Krishvi
"Krishvi! Bas bhi kar ab. Kitna padhegi?"
My mother, Kaveri, looked at me in disbelief as I revised at five in the morning for an exam that was still a year away.
"Mumma, you know na studying from the start of the session is important.
Tabhi toh boards mein achhe marks aayenge," I replied without looking away from my books.
I heard her groan in frustration.
"Your dedication is impressive, baccha. I'm genuinely proud of you," she said softly, sitting beside me.
"But boards mein abhi bohot time hai. Itna stress mat le, and please don't sacrifice your sleep like this.
Chal, ek ghanta so ja mere saath. Phir saat baje school ke liye bhi ready hona hai."
She kissed my forehead lovingly.
"Mumma, you don't understand," I whispered, my voice firm despite the ache hidden inside it.
"Mujhe kuch logon ko prove karke dikhana hai... that I'm capable. That a girl can rule too, if she wants."
My mother looked at me with unshed tears in her eyes.
This woman was sacrificing so much for me, and I knew I could never repay her.
But I wanted to make her the happiest person on earth.
Because the world had already tried to break my mother once.
And I would never let it happen again.
The school corridor buzzed with laughter and hushed conversations.
Students rushed past each other, excited for the first day.
Clutching my books tightly, I walked toward my classroom.
And then-
thud.
I bumped straight into someone.
My books nearly slipped from my hands.
"Tum dekh nahi sakte kya?" I snapped, glaring at the boy standing in front of me.
Unfortunately, it was him.
The one person whose existence irritated me beyond limits.
He looked down at me with cold, unreadable eyes.
"Nahi dekh sakta," he replied calmly. "Kindly donate me your eyes."
My jaw tightened.
"Such an idiot," I muttered under my breath, trying to walk past him.
"Sun sakta hoon," he said sharply behind me. "I'm not deaf."
I stopped for a second but didn't turn around.
Of course he heard it.
Zevansh always did.
No wonder I'd hated him since class ninth.
I stepped into my classroom expecting the usual chaos, but instead found it almost empty.
Only my crackhead gang was there.
Aahira and Rajshree were giggling over a makeup kit spread across the desk.
Vaidehi was deeply engrossed in a conversation with Advait, while Aryansh sat near the window, casually strumming his guitar.
The soft sound of rain tapping against the windows filled the classroom.
"Where are the other students?"
I asked, dropping my bag beside Aahira's.
"Maybe because of the rain," Advait replied in his usual chirpy tone.
"Hardly four or five students showed up. The rest are probably roaming in the corridors."
"What the hell?" I frowned. "Wasn't today our chemistry test?"
Everyone looked at me in disbelief.
Everyone except Aryansh, who continued playing his guitar peacefully.
"Har time padhai, behen," Rajshree said dramatically.
"Obviously bahar itni baarish ho rahi hai. And chemistry wali Meena ma'am already texted this morning that she'll be absent today.
But obviously..." she paused, raising an eyebrow, "...you didn't check WhatsApp."
"What?!" I stared at them in horror. "Tum log mujhe call toh kar sakte the! Itni subah maine mumma ko bhi pareshaan kiya.
She kept saying the test might get cancelled, but I didn't listen."
I anxiously started biting my nails.
Vaidehi immediately wrapped an arm around me.
"Call isliye nahi kiya, pagli," she said gently, "because we knew you'd start studying again and wouldn't come to school.
Aur waise bhi, you're the head girl. Tujhe toh aana hi padta."
She smiled softly.
"And honestly? Days like these are rare. We can actually have fun today."
"Haina," Aahira sighed dreamily.
"Waise tum log K-dramas kyun nahi dekhte? They're so funny and romantic."
I stared at her in disbelief.
This girl had a talent for bringing K-dramas into literally every conversation.
Aryansh instantly pretended to smack the back of her head.
"You and your unhealthy obsession with K-dramas."
Aahira glared at him while I tried suppressing my smile.
No matter how upset I felt, these idiots always managed to make me feel better.
After all, good friends were a luxury not everyone was lucky enough to have.
A small smile finally appeared on my face.
"Hass diiii!" Aahira clapped dramatically. "Finally iska mood better ho gaya!"
"Dhatt, pagal," I muttered, taking the seat beside her.
Aryansh looked at me thoughtfully.
"Waise, Krishvi... when you entered the class, your mood looked really off."
"Yaar, woh uss Zevansh ki wajah se," I said irritably.
"Zevansh?" Rajshree instantly stood up. "What did he do now? Let me show him his place. Principal ka beta hai toh kya hua?"
She was already prepared to march outside when Aryansh grabbed her wrist.
"Ruk jaa, Shree. Thandi ho ja."
I looked at them-their worried faces, their protective expressions-and suddenly felt overwhelmed with gratitude.
"Relax, guys," I said, shaking my head. "He didn't do anything serious. It's just... we've fought so much that I hate even his presence."
"Well," Advait said thoughtfully, "the entire school's girls are crazy about him. I mean... he is handsome."
"Haan toh shaadi kar le usse," Aahira snapped jealously.
I bit back a smile because I knew exactly why she sounded jealous.
"Pagal hai kya?" Advait glared at her. "Dimag ke bina paida hui thi?"
"Okay, okay!" I interrupted quickly before another war started. "Nothing serious happened."
Everyone sighed in relief.
"Still," Aryansh said sincerely, "if anything ever happens, we're there for you."
I smiled softly.
"Chalo, thodi der padh lete hain," I said seriously.
"KRISHVIIIII!" everyone groaned together.
I burst into laughter, raising my hands in surrender.
"Okay baba, okay. Aaj sirf masti. Most teachers are absent anyway."
Their laughter echoed through the classroom once again.
And somehow, with
out me realizing it, time passed beautifully.
Because after my mother...
these idiots were my safest place.
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