Chapter 19
Aditi's Perspective
The next morning, I walked into school, my mind still swirling with thoughts of last night. Kabir's teasing, the ride on my Activa, and that look in his eyes—I couldn't shake any of it. I tried to focus on the day ahead, but every time I thought of Kabir, a strange mix of excitement and nervousness bubbled up inside me.
When I reached the classroom, I found Raghav already in his usual spot, scribbling something in his notebook. As soon as he saw me, a mischievous grin spread across his face.
"Good morning, Miss Frosty," he teased, clearly referencing the nickname Kabir had given me. "Late-night adventures, huh?"
I rolled my eyes, trying to keep it cool. "Please, Raghav. Stop trying to make something out of nothing. Waise, tum aur Arushi kal kaafi waqt saath mein bita rahe the, hmm?"
His grin widened as he leaned back in his chair. "Arre, kuch nahi. Just catching up Waise bhi, she's gone back home today."
I caught the slight hint of disappointment in his voice, but I decided not to dig further. Instead, I raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Oh, so you're back to your single status now? Time to find someone else to tease?"
He chuckled, nudging me with his elbow. "Why? Feeling insecure already? Afraid I'll steal Kabir from you?"
I shoved him lightly, laughing. "Shut up, Raghav. Kabir and I are just friends, nothing more."
"Sure, sure," he said with a wink, clearly not convinced. "That's why you were acting all shy last night, right? Just friends, huh?"
Before I could respond, the door swung open, and PT sir strode in, his expression as stern as ever. The classroom quickly quieted down as all eyes turned to him.
"Good morning, students," he began, his voice booming. "I have an announcement. There will be an inter-house boxing match for boys this Saturday. Any interested students should come forward and get their names written down."
The room buzzed with excitement as PT sir's words sank in. Boxing matches were a big deal at our school—intense, competitive, and full of adrenaline. I glanced around, wondering who would sign up, when I noticed Kabir standing up from his seat.
He walked confidently to the front of the class, scribbling his name on the list without a moment's hesitation. My heart skipped a beat as I watched him, pride swelling up in my chest. Kabir always had this way of taking on challenges with ease, but there was something about this that made me feel anxious too. What if he got hurt?
As he returned to his seat, Priya, who was sitting beside him, turned to him with a wide smile. "Wow, Kabir! That's so cool of you to sign up. You're brave."
I felt a sudden, sharp pang in my chest. Priya's words and the way she looked at him with admiration—it made me feel... jealous. I tried to ignore it, but the feeling lingered. Why did it bother me so much that she was sitting beside him, complimenting him?
Raghav, ever observant, noticed the slight frown on my face and leaned in closer. "What's this? Your 'just friend' is getting some attention, and you're not liking it?"
I shot him a glare, trying to mask my irritation. "Raghav, seriously. There's nothing going on between us."
He smirked, clearly enjoying my discomfort. "Yeah, sure. You keep telling yourself that."
I was about to retort when Kabir glanced over at me, catching my eye. He gave me a small, playful smile, and for a moment, the jealousy I felt melted away. It was just Kabir being Kabir—always confident, always teasing. But then I remembered Priya's words and the way she was still looking at him, and the jealousy crept back in.
Raghav nudged me again, bringing me back to the present. "So, are you going to wish him luck? Or just keep glaring at Priya?"
I rolled my eyes, trying to shake off the jealousy. "It's just a boxing match, Raghav. No big deal."
"Sure, it is," he said, leaning back in his chair with a knowing smile. "But don't be surprised if it turns into something more."
I didn't bother replying, choosing instead to focus on the lesson as the teacher entered the room. But even as the class began, my thoughts kept drifting back to Kabir—and the way Priya had looked at him. I tried to push it out of my mind, telling myself it didn't matter, that Kabir and I were just friends. But the feeling of jealousy lingered, gnawing at the back of my mind.
Kabir's Perspective
The morning air was crisp as I made my way to school, the events from last night swirling in my mind. Aditi's teasing, her smile, and the way she looked at me before I left—it all felt like a whirlwind of emotions that I couldn't quite figure out. But one thing was clear: I couldn't get her out of my head.
As I reached the school gate, I spotted Raghav waiting for me, his usual smirk firmly in place. He looked like he was up to something, which, knowing him, was probably true.
"Morning, lover boy," he greeted me with a grin, clearly enjoying himself. "How was the ride with Frosty last night?"
I rolled my eyes, trying to play it off. "Morning, Raghav. And it was just a ride, nothing more."
Raghav raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Sure, just a ride. You've got that 'thinking about her all night' look, you know?"
I laughed, shaking my head. "And you've got that 'trying to annoy me' look."
He chuckled, nudging me with his elbow as we walked toward the classroom. "Well, I'm glad you're not denying it. So, are you going to sign up for the boxing match today? Impress Frosty and all?"
I hadn't really thought about it before, but the idea of signing up for the match didn't seem too bad. Especially if it meant having Aditi's attention, even if it was just for a moment. "Maybe I will," I said, shrugging casually.
Raghav's grin widened. "Now we're talking! She'll definitely be watching you if you do. And who knows, maybe she'll even cheer you on."
We entered the classroom, and I found my seat from yesterday, settling in with a quick glance around to see if Aditi was here yet. The thought of her walking in, her usual confident stride and that spark in her eyes, made me smile.
A few minutes later, the door opened, and Aditi walked in. Her presence was like a burst of energy, and I couldn't help but grin as she made her way over to us. She looked calm and composed, but there was always that hint of mischief in her eyes, the one that kept me on my toes.
Raghav started talking to her as soon as she arrived, and they slipped into their usual banter. I watched from my seat, feeling a strange mix of anticipation and nervousness. Aditi's laughter rang out clearly as she responded to Raghav's teasing, but I couldn't catch the details of their conversation.
The door to the classroom opened, and PT sir walked in with a clipboard in hand, immediately drawing everyone's attention. He cleared his throat and addressed the class.
"Alright, everyone. There's an inter-house boxing match for the boys this Saturday. If you're interested, come up and write your name on the list."
The classroom buzzed with murmurs and excitement. I glanced over at Aditi, curious about her reaction. She was chatting with Raghav, and I saw her expression shift slightly when PT sir mentioned the boxing match. There was a fleeting look of interest—or maybe it was concern. Hard to tell from where I was sitting.
I took a deep breath and stood up, walking over to the board where the sign-up list was posted. I wrote my name down, trying to ignore the growing sense of unease mixed with excitement. As I turned around, I caught a glimpse of Aditi's reaction from the corner of my eye. She looked over at me just as Priya leaned in from the adjacent seat, her voice enthusiastic.
"Wow, Kabir! You're signing up? That's so cool!"
I gave Priya a polite smile, trying to focus on the encouraging words but aware of Aditi's gaze. When I looked back at her, I saw a slight frown on her face—was it jealousy? Or was she just surprised? I couldn't be sure, but the thought of her possibly being bothered by my decision was oddly comforting.
As the bell rang and the class began, I took my seat, trying to concentrate on the lesson. But my mind kept drifting back to Aditi and her reaction. What did she really think about me signing up? Was she feeling something at all? The idea of her cheering me on or even just being there to watch was enough to make my heart race.
The rest of the day felt like a blur as I tried to focus on classes while my thoughts kept returning to the upcoming boxing match and what it might mean for me and Aditi. Whatever was happening, I knew one thing for sure: I was eager to find out.