THE UNEXPECTED LOVE

Unforgettable Memories: The Mysterious Boy from My Past

It was the last period, and everything had gone perfectly so far. I introduced myself to most of the teachers and caught up with some old ones in the teachers' room. They were all surprised and happy, and a few even gave me their blessings. I couldn't help but think to myself, "Mission accomplished!"

Meanwhile, Zeya was peacefully sleeping at the back of the class, leaving me with the other students up front. I asked the teacher if I could join her, since he wasn't really teaching anything on the first day of school.

When the bell rang, Zeya and I raced each other to be the first ones out the door. On our way down, Zeya asked me, "Who's taking you home?" I beamed proudly and told her I had my bike, feeling like I'd just won an award. But her reaction was unexpected—she gave me this big, weird smile that left me puzzled. "Please let me ride it," she said. I bolted towards the hallway exit as I heard her, and she chased after me, weaving through all the students.

"No way! First, you have to come to my house, then we'll talk about it," I panted out, already tired, while she still looked fresh and sporty, giving me a similar expression.

-------------------------------------------

Kirti and I finally made it home after such a long day. Seeing my parents weren't there, I called them to find out where they were. They hung up abruptly, but instead of feeling sad, I was super excited—I had the house all to myself for a week! They'd left everything I needed, too.

It wasn't the first time being alone; back in Sikkim, I'd been alone at home before, but Bhiya was usually around, so it was never boring. Thinking of him, I video-called him. "Heyyyy! What are you up to, mister? You forgot your lovely sister after going to Delhi, huh?" I teased dramatically.

He replied with the same energy, "My sister's busy napping like a pig in the evening, so what can I do?" My expression turned into a funny mix of red and angry upon hearing him call me "suar."

"Bro, bro, you know what happened at school today?" I quickly changed the topic to the main hot news.

"What happened?" he asked.

I launched into the whole saga with many expressions, and he said, "OMG, how do you always end up in such drama?"

"I love drama," I confessed, but then added with a sigh, "But I feel sorry for Zeya, though she doesn't seem to mind—it's all normal for her." I glanced down sadly.

"Zeya is an interesting girl," my brother said with a little laugh, and I nodded in total agreement with him.

After we finished talking about everything, Kirti started chatting with Bhaiya while I lay on my bed, listening to their voices fill the room. "Bhaiya, you know, I found my prince. His name is Gollu," Kirti exclaimed, her voice bubbling with excitement. Bhaiya asked more about Gollu, curious because Kirti didn't usually make friends easily.

With a sparkle in her eyes, Kirti continued, "Bhai, I was all alone in the class after everyone had left. I didn't know where to go, and I felt so scared sitting there all by myself. Then, a boy came into the classroom and asked me why I was sitting alone. I told him I didn't know where to go, and I mentioned that Mimi had always told me not to follow strangers. He was so tall, even taller than Papa. He asked me who Mimi was, so I told him about Mimi, and he smiled warmly. He introduced himself as Gollu."

Her laughter filled the room, innocent and pure. "And when I asked him why his name was Gollu, he said when he was my age, there was a girl who looked just like me, a Disney princess, who used to call him Gollu because he was chubby and cute. Then he told me that I'm just like a princess!" Kirti giggled with delight, her voice echoing with the happiness of that moment.

As Kirti shared her story with Bhaiya, memories of a boy flooded back to me. I smiled, but my struggle to recall names clouded my thoughts. I wondered if that boy's name was Gollu too. I chuckled softly to myself, picturing his innocent face so clearly in my mind.

"Where are you now?" I whispered in my thoughts. "I miss you sometimes, especially when it's tough to accept that you didn't like me, despite my efforts to protect you."

With those bittersweet thoughts swirling in my mind, I eventually drifted off to sleep