Harveybat
# THREE SEATS AWAY
## (The 25th of June)
A True Story of Unrequited Love and Growing Up
By Aariz
CHAPTER 1: The First Day of the Rest of My Life
Some dates stick with you because they are written in history books, but June 25th, 2023, is written in mine.
It was my very first day of fifth grade. If you asked any other kid in my class, they would probably tell you about the heavy weight of their new backpacks, the crisp smell of blank notebooks, or the nervous flutter in their stomachs about facing a new school year. I had all of those feelings, too. I remember walking into the classroom, feeling small, looking at the rows of identical desks, and wondering where I was supposed to fit in.
And then, I saw her.
In a single second, all the background noise of the classroomâthe scraping of chairs, the chatter of old friends reuniting, and the squeak of sneakers on linoleumâcompletely faded away. It didnât matter that we were just kids, or that the world was loud and messy around us. To me, the clock just stopped. That was the exact moment I fell in love.
But falling in love is one thing; knowing what to do with it is another. I was only in the fifth grade, and the feeling was so massive that it terrified me. So, I did the only thing I knew how to do: I hid it.
For 365 days, through changing seasons, school projects, exams, and recess, I carried that secret like a hidden treasure. I watched her from a distance, laughed at her jokes from across the room, and memorized the way she smiled, all while keeping my own heart completely under lock and key.
Thank you for reading. By -Aariz
Ch -2 will we released soon