It had been a week since Kirti and Prithvi first met, and they had slowly started spending more time together. During lunch breaks, they joined their usual group — Anviksha, Shubhi, Sahu, Lohitaksh, Astha, and Aru — gathering near the tennis court, under the shade of the large trees. Even Prithvi had begun having lunch with them, fitting seamlessly into their lively circle.
Conversations flowed effortlessly, with everyone sharing random musings or funny stories from class. “You know, our maths teacher, ACM, didn’t just take his lecture today; he took two extra sessions too! Only we know the pain of surviving that ordeal," Kirti grumbled playfully.
Shubhi laughed out loud. “You guys are legends for surviving two whole years with him!”
Aru giggled, adding, “Kirti even snuck out once, pretending she needed the washroom, just to go to the staff room and call another teacher! If ACM had found out, she would’ve been dead meat.”
Kirti smirked. "Trust me, it was worth the risk! No way could I handle another one of his marathons."
Prithvi, smiling at their banter, turned to Kirti and asked, "I heard you wrote a new poem?"
Anviksha chimed in with admiration. “Seriously, Kirti, is there anything you can’t do? You dance, sing, write, play sports, cook… Is there anything at all?”
Kirti laughed lightly. “Oh, there’s plenty. Like reading novels — I can’t stand them.”
Prithvi looked at her, genuinely surprised. "You’re a writer, though. I always thought writers love books."
Kirti shrugged. "Not me, I guess. Writing is a way to express, not necessarily to read."
As they finished their lunch, Sahu glanced at his watch. "Hurry up, everyone! The bell’s about to ring." With that, the group quickly wrapped up and headed to their adjacent classrooms.
Kirti and Prithvi were becoming friends — not particularly close yet, but there was a growing sense of warmth between them, a mutual respect and goodwill.
Flashback Ends
“If everything seemed fine, why did your friendship fall apart?” Devika asked, her eyes searching Kirti’s face for answers.
Kirti sighed, her gaze turning distant. “Sometimes, people are not who you think they are, Devi. They wear masks, hiding their real selves behind a facade. Prithvi was no different. He gave me broken promises.”
A single tear slid down Kirti's cheek, but she quickly brushed it away, as if not wanting to give it power. Devika noticed, though, and wrapped her arms around Kirti, pulling her into a comforting hug. “I’m always here for you,” she whispered softly.
Kirti smiled weakly but gratefully. The pain still lingered, but in this moment, she felt a little lighter.
“Do you want to continue?” Devika asked gently, not wanting to push her but sensing there was more to the story.
Kirti nodded, the weight of her past pressing down, but she knew she was ready to tell the rest…
YOU ARE READING
Broken promises
Short Storytrope - Friends to enemy Story Description: Kirti and Prithvi were inseparable, the kind of best friends who shared everything. For Kirti, Prithvi was her world-someone she would do anything for. But one fateful incident shattered their bond, leavi...
