend. In my entire life. But…”

(But then…in the 2^nd semester…one of them approached.)

The way he left the sentence scared her. She looked at him in anticipation. He sighed before continuing.

“Wo actually kabhi mera dost banne ke intention se aaya hi nhi tha. He wanted to get my father’s contact through me. For his internship and future opportunities. Usne bola mujhse…and I said that yeah…I could do it…talk to dad for him. And when he got what he wanted…he just left. Agle din se…saath baithna band kr dia. College mai baat krna band krdia. Calls uthane band kr diye. Messages ka reply krna band krdia. And I realised…I realised.”

(He never really came with the intention to be my friend….He told me this…and I said yeah…I could it…talk to dad for him….From the next day…he stopped sitting beside me. Stopped talking to me in college. Stopped picking up my calls. Stopped replying to my messages.)

He then chuckled painfully and turned to her.

“Tumne kaha tha na…that love is something which gives you memories that leave a smile on your face. Not for everyone. Not for me. Kyunki maine jis kisi se bhi pyaar kia hai na….everyone has given me only pain and betrayal.”

(You said…Because whoever I’ve loved…everyone has given me only pain and betrayal.)

The room was silent for a long time. The sounds of harsh breaths echoed. Priya sniffed and looked up at him. Atharva had looked away, realising that he spoke too much.

“Mr. Sehgal…look at me.”

He didn’t budge. She called again, trying to turn his face towards her. He resisted.

“Atharva! Meri taraf dekhiye.”

(Look at me.)

His breath hitched. His name. From her mouth. For the first time. He looked at her and saw her eyes red due to the tears she shed. Because of him. For him.

She cupped his face and made him look into her eyes as she spoke.

“I’m sorry that you had to suffer all that alone. And I hate what everyone did to you. They did not deserve you, Atharva. Your parents…they don’t deserve a son like you. The kids in your school, college, that Angad…they didn’t deserve a friend like you.”

Her thumbs caressed his cheek lightly as she whispered.

“You’re so strong. It’s not easy…doing everything that you’ve done…achieving what you’ve achieved at such a young age when you don’t have anyone to push you forward but only people to pull you back. But you’ve done it, Atharva. Ye company…the empire that you’ve created…do you have any idea isse kitne logo ka ghar chalta hai. Ye chhoti baat nhi hai. All because you have done it. And I’m so proud of you, Atharva.”

(do you have any idea how many people’s livelihood is dependent on it. This is not a small thing.)

Her words worked like balm on his wounds. He had wanted to listen to these words all his life. Listen to someone being proud of him. Proud of what he’d achieved. 

“You…you’re proud of me?”

His voice came out choked. She nodded and repeated her words.

“I am. So so proud of you.”

Priya let out a surprised gasp when Atharva pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly, letting his tears fall freely as he let his emotions flow.

Priya got over the initial shock and hugged him back tighter. Partying his head with one hand and his back with the other hand. She couldn’t control her feelings anymore. 

She knew this might change things forever. But she wanted him to know. Needed him to know that he wasn’t unloved. That she loved him.

“Atharva? I…I love you.”

She felt him freeze. His hold on her loosened and he pulled back completely. Priya’s breath wavered as she whispered the words again.

“I love you.”

She rested her forehead against hers and repeated them once more.

“I love you.”

His fists clenched at his sides. He closed his eyes and held her shoulders before pushing her away lightly and leaving the room. Priya knew he would react like this.

He didn’t come out of his office the entire day later and she didn’t bother him, giving him time to think and process. They did not address the topic the next day. Or the day after that. 

Her confession was left as unaddressed and things were slowly back to normal. One outing and things were good again. Atharva felt lighter. He might not be aware about his own feelings but it felt good to know that there was someone who chose him. Loved him.

Every time he looked at her, he felt giddy with happiness. She loved him. Priya saw the change in him but didn’t comment. She understood that he was confused. 

Priya took off one Friday and Saturday. It was her best friend’s wedding. Atharva missed her terribly. Usually, when he came back from the office, she would be there. Ready with some fun activity. A game or just something for them to do.

But those two days felt like two years without her. Each minute felt like a day. He would check his phone every 5 minutes to see if there was some update from her side.

It was Sunday morning and Atharva had been scrolling the same set of pictures he had been seeing since the previous night.

Priya uploaded her pictures from the wedding on Instagram. He was smiling and admiring her in all of them. Until that one picture which irked him to no extent.

His gaze was constantly fixed on it. Noticing each detail. The magnanimous smile on her face. Matching with that idiot’s. One of her arms pushing her hair back and the other across his waist. But what irked him the most was the hand around her waist. 

The man, no, boy held her waist almost possessively. Atharva knew just by looking at the picture that the boy had feelings for his Priya.

He clicked his phone shut and closed his eyes in irritation. The door was barged open and Priya entered unaware of the storm she had caused in him.