Krisha's POV:-

The lockdown, strangely, made my 8th-grade studies incredibly smooth. With online classes, who needed to pay full, undivided attention? I could easily switch the teacher's video to the corner of the screen and secretly open TikTok or WhatsApp.

Aryan was right there in the other window, messaging like a fellow crazy class bunker. We had become masters of hiding our screen activity from our family members.

The hardest part wasn't the homework,it was stifling the sudden, involuntary giggles that wanted to burst out whenever Aryan sent a joke. I had become a pro at instantly schooling my face into a look of deep concentration to avoid Grandma's sharp eye.

Our new favorite topic was the sheer chaos of online learning-teachers yelling into mute microphones, students mischief, and the general feeling that this was our era, the students finally having the upper hand.

I felt safe in this digital bubble, untouchable and hidden. So, when Grandma asked me to quickly run to the nearby shop for milk, I didn't think twice about my appearance. Why bother changing?! threw on the first thing I saw-a faded, oversized t-shirt, messy hair sticking out everywhere, and a face that was definitely still half-asleep. I looked, honestly, completely devastated and sloppy, but it was just the corner shop. Who would possibly see me?

The moment I stepped out onto the quiet street, fate decided to play its cruelest, most embarrassing joke. I came to a dead halt as a scooty zoomed around the corner and screeched to a stop inches from my leg.

My heart seized up, both from the near-accident and the immediate, catastrophic realization. It was Aryan's black scooty, and Krish was driving.

The riding pillion, looking perfectly groomed and handsome, was Aryan. The world tilted violently. Oh my god. He saw me.

He saw me looking like this! My hair was a bird's nest! I was wearing a t-shirt I probably slept in! I looked like a beggar who had just rolled out of a ditch! I am utterly damned now; I have embarrassed myself beyond measure in front of the one person I idolize.

Krish started to twist around, clearly intending to apologize for the near-hit, but I didn't wait. My cheeks burning with shame and utter humiliation, I instantly ducked my head down, covered my face with my arm, and ran blindly back toward my house.

As I fled, I caught a sliver of movement from the corner of my eye: Aryan was smiling. Or maybe smirking. How can he laugh at me like this? Hmph! I vowed internally, sprinting full speed.

He wouldn't get away with that smirk. I'll see him after, in the chats, and he'll pay for making me run like this! (Muh toh khulta nahi uske samne 🤦🏻‍♀️ kya gundi banegi re tu)

I twisted, I rolled, I groaned into my pillow-all that frantic physical motion was the only way to release the volcanic shame that was bubbling inside me. He saw mel Aryan saw me looking like absolute garbage, like I hadn't brushed my hair or washed my face in days! Every nerve ending was screaming, fueled by the memory of that near-hit and, worst of all, his faint smile.

I finally stumbled off the bed and stood before the mirror, dreading what I would see. The sight was confirmation of my worst fears: my skin looked dull, my hair was a tangled mess.

Ugly, I thought, the word tasted bitter and true. How could I possibly like someone like Aryan? He's immaculate, the definition of cool and handsome. I am nothing like him. I'm so inadequate, so ugly. He deserves a girl who looks put-together, a girl who doesn't panic and run when faced with reality. My hopeless crush felt like a cruel joke now, magnifying every flaw I already hated about myself.

The Mobile pinged, signaling the start of the next online class. A fresh wave of despair washed over me, but I had to move. I violently shoved the self-loathing aside, pulled my messy hair back, and forced myself to sit down.

My mind might have been racing with humiliation, but I needed to maintain my grades. I had to focus, even if the image of Aryan's smirking face kept trying to break through the lecture.

Aryan's POV :-

The sight of Krisha today near the shop completely threw me. I hadn't expected to see her at all, definitely not looking like she'd just rolled out of bed-messy hair, sleepy face.

Krish almost hit her with the scooty, and before he could even apologize, she took off like a startled deer. I couldn't help but laugh at her sheer cuteness.

It's insane how flustered she gets! In our chats, she talks with this incredible confidence, like she owns the world, cracking the best jokes and talking non-stop. But the moment I'm physically near her, she either runs away or freezes up, unable to say a single word.

I truly don't know why, but this whole routine, this extreme contrast, just pulls me in more. Maybe it's not just a friendship anymore. I don't know what this new feeling is, but I know she is definitely more than just a friend to me.

As soon as I got home, I had to text her. I couldn't let that humiliating sprint stand without some acknowledgment.I sent a simple, teasing,

"hey i saw you today."

It took five minutes-five agonizing minutes where I imagined her plotting her revenge-before her reply came:

"yeah me too otherwise i would have been in hospital right now."

That dry, self-deprecating sarcasm was classic Krisha. I burst out laughing. I typed back instantly, letting my guard down a little:

"No I can't let my cutie be in the hospital would i?"

That 'cutie' slipped out so easily, fueled by the memory of her running away.

Her next reply, three minutes later, was calculated, sharp, and totally unexpected:

"Flirting now huh? mister don't start something you can't end."

My eyes widened. Flirting? I was shocked she even used the word. I looked at the screen, a weird mix of challenges and pure panic flooding me. My fingers typed automatically, fueled by a desire to push the boundary:

"I can start also and finish also if you want," along with a wink emoji.

God save me. Am I actually flirting right now? With Krisha? My best friend, my junior, the girl who runs away from me? I imagined her face, probably flaming red, hiding under a blanket, and I found myself smiling uncontrollably. The excitement was overwhelming, and we were back in the chat zone, talking for hours, completely lost in our own world.

From that day forward, the communication solidified, and the feeling deepened. We became
inseparable online. Texting each other every day was no longer a routine, it was a necessity.

We told each other everything, confiding secrets about our families, studies, and the increasing madness of the lockdown. This felt incredibly safe and right. We occasionally had minor conflicts, usually involving trying to mediate unnecessary drama between our other friends, but we always apologized quickly and were back to normal the next day.

The conflict was never really us. We wished each other on every single festival, on our birthdays, and even on Friendship Day, making sure the message hit precisely at 00:00 AM. It proved how deeply intertwined we had become.

The year ended beautifully for us. We were so close, closer than any friends I had ever had, and we knew it. We called it "just friends," because what else could we call it in this complicated situation?

But in the late-night silence of my room, staring at her messages, I knew there was a depth, a connection, a unique kind of feeling that went far beyond that simple label. She was the best part of my chaos, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.