DISTANCES

twelve | cotton clouds

c h a p t e r : 12

Ahana left a sigh of relief while landing her school-shoes-clad left foot in front of the school gates followed by Mehak. After they both got out of the school bus, Ahana for the last time looked at her sister, bid her goodbye, and went towards the senior wing.

The weather was nice today, the sun was warm and bright which later will turn scorching with its rise, white cottony-clouds dotted the sky while the tree leaves syncing in with the whispered melody of breeze.

♡

Ishaan stepped out of the car with his school bag strap on one shoulder while he shuffled and hoisted the left strap on his other shoulder, amid which the hair he combed so diligently now just stood disheveled on his forehead, he used his fingers to push it back but it didn't help.

Fed up, he left as they were while pushing his mask up his nose entering the school gate. His eyes wandered to the students striding towards the same direction as his until they stopped on a certain black-haired girl.

A thought inferred in his brain, he thought of approaching her....but he dismissed it and started contemplating if he should just slow down his steps or walk fast by her so that she doesn't notice but before he could ponder further, "Hey", greeted a voice.

He flinched a little in astonishment and with his eyes widened, he looked behind to find Dev, his cheeks lifted up indicating he was smiling inside his mask.

"H-hi", greeted back Ishaan recovering from the shock.

"So how is the school treating you so far?"

"Uh-pretty good", he replied.

"So....are you single? if you don't mind me asking",

"No.no at all and yes I...I am single", he whispered the last part with which a pink blush coated his cheeks and tip of his ears.

"No need to be embarrassed buddy, it's okay. What can do if we are destined to be single? Akele aye the akele hi jaenge (we came alone/single we'll leave alone)", he said dramatically.

Suddenly his eyes lit up, looking at something before them, "Oye Chotu! ", he called.

Ishaan followed his eyes and they came across dark-brown orbs, he almost forgot about the black-haired girl.

When Ahana heard someone calling her, she turned behind and when she spotted Devdas and Ishaan she waited for them to come to her.

"Bolo Devdas-ji(say/tell Devdas-ji), she teased back, while Ishaan was watching their interaction. (Ji is used to show respect though here it's used mockingly)

"Hey", she greeted Ishaan while turning her back towards Dev.

"Hi", greeted back Ishaan.

Dev watched them with a smile on his face, they looked cute together then his eyes noticed the hair on the underside of Ahana's head to see strands threatening to loose out of her plaits, "Oye Chotu, your hair".

Listening to this her hand went to the back of her head, Shizzles she forgot the hair clips she uses to secure the small hairs on the underside of her head then an idea came to her, "I will manage. Now let's go", that's when the bell rang and they together starting ascending the stairs.

˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖