BRIDGING HEARTS

{31}

     
                            AARAV

Right now, we’re sitting in the living area, our eyes glued to the laptop screen in anticipation.

"How long is your college website going to stay crashed?" Pari sighed, turning to look at me and Jeia.

"Patience, Pari," I said, leaning back slightly. "Refreshing it every five seconds isn’t going to help."

Pari let out a soft laugh. "It’s not just me; she has refreshed it twice in the last minute too, Aarav."

Jeia sighed dramatically, throwing her hands in the air. "Gosh, this is torture! Why does the college even announce results online if the website can’t handle the traffic?"

I smirked at her sudden outburst. "Look who’s losing her cool now," I teased, earning a glare from her.

"Shut up, Aarav," she muttered, crossing her arms. "This is our final-year semester result. It’s literally make or break."

I chuckled at her seriousness, leaning forward with a playful grin. "Relax, Jeia. I know I’ll top again."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously as Pari gasped, covering her mouth to hide her laughter. "Oh really?" Jeia shot back. "Confidence or overconfidence, Aarav?"

"Khul gayi!!!" Pari exclaimed, her voice cutting through the tension before I could even defend myself.
(It's open!!!)

Our eyes darted to the laptop screen as Pari scrolled upward, her fingers trembling slightly with excitement. The top of the list finally loaded, and there it was.

"Jeia!" Pari screamed, jumping up and down. "You topped! You did it!"

For a moment, Jeia just stared at the screen, her eyes wide in disbelief. Then it hit her, and she let out a squeal of excitement, throwing her arms around Pari as they both jumped up and down, celebrating.

In her whirlwind of joy, Jeia turned and hugged me without thinking. My arms instinctively wrapped around her, holding her close for a fleeting second. Time seemed to freeze, her happiness radiating like sunshine, lighting up the entire room.

But just as quickly as it happened, she pulled away, as Dadi walked in. Jeia quickly rushed to her, her excitement bubbling over.

"Dadi, final year exam results are here" she exclaimed, her voice full of pride and joy.

"And humari Jeia ne top kiya hai, followed by Aarav in second place," Pari added with a teasing smile.
(And our Jeia topped)

Dadi cupped Jeia’s face with pride gleaming in her eyes. "Congratulations, beta," she said warmly.

Jeia beamed, her nose scrunching slightly as she pulled Dadi into a tight hug. "Thank you, Dadi!" she replied, practically glowing with happiness.

And there I stood, rooted in place, watching her. Watching her defeat me, watching her dance in joy, her face radiant with pure, unfiltered happiness. Her happiness was contagious—it brought a genuine smile to my face, and my heart fluttered. It felt like millions of butterflies had taken flight inside me. And honestly, I wasn’t upset to lose to her—not in the slightest. How could I ever be upset when it came to her?

Never.

This very moment, I realized something that had been building all along.

Jeia wasn’t just my enemy before. She wasn’t just my academic rival anymore. She wasn’t just a friend anymore. And most importantly, she wasn’t just any girl to me now. She was much more than all of that. She was everything.