From Heartbreak To Love

Chapter 11 : The Farewell

The day had finally arrived. The board exams, the culmination of all our years of hard work, were about to begin. The three of us—Arjun, Smriti, and I—tried our best to lift each other’s spirits, keeping the mood light, despite the pressure of the exams. We were all feeling the weight of the final stretch, but we knew we could make it through together. The exams went by one by one, each subject leaving a sense of relief and anxiety at the same time.

The last exam was English. As the teacher handed out the papers, it hit me—this would be the last time I would be sitting in this classroom, writing an exam. The reality of leaving school slowly began to settle in, and it made me feel bittersweet. We finished the exam, and as we walked out of the classroom, Smriti reminded Arjun and me not to skip the farewell.

"Remember," she said, her voice filled with determination, "if you don’t come, I will literally drag you both there."

We laughed, agreeing to show up. Smriti hugged me tightly before heading off with her family, while Arjun and I stood there for a moment. I couldn’t help but notice how quiet it felt now that the three of us wouldn’t be spending every day in school together anymore. Arjun and I walked toward the exit, but something felt off. It wasn’t the same as before. Just a few days ago, we’d be walking home together, talking about anything and everything. Now, I was walking alone.

I sighed, a feeling of emptiness creeping into my chest. I had so many memories with Arjun, Smriti, and the others, but the thought that this chapter of my life was coming to a close was hard to accept.

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A few days later, the farewell finally arrived. I had been dreading this day. The idea of wearing a saree made me uncomfortable—I wasn’t really one to dress up, and I wasn’t sure if I even looked good in one. Part of me wanted to skip it altogether, but then I remembered Smriti’s threats. There was no way I could skip.

"Better wear the saree than face her wrath," I thought to myself as I reluctantly agreed to go ahead with it.

My mom helped me get ready, and though I had tried to avoid any makeup, she insisted on applying a little. Moms, right? They always know best. And despite my protests, I couldn’t help but smile when she told me that I looked beautiful today.

I rolled my eyes playfully. “Of course, I look beautiful every day, Maa.”

She just smiled, tweaking my saree one last time. "You look stunning, Ankita."

As I stood in front of the mirror, I couldn’t help but feel a little more confident. Maybe it wasn’t so bad after all.

When I reached the venue, I was immediately swept into an embrace. Smriti! She looked nothing short of a diva tonight, her saree glowing and her smile radiant.

“You look absolutely gorgeous!” she exclaimed, pulling away just enough to look at me. “See? I told you. You should pay attention to your looks sometimes. The results are amazing, isn't it ?”

I blushed, looking down at my saree. “I guess you were right,” I muttered, though I couldn’t help but grin.

She raised an eyebrow and smiled mischievously. “Is your mom behind this makeover? I’m guessing yes.”

I pouted, pretending to be annoyed. “You know how moms are. They do what they want.”

Smriti laughed and gave my cheek a playful pinch. “I love your mom more than you, you know that?”

We both burst into laughter, and at that moment, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for the bond we shared.

We met up with our other friends, and not long after, Arjun joined us. The moment I saw him, I had to admit—he looked good in his formal clothes. He looked a little awkward, though, like he wasn’t used to dressing up, but I couldn’t help teasing him.

“You look really good, Arjun,” Smriti said, trying not to laugh at how shy he looked.

He flushed, clearly uncomfortable with the attention. "Thanks, I guess?" He glanced down at his clothes and quickly looked up, flustered. “You both look way better, though.”

Smriti and I teased him relentlessly about it. It was one of those moments where everything felt perfect. We clicked a bunch of photos together, laughing and joking, before we headed to the banquet hall.

The evening was filled with laughter and joy. We watched performances, laughed at the miming acts our juniors did of the seniors, and overall just had a blast. It was a night to remember.

Later, the three of us found ourselves dancing to the music. Smriti was her usual energetic self, pulling me onto the dance floor, and Arjun followed reluctantly, trying to keep up with us. But after a while, I needed a break, so I stepped aside and found a corner to sit in. I watched Smriti and Arjun dancing, their carefree energy contagious.

It wasn’t long before a few of our classmates came over to chat. We exchanged pleasantries, talked about college plans, and laughed at inside jokes. But soon enough, they moved on, leaving me alone in my corner.

That’s when Smriti came over again, snatched my purse, and tossed it on the table. “No more sitting out for you,” she said, dragging me back onto the dance floor.

I couldn’t say no to her. Not when she was so determined. I smiled as I let her pull me along, and soon enough, I was dancing along with my best friends, forgetting all the worries that had been building up in my mind.

Afterward, the three of us went to the dining hall, hungry and ready to fill our stomachs. We teased Arjun about how he would devour everything on the table, and he playfully warned us to be careful—he might just eat our food too.

As the night drew to a close, I felt a strange mix of emotions. The party was winding down, and it was hard to believe this was it. This was our final school event. Soon, we would be going in different directions, to different colleges, chasing different dreams.

I opened my purse to take out my phone to text my mom, so she could come pick me up. But when I looked inside, I found something unexpected—a note.

I unfolded the piece of paper carefully, my heart pounding. The note read:

"I wish I had the courage to say this to your face, but I like you. I like you very much. And not to forget, you look stunning in your saree today. I couldn’t take my eyes off you. Wish you a great future ahead."

A whisper left my lips "Harsh?"