"To You, I Was Love." By - Inkelation&co

Ch - 03 "The First Word."

Chapter - 03 "The First Word."

Getting ready for a birthday party wasn’t something I particularly enjoyed. As I stood in front of the mirror fixing my hair, I couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of detachment. It wasn’t just about the party. It was something deeper—like being surrounded by people, yet completely alone. I straightened my shirt, staring blankly at my reflection. "In a crowd full of voices, it’s the silence within that screams the loudest," I thought, my mind drifting as it always did.

I arrived at the party. The noise, the laughter, people enjoying themselves—all of it felt distant, like a scene playing in the background. I stayed near the entrance, watching people pour in, laughing, talking, and moving around like pieces in some grand puzzle. Yet, I was the missing piece, somehow out of place. Everyone was having fun, and there I was, staring at the door, wondering why I was even here. "Kahi baar sabke beech hote hue bhi, sabse door mehsoos hota hoon," my thoughts echoed again.

Suddenly, Aditya’s voice snapped me out of my daze. “Yo, Jake! Are you just gonna stare at the stairs the whole night? Come on, meet everyone!” he called out, waving his arms like an idiot.

Reluctantly, I followed, stepping deeper into the room. For the first time, I spoke to Priya and Sana.

As they greeted me, smiling and welcoming, I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable. It’s not that I didn’t like them, but I’ve never been the type to get along with overly friendly people. “Actually, mujhe unn logon se baat karna pasand nahi jo sabse zyada friendly hote hain,” I thought. “It’s not that I feel superior. It’s just… people like this think everyone is their ‘friend.’ It’s like ‘best friend’ ka koi matlab nahi rehta. Sab ek jaise hote hain.” I kept these thoughts to myself, offering them a polite nod and awkward smiles.

Then, out of nowhere, she appeared. Ayesha walked in, smiling brightly as she wished Sana a happy birthday. My heart skipped a beat. She looked... radiant. I wasn’t prepared for this.

Before I could even gather my thoughts, Naved walked in, which shocked me. I almost forgot that Naved had a thing for Sana. And the moment she saw him, Sana practically flew across the room and hugged him tightly. I exchanged a look with Aditya, and we both tried hard not to burst out laughing at the visibly annoyed expression on Naved’s face.

“Lol, koi keh raha tha ‘I hate romance,’” Aditya teased, nudging me.

Naved glared at him but said nothing, his face betraying his real emotions.

---

As the party kicked into full swing, everyone seemed to be having the time of their lives. Laughter echoed around me, glasses clinked, music played. But as usual, I was lost in my thoughts, barely paying attention to the noise. “I don’t belong here,” I told myself again. “Main social type nahi hoon. Parties like this? They’re pointless, unless…” my eyes flicked to Ayesha. “Unless it’s for someone like her."

I watched her from across the room, smiling and enjoying herself with her friends. Her laughter was infectious, but not enough to pull me into the moment. Still, the reason I was standing there, awkwardly, in this crowd, was because of her.

---

As the party wound down, most people had left, but a small group of us stayed behind. It was nearly 2:30 AM. I stood near the juice table, absentmindedly staring into space when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

I turned around, and there she was—Ayesha.

"Umm... it’s getting late," she said, her voice soft.

Caught off guard, I didn’t know what to say. My brain scrambled for something clever, something to sound cool, but all I managed was, “Toh... why are you telling me this?” (Really, Jake? I cringed internally.)

She hesitated, then asked, "Will you... walk me home?"

My mind raced, but I managed to blurt out, "Umm, Naved? Tu mere saath chalega?"

Naved was about to agree, but Aditya quickly jumped in, laughing, “Nope! Naved’s coming with me.”

I sighed, glancing at Naved, but he simply shrugged. Fine.

"Okay," I muttered to Ayesha. “Let’s go.”

---

The streets were quiet, the usual chaotic honking and chatter of the city replaced by an eerie calm. The streetlights cast long shadows, and the air was cool but heavy. It was one of those nights where the world felt different, almost surreal. The occasional street dog barked in the distance, and apart from that, it was just... silent.

For a while, neither of us said anything. The only sound was the click of our footsteps against the pavement. I was too busy overthinking everything, wondering what I should say next, or if I should even say anything at all.

And then, she started talking.

“You know, I wasn’t expecting to stay this late at the party,” she said, breaking the silence.

“Hmm,” I nodded, my usual noncommittal reply. I wasn’t great at conversations, especially not with someone like her.

She continued, as if she hadn’t noticed. “But it was fun, you know? Bahut dino baad itna maza aaya, sabke saath.”

I glanced at her, offering a small, “Achha.”

She smiled. “Tum zyada baat nahi karte, na?”

I shrugged. “Nahi, not really.”

But she didn’t seem to mind. She kept talking, like we’d known each other for years. It was strange how comfortable she seemed around me. Like she wasn’t expecting me to fill every silence, or say the right thing. She just talked, and I... I listened.

In my mind, though, I was still questioning everything. Why is she so different? Why do I feel like I’m an outsider in a world where everyone else fits perfectly? I tried to make sense of her and of myself, but every answer led to another question.

We reached her house, and she turned to face me.

“Thanks for walking me home,” she said, smiling.

“Sure,” I replied, already starting to turn away.

“Wait,” she said quickly. “Let’s exchange numbers?”

I froze for a second. That was unexpected. A girl—someone as beautiful as her—asking for my number? I nodded, pulling out my phone. We exchanged numbers, and as she walked inside, I stood there, staring at my phone screen.

I may not be able to sleep tonight.

---

And that’s how the night ended. A quiet walk, a conversation I wasn’t ready for, and her number saved in my phone. It felt surreal—like maybe, just maybe, I was a little less alone in this crowded world.