Love Rivals: The Day I Saw Your Tears

25. The FIRST Time

During the test, everything seemed fine at first, but soon I felt a strange itching sensation creeping up my throat. My head started to spin, and before I knew it, everything went black. The next thing I remember was waking up in the infirmary. Panic set in as I realized what had happened.

I jumped up from the bed and rushed back to the classroom, worried I’d missed the entire test. When I got there, only a few students were left, packing their bags and talking in low voices. Vicky was among them, and he looked at me with a mix of relief and concern.

“What happened? Did I miss the whole test?” I asked, breathless and confused.

Vicky sighed and gestured for me to sit down. "You passed out during the test, man. They had to take you to the infirmary. But that’s not all," he said, lowering his voice. "Things got tense after you left. Some students started blaming Sarah, saying she gave you something that made you sick."

I stared at him in disbelief. "Blaming Sarah? For what?"

"They thought she sabotaged you with that coffee she gave you," he explained, shaking his head. "It got pretty heated. A few classmates accused her of trying to stop you from taking the test. But our class teacher stepped in. After looking into it, she confirmed Sarah didn’t do anything knowingly. It wasn’t her fault."

The last bell of the day rang, signaling our games period. I volunteered to grab the football from the storage room, needing a few moments to clear my head after everything that had happened. On my way there, I passed the dance room, and out of the corner of my eye, I noticed someone sitting alone inside. It was Sarah.

I paused, glancing through the small window on the door. She was sitting on the floor in the far corner, her knees pulled to her chest, her head bowed. What caught my attention wasn’t just the way she sat, but the way her shoulders trembled ever so slightly. It took me a moment to realize she was crying -- silently, without a sound, as if she didn’t want anyone to know.

That day I saw her tears.... for the first time.

The next day, I noticed Sarah stealing glances at me from across the hall, her steps faltering as if she wanted to approach but couldn’t quite gather the courage. I took the initiative and walked up to her, standing in front of her with a teasing grin.

"Was the paper tough, or were you just missing me?" I asked with a smirk.

She blinked in confusion, clearly not expecting that. "Huh?"

"You barely passed the test, but you still managed to grab first place," I said, raising an eyebrow playfully. Her puzzled expression didn’t change, but she suddenly looked down, her face softening.
Without addressing my playful comment, she began apologizing earnestly. "I’m sorry. I didn’t know about your allergy to hazelnut. I didn’t do it on purpose, I swear. I really am sorry."

Her voice was so sincere, and seeing her this flustered made a smile tug at my lips without me even realizing. "It’s okay," I said softly, my tone reassuring.
Then, leaning just a bit closer, I added with a smirk, "But keep this in mind: I’m allergic to mushrooms too."

********************************************

It had been a month since Rima's birthday party, and I was stuck in a seemingly endless loop of frustration. The project deadline had long passed, but I was still grasping at straws, unable to find a conclusion. Normally, whenever I hit a roadblock with studies or assignments, Nitya would swoop in to help me figure things out. But this time, she was away on a business trip, and I couldn’t even get her on a video call.

Lost in thought, staring at the cluttered mess on my desk, I didn't hear my dad enter the room quietly. His presence snapped me back to reality.

"Still not done?" he asked, his tone cutting through the silence.

I tried to steady my voice, but the nerves were getting the best of me. "I'm trying, Dad... but I just can’t seem to make it work."

His expression hardened, and he raised his voice slightly. "I shouldn’t have trusted you with this project in the first place."

I clenched my fists under the table, biting back the urge to defend myself. There was no point. I remained silent, staring down at the unfinished notes sprawled out before me.

Sighing in exasperation, he said, "Forget it. Just hand everything over to Dr. Patel tomorrow. I’ll explain things on your behalf."

His words felt like a punch to the gut, but I couldn't muster the energy to argue. Instead, I nodded, watching him walk out of the room, leaving behind an even heavier weight on my shoulders.