In the Indian education system, it's not uncommon for 10th-grade (or "board exam") results to be delayed by a few weeks to even a couple of months. Despite this, many students begin the process of securing admission into 11th grade without having their results in hand. Schools often allow provisional admissions, allowing students to choose their stream (Science, Commerce, Arts, etc.) and start classes before the official results are declared.
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The glow of my phone screen lit up the dimly lit room, casting shadows on the walls. Ayush's name blinked at me, but this wasn't just a casual "how was your day?" text.
It was longer, more thoughtful. Something felt different. I glanced at the clock—it was well past midnight. Sleep? Not happening. Not now.
Hey Kiara, I've been thinking about us...
My breath hitched as I read those words, the weight of them already pressing down on my chest. I had been waiting for this conversation, but that didn't mean I was ready for it.
We were both on the cusp of a new chapter in our lives—Ayush, with his dreams of becoming an Air Force pilot, and me, on the road to becoming an actuary. Different paths. Different worlds. How did we fit into that equation?
I scrolled back through our old texts, my heart squeezing as I relived the late-night banter, the silly jokes, and the endless "good morning" and "good night" messages.
It felt like we had been wrapped up in our own little universe. Now, that universe was expanding, and I wasn't sure how much space we had left for each other.
I know we've talked about our futures before, but it feels more real now. I'm going to be so busy with Karma Academy, and you'll be in St. Joseph's. I don't want us to get lost in the middle of it all.
His words stared back at me from the screen, and I felt my fingers trembling as I tried to type a response.
But nothing felt right. How do you even begin to address something that could change everything? I kept deleting and retyping my words, my heart pounding in my chest.
Before I could hit send, my phone rang. It was Ayush.
"Hey," I whispered, unsure of what else to say.
"Hey," he replied, just as softly. The silence between us stretched out, heavy with unspoken worries.
"I've been thinking too," I finally said, my voice barely a breath. "About us, about what's coming."
Ayush sighed, and I could almost see him running his fingers through his hair like he always did when he was stressed. "I just... I don't want us to drift apart, Kiara. I don't want to wake up one day and realize we're strangers because we were too busy chasing our dreams."
