The midday sun was relentless, casting harsh shadows across the school courtyard as Divangshi stood there, frozen in place, staring at Hamza from a distance. Her mind was racing, but her feet wouldn’t move. She clutched her phone tightly, knowing that this conversation was long overdue. Maisha’s voice broke through her thoughts, snapping her back to the present.
"You got it, girl! Go tell him what you feel!" Maisha encouraged, her voice as light as ever but with an underlying seriousness that made Divangshi’s heart race.
"Listen, Diva," Saysha chimed in, her tone gentler but firm. "Sometimes you have to consider your own feelings too. You can’t keep putting your friends first, especially those who don’t care about you or your feelings."
Saysha’s words stung a little, but Divangshi knew she wasn’t wrong. She glanced down at her shoes, her mind flashing back to the countless moments Jiya had made her feel small, worthless even. Jiya’s insecurities had always loomed large, casting a shadow over everything. But then again, hadn't everyone been insecure at some point?
"Jiya isn’t someone you should care about," Saysha continued, her voice unyielding. "She’s never really been your friend, Diva. Whether it was threatening you or stabbing you in the back, she’s always found a way to bring you down."
"Yeah, Saysha di is right," Maisha added, her expression sympathetic but direct. "Stop caring about Jiya, especially when all she’s ever done is hurt you."
Divangshi bit her lip, unsure of how to respond. Her heart was heavy with conflict. "It’s not like that, guys," she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. "You’ve got her wrong. Jiya... she threatened me to stay away from Hamza because she was insecure. Insecurity is justified in relationships, right? Right, Saysha di?"
Saysha gave her a sharp look, not letting her off the hook so easily. "Insecurity is justified, yes, but only when both people are actually in a relationship, Diva. Not when it’s all in someone’s head. What Jiya has is not insecurity. It’s obsession. And she’s dragging you down with her imaginary drama."
Divangshi sighed, knowing deep down that she couldn’t argue with that logic. But the guilt still lingered.
"Guys, it’s not time to argue," Maisha interjected, checking the time. "Diva, you have like, five minutes left before recess ends. For God’s sake, go talk to Hamza, or I’ll push you there myself."
Before she could protest, Maisha was already nudging her in Hamza’s direction. The nerves hit Divangshi like a tidal wave, her stomach twisting into knots. Every step toward him felt heavier than the last.
But just as she reached the edge of the courtyard, a junior darted in front of her, blocking her view of Hamza.
"Hey, Divangshi! I’ve been looking for you—"
Divangshi barely heard the words, her eyes glued to Hamza in the distance. She glanced at Saysha, who gave her an exasperated look, then subtly signaled for Maisha to handle the situation.
"Sorry, junior," Maisha said, smoothly stepping in. "But Diva’s got somewhere to be. Urgent stuff, you know?"
Taking the opportunity, Divangshi slipped away, her heart pounding as she approached Hamza. Her nervous footsteps echoed in her mind, and just as she was about to call out to him, she froze.
From the other side of the courtyard, a voice pierced the air. "Hamza!"
Jiya.
Divangshi’s heart sank, and without even thinking, she turned on her heel, ready to retreat. The last thing she wanted was to be in the middle of their mess. But before she could take another step, a warm hand wrapped around her wrist, stopping her in her tracks.
"H-Hey, Div…" Hamza’s voice was soft, fumbling over the words, as though he wasn’t sure what to say.
Divangshi’s breath hitched, but she forced herself to turn around and meet his eyes. He looked nervous—his usual confidence stripped away, replaced by something fragile, almost broken. She hated that look on him. He was the strong one.
"Today's the last exam, right?" he asked, as though that was what was really on his mind.
"Yeah." Her response was curt, cold even. She couldn’t afford to let her guard down, not now.
"So… we’ll see each other again during the doubt-clearing classes?" Hamza’s question was filled with a hopeful tone, but it grated on her nerves.
"No. I’m taking study leave. I have a lot of syllabus left to cover," she said, her voice clipped, her heart pounding painfully in her chest.
Hamza frowned, the hope in his eyes dimming just a little. "Oh, okay. But during the boards, then?"
"No." Her reply was immediate, her tone flat. "By the time our boards start, you’ll be off on your session-ending holiday."
He was silent for a moment, as though processing her words, his confusion deepening. "After boards, when you join school again?"
"Even that might not happen," she added, her voice dropping just slightly, but the weight of her words hit him like a punch.
Hamza’s eyes widened, his voice barely a whisper as he asked, "What? Why would you say that? Are you… changing schools?"
"I might move to Gujarat after boards," Divangshi said, her words sounding more final than she intended.
Hamza’s face fell. His voice wavered with disbelief, the pain clear in his eyes. "We’ll stay in touch, right? We’ll meet again? We’ll see each other, won’t we?"
Divangshi turned her back on him, her resolve hardening. She couldn’t let him in. Not when everything was so uncertain. "We might never see each other again, Hamza."
She started to walk away, leaving Hamza standing there, too hurt to say anything more.
