It was April 8, a day etched into Ayush’s memory forever. As he walked into class that day, he saw her—Avika. She wasn’t like anyone he had ever seen before. Her brown eyes shimmered with a quiet depth, like the earth after rain, grounding yet full of unspoken stories. Her pink lips, delicate and soft, reminded him of cherry blossoms in full bloom, fragile and fleeting, but captivating in their beauty. Her curly hair framed her cute face perfectly, bouncing playfully with each step she took, mirroring her joyful nature. It was as though she embodied spring—full of life, vibrant yet gentle, a refreshing presence.
Ayush fell in love at first sight, but he kept it hidden deep in his heart. He admired her from afar, writing countless love letters in his mind, letters that would never see the light of day. Every time she smiled, he blushed silently, his heart racing, as though the sun had shone a little brighter just for him. But Ayush believed he was unlucky in love. Every past affection had slipped through his fingers, like sand in an hourglass. He feared that confessing his love would break the fragile bond they were beginning to form. So, he chose patience, like a tree that grows slowly, waiting for the right season.
Months passed, and on September 30, fate bring them together again .As Ayush sat across from her, he learned something that made his heart sink—Avika had a crush on someone else. It felt like a wave crashing down on him, the ocean’s depth revealing its turbulence. Yet, Ayush didn’t let his emotions show. He told Avika that he valued friendship more than relationships, offering his heart to her not as a lover, but as her best friend. This moment, though bittersweet, was a turning point for him. In that café, with the scent of coffee lingering in the air, Ayush felt closer to her than ever before.
As the days went on, they spoke more frequently. Avika began opening up to him, sharing her thoughts and feelings, her joys and her worries. Ayush cherished these moments, each conversation like a petal of a flower opening, delicate and precious. On September 23, during one of their brief chats, Ayush noticed that Avika was crying. His heart ached to comfort her, but the weight of his own insecurities held him back. He couldn’t bring himself to ask in front of everyone. Instead, he held onto that question, like a seed waiting to sprout.
Finally, on September 30, he gathered the courage to ask her about that day. Avika’s response was simple—family problems, she said. Ayush didn’t press for more. Instead, he changed the subject, offering her light-hearted distractions, hoping to ease her burden. He saw her as a flower that needed nurturing, someone who needed care rather than questions.
Their bond deepened further on October 3. Ayush could never forget that day. Avika walked in wearing a pink churidar, looking as radiant as a summer sunset. Her pink lips, her brown eyes, and her open hair made her appear as though she was the embodiment of love itself. Ayush’s heart pounded in his chest, his pulse quickening as though his body couldn’t contain the emotions he felt. But he calmed himself and continued their conversation like everything was normal, even though his feelings were anything but.
Though exams loomed over them, their time together grew more precious. Ayush had never confessed his love, not directly. He had always feared what would happen if he did—if it would lead to a heartbreak, or worse, the loss of their friendship. Instead, he watched over her, content to be her best friend, cherishing the small moments they shared.
Yet, a part of Ayush always wondered—what if? What if he had told her from the beginning? What if he had been braver? But love, like the seasons, changes and evolves. Sometimes, it requires quiet growth before it can blossom into something more. And even though Ayush’s love for Avika remained unspoken, it lived in the spaces between their words, in the moments they shared, and in the friendship that had bloomed between them.
Their story remained incomplete, a beautiful mystery, like the ocean’s depths. Ayush never knew whether his love would ever be more than a secret, but as he stood beside Avika, he realized that love didn’t always need a label. Sometimes, just being close to the one you care about is enough, and maybe that was the most profound love of all.
