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I got my results today and you know what, I aced it in school!
For a second, I just stared at the screen, my heart thudding in my chest, and a wide grin spreading across my face. I couldn’t believe it…even though I was expecting it, seeing those marks in front of me made my whole body buzz with excitement. My stomach fluttered as if I’d just stepped off a rollercoaster.
I shouted, “Mom, Dad, prisha di…,” at the top of my lungs, my voice echoing through the house. I could hear hurried footsteps from the hallway, the sound of the television being muted, and then all their faces appeared at once in the doorway.
But instead of the excitement or pride I was expecting, they just stood there, stunned.
Mom’s eyes widened, Dad blinked twice, and Pri didi raised a brow at amusement.
Their silence stretched long enough for my smile to falter.
I frowned, “Why are you all looking at me like that?”
Mom took the paper from my hand, scanning it again as if she suspected a glitch in the screen.
“Vihu, are you sure this is your result?” she asked, her tone cautious but teasing.
“Yes, this is my result, why are you all acting like this?” My voice rose slightly, half amused, half annoyed.
“Well, you were playing games all day, so nobody expected these high marks,” Prisha didi teased me while giving me a light smack on the head.
“Ouch, come on you guys! Yes, I played games but I also studied. I know how much I need to study, and I’m just balancing my life. Can’t be stuck in my books all the time,” I replied matter-of-factly.
“Okay, okay, congrats, my son,” my dad said and gave me a big hug. Man, it was such an amazing feeling.
I hugged everyone, and soon the tension melted into laughter. All of them were down to celebrate, which made me feel like the happiest person alive.
That evening, we went out dinner at my favorite restaurant, followed by rounds of games at the mall, and finally, melting ice creams in our hands as we walked under the neon lights. The city felt alive, the night buzzing with laughter and light.
My family is always a blast. I mean, that’s all I really need in life, those happy faces by my side.
Prisha didi just graduated and is now interning at a huge company as a software engineer. She is seriously amazing, confident, sharp, always chasing perfection.
But still my sister is not less than any witch.
And then there’s my mom, a chemistry teacher at my very own school. Yeah, imagine having your mom as your teacher. Pretty strict too. Especially with Prisha didi, though with her being smart, mom didn’t have much to worry about.
But then there’s me – oh, my mom must be wondering what she did to deserve me.
What did she have eaten to have me.
I am her complete opposite…laid-back, restless, and way too carefree for her liking. She always says I’ve been her biggest “project” since birth. But even though she scolds me, I know she loves me to pieces.
Dad, on the other hand, is a businessman. Quiet but intimidating when he needs to be. He doesn’t waste words, when he speaks, everyone listens. He’s the kind of man who negotiates with silence and still wins. I admire him more than he’ll ever know.
And then there’s my favorite person in the whole world….my grandpa, my dadu.
He is no longer with us, but his presence still lingers in every corner of my life. He was my mentor, my best friend, and honestly, the reason I ever found direction. Even now, whenever I feel lost, I can almost hear his calm voice guiding me.
It’s because of him that I discovered my passion to build something of my own.
I want to start my own business and create a game someday…one that’s adventurous, fun, and unforgettable. A game that people will love playing. Just the thought of it fills me with excitement.
•••••
Few days later-
Today was an absolute blast day! I called up my childhood buddies, Yash and Siddharth, and they came here in no time. These guys have been my partners in crime since forever, and it’s incredible how we all ended up choosing PCMB-as our streams. It wasn’t a deliberate decision; it just happened that way…and no one was forced to choose this stream it’s just i really need adventures in my life.
But I wish I could say same for Siddharth, his parents didn’t understand his passion and he is forced to choose this stream although I try to talk to his father maybe he will understand but in the end Sid accepted his defeat and I still want him to change his subjects but looks like it was too late.
And for Yash he is just a confused guy who didn’t understand what should be chosen for his career and what his actual dream is so my stupid buddy chose this stream. He is the topmost idiot I have known till my life. But let me tell you he is too good in maths god his calculations skill is fast and better than me and I really liked this quality….I pray for both my best friends to realise their dream and make their way to their own happiness.
Now, here we are, the three musketeers, gathered in my room and doing what we love most: listening to music.
All three of us share the same passion, it’s the one thing that keeps us grounded.
Especially me. I’ve got a bit of a temper, something I probably picked up from Dad, so music helps me stay calm.
Dad gifted me a guitar a while ago, though honestly, I still haven’t figured out how to play it properly.
We have our own little band. Yash is an incredible drummer, his rhythm can lift anyone’s mood.
Siddharth, on the other hand, plays the violin like he was born for it. The way he moves the bow across the strings is just mesmerizing.
He’s a quick learner and one of the most talented people I know. He’s even good at poetry and often writes short verses that perfectly match our mood..
Whenever we are bored, we hang out here, play random stuff, and pretend we are performing at some grand concert. In reality, it’s just the three of us, two broken instruments, and a lot of off-key singing. But somehow, it always feels like the best time ever.
And then there’s me, with my somewhat decent singing voice-I like to think it’s good enough to listen to. Well to be honest I am just good in studying and playing games and I can also play basketball other than this I have not a single extra skills.
Yash lives just down the street in the next lane, while Siddharth is practically my next-door neighbor in the society beside ours. It makes it easy for us to hang out whenever we want, which, honestly, is almost all the time.
“Congratulations, bro, you topped again,” Sid said, pulling me into a hug as I entered the room, grinning from ear to ear.
Yash was sprawled across my bed like he owned it, his hands behind his head, “God, how did you manage to score that much marks… I am telling jitne marks tumne score kiye usme mujh jaise teen log pass ho jaate.”
(I am telling you, with the marks you have got, three people like me would have passed.)
I couldn’t help but laugh, “You say that every time, Yash. Maybe next time, study instead of calling me for late-night FIFA matches.”
To lighten the mood even more, I turned on some upbeat party music, and within seconds, all three of us were jumping around like maniacs. Yash started drumming on the table with his hands, Sid pretended to play the violin using a pencil, and I… well, let’s not talk about my hidden skills.
We were laughing so hard that my stomach hurt, but in the middle of all that chaos, something caught my eye.
The balcony window was slightly open, and the breeze was making the curtains flutter softly.
As I moved to shut the balcony window, the breeze brushed past me, carrying that faint smell of rain and fresh paint. I leaned slightly, glancing outside and that’s when I noticed my dad talking to a couple of people next door.
Oh. So, the new neighbors finally shifted in. Dad did mention that his best friend was moving here, but I didn’t think he meant right next door. Small world… or small nightmare, depending on how noisy they turn out to be.
But that wasn’t the main thing catching my attention.
Because right there, on their balcony, stood a girl.
She had light brown hair that shimmered slightly in the sunlight, well, what I could see of it. Most of it was flying all over her face as she tried to tame the rebellious strands. For a solid few seconds, she looked like she was losing a wrestling match against her own hair.
I blinked, trying to get a clearer look at her face, but her hair had other plans. Between the wind, the curtain, and my heartbeat doing parkour, I couldn’t see a thing. Still, something about her presence tugged at me.
My heart thumped harder. I actually put a hand on my chest, like that was going to help.
Calm down, idiot.
When I looked again, she was gone. Just…gone. The balcony was empty, as if I’d imagined her completely.
I frowned, “What the—did she just disappear?”
Before I could process it, my door flew open so suddenly that I almost tripped over my own feet.
“Bro, emergency!” Yash shouted, barging in like the world was ending. “We are out of chips, and I’m starving. Hand over anything edible before I start chewing your guitar strings!”
Sid followed right behind him, cool as ever, holding two bottles of cold coffee, throwing one bottle to Yash.
I stared at them, blinking, “You guys are unbelievable.”
Yash flopped onto my bed, already opening the bag of chips he just said didn’t exist, “Survival instincts, my friend. You wouldn’t understand, you are too busy being a scholar.”
“Or,” Sid added with a smirk, “maybe too busy staring out the balcony… what’s even there?”
I stiffened, “What? No. I was just—”
“Forget it. Come inside, I need your help,” Sid said, tossing me the spare game controller.
I hesitated for a second, glancing back toward the balcony. The curtains swayed softly, and everything was calm again too calm, almost like nothing had happened.
I let out a deep breath.
“Get a grip,” I muttered to myself and turned back to them, forcing my mind away from the distraction.
•••••
Today was my first day of 11th grade, and let me tell you, my nerves were all over the place. It’s crazy how it feels like just yesterday I was this clueless kid in nursery, and now here I am an actual high schooler. Time really does have a fast forward button.
I waited for my friends outside the gate, and no, we didn’t take the bus. We walk to school. Since there’s a basketball match coming up, I’ve been leaving home an hour earlier than usual for practice.
Every morning, when I step out, I can’t help but notice the house across the street. It’s almost fully renovated now.
After that day, I hadn’t seen the girl on the balcony again. I looked up today too, half-expecting to spot her there but the balcony doors were shut. They usually are.
I rarely see anyone come out of that house. Weird, right?
Then again, maybe it’s not that weird, no one really talks to anyone around here. Everyone’s too busy with their own lives. We only know a few people in the area.
Although my family met them as i heard dad was talking about his best friend and invited his family for a dinner. But i hadn’t met anyone of them for now.
After reaching school and practicing for an hour, I dragged myself to the sports room, changed into my uniform, and stepped out into the corridor which was absolute chaos.
The first-day energy was everywhere, students shouting across the hall, teachers pretending to have control, and juniors already regretting their life choices.
Sid was with me for a while, but he had to head to the office area, and Yash had probably already made himself comfortable in class or in the canteen, which, let’s be honest, was the more likely option.
I yawned, stretching my arms behind my head as I walked. My muscles were already screaming from practice, and all I wanted was a quiet, uneventful day. Just one peaceful morning without drama.
Was that too much to ask?
Apparently, yes.
Because that’s when I saw her.
Meera.
Oh, god. Of all people.
She was standing in the middle of the corridor, surrounded by her usual posture. Her hands were flying everywhere, her voice was way too loud for 7:30 in the morning, and just the sight of her made my sanity start packing its bags.
“Nope. Not today,” I muttered under my breath and spun around like a spy trying to avoid detection.
Of course, fate, being the drama queen it is, decided otherwise.
Two steps later, I crashed straight into someone. Hard.
Papers exploded into the air like confetti, my bag slid off my shoulder, and for a solid three seconds, I just stood there blinking like my brain was buffering.
“Ow—” I rubbed my forehead.
Why? Why is my day turning into a disaster?
————————————
Ahh Finally chapter 4…!!!😌
So how was the chapter???
Stay Tuned…!!!
Bye Cutiepies…!!🍁
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