Stranger to Stranger

JUST FRIENDS

♡ The end of 11th grade was approaching, and both of them would only talk about studies once a month or wish each other on birthdays. They had both managed to control their feelings well, and now felt like "first love" wasn’t really a thing. They believed that they weren’t in love anymore, that what they felt was just attraction. They each assumed that the other must have moved on and probably found new partners in life by now.

♡ Then, towards the end of 11th grade, they met at the birthday party of a mutual friend. They just exchanged a quick “hi” and “hello,” nothing more. But that day, a new character entered the story, bringing a twist. A new guy named Vansh, who was a friend of their mutual friend, was also at the party. When he saw the girl (Tanya), he instantly fell in love with her—it was love at first sight. Vansh approached her and introduced himself, telling her his name and chatting casually about studies, where they studied, and general things. Both of them were laughing and talking together, and the boy (Arav) noticed all of this from a distance. Watching them together made him feel very jealous, and without saying a word, he left the party.

♡ At home, he looked through the party photos and came across a picture of Vansh and Tanya together. This made him even angrier, and in his rage, he threw his phone. Trying to calm himself, he decided to watch a movie, but even then, all he could think about was Tanya. He wondered what would happen if Tanya and Vansh got close to each other.

♡ There's this hidden talent that guys have—they can sense how another guy feels about a girl just by looking at him. Arav realized that Vansh liked Tanya and was trying to get close to her. But he also reminded himself that Vansh was in a different school, so they probably wouldn’t meet often. Then again, he wondered what would happen if they started chatting online.

♡ While thinking all this, Arav realized he still hadn’t fully moved on from her. He kept trying to convince himself that it was just an attraction and not love. But deep down, his heart kept telling him, “You still love her.” He began questioning his decision to just stay friends with her. He wondered if he should have told her that he still loved her and that’s why he hadn’t dated anyone else. He questioned whether they would be together today if he had confessed. He tried to deny his feelings but knew that some things are meant to happen when the time is right, and realization eventually comes.

♡ Now let’s see what the girl (Tanya) was thinking. After coming home from the party, Tanya looked through the photos and saw a picture of Arav. She thought about what a good friend he used to be and wished that they were still best friends, that things hadn’t changed because of the whole boyfriend-girlfriend situation. She questioned whether staying just friends would have been better. And if she had told him that she still loved him when he messaged her that day, maybe things would be different, and they’d be together today. Tanya began recalling all her memories with Arav and realized that after a year, they would both go their separate ways and might never meet again. She, too, was confused about whether she still loved him. Her heart told her that he was the one for her, but she also felt she had to think practically this time. She assumed he had already moved on and probably didn’t think about her anymore.

♡ Both of them realized they still loved each other but couldn’t accept it. They both understood that it was their mistakes that led to things falling apart. They saw how important communication is and thought that if they had listened and understood each other, things would have been different, and they wouldn’t be missing each other like this today.

♡ Then came the start of 12th grade, and on the very first day, there was a new admission in the girl’s class. Vansh had transferred to her school and was now in Tanya’s class. When Arav saw Vansh in his school, he was angry, suspecting that Vansh joined the school to stay close to Tanya. But he kept his feelings hidden and stayed silent.

♡ Tanya and Vansh started studying together and would sit together in class as well, becoming good friends. Seeing them together every day, Arav struggled to control his feelings. Finally, he messaged Tanya, asking why she was so close to Vansh and why they studied and sat together. He asked if Vansh was her boyfriend. Tanya replied that they were just good friends, and she had no romantic feelings for him. She told him that she enjoyed Vansh’s company and liked his vibe, and that’s why she spent time studying and sitting with him.

♡ Hearing this, Arav tried to understand his own feelings. He finally accepted that he still loved Tanya and didn’t want to just remain friends with her. He decided not to repeat past mistakes and wanted to bring back the fun and conversations they used to have. He thought about how he only had one year left with her, and after that, she would be gone forever.

■ Arav decided that he would propose to her on her birthday and fix everything between them. Her birthday was two weeks away.

■ Meanwhile, Vansh started feeling that Tanya liked him too and decided to propose to her on her birthday to take their friendship to the next level. He believed she would say yes, as he had no idea about her past.

● Now let’s see what happens on Tanya’s birthday. Who will she say yes to? Or will she say no to both? If she truly loves Arav, will she say yes to him? Or will they just remain friends? All this will unfold in the next part.