Time started to pass faster after that day.
Maybe because I had gotten used to the school, the people, and the teasing.
Or maybe because I was starting to understand what "liking someone" actually feels like; that quiet ache mixed with excitement.
My best friend, Beshal, was going through a heartbreak. His girlfriend had just dumped him for someone older.
He laughed about it sometimes, but I knew he wasn't okay.
We'd sit under the tree together after class; the same spot where I'd first embarrassed myself in front of Shreya.
He'd talk about how stupid love was, how he'd never fall for anyone again, and I'd nod like I agreed.
But the truth?
I was already drowning in it.
Then there was Smirty. Shreya's best friend.
She was funny, talkative, and had that calm energy that made everyone feel comfortable.
She and I got along really well, mostly because she'd joke around about everything.
But sometimes... I'd catch her staring at me when I wasn't looking.
And sometimes, she'd stop mid-laugh when Shreya's name came up.
It was confusing.
I didn't want to read too much into it.
Meanwhile, Shreya started acting different.
Not cold, not distant; just... unreadable.
Some days she'd look at me and smile like we shared a secret.
Other days she'd pass by like I didn't exist.
I didn't know if it was my imagination or something real; but I swear, there were moments when her eyes would search for me in a crowd.
And every time it happened, that same song played in my mind again;
🎵 "Stranger, na na nana nana na..."
School life went on like that.
Little jokes. Shared glances. Exams coming up.
Class nine was almost over.
Beshal and I had gotten really close. We joked about our lives, shared secrets, and watched sunsets from the rooftop of the old school building.
Sometimes Smirty would join too. The three of us became a small world of our own.
But right when things felt comfortable. Shreya suddenly stopped coming to school.
No explanation. No goodbye.
Just... gone.
Everyone had their theories.
Some said she transferred, others said she was sick.
I didn't ask too much, but inside, I was breaking apart quietly.
After the final exam, I went to stay at my cousin's house.
It was early morning; around five. The world outside was still half asleep, fog hanging over the fields.
My phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
I hesitated, then answered.
"Hello?"
There was silence for a second. I could hear soft breathing on the other end.
Then a familiar voice; quiet, trembling slightly.
"I love you."
My heart stopped.
It was her.
Shreya.
I didn't know what to say.
I just sat there, staring into the misty morning light, the phone pressed against my ear.
The girl who once said, "To hate a person doesn't mean love,"
was now saying, "I love you."
And somehow,
it felt like both meant the same thing.