"Kyaaaa? (What?)" (Regular annoyed look voice.) She took a split of second to think. "Let's talk about it when we get home." she added.

I was thinking to myself, what will Aadhira say? "Are you talking about sleeping? You? My ears are working, aren't they? Then I'll say, I don't know how to say it, sometimes I go overboard with my own limits."

It's the first time that Aadhira isn't teasing me. Does she not want to talk? Is Aadhira feeling shy? ... No, no, that can't be. As far as I know, she's very bold—more so than even my permanent big marker.

We arrived home. Aadhira put the key in the lock and opened the door. We both entered together, and when our shoulders touched, I instinctively touched my own shoulder. What is this that keeps happening to me? That sparks! ...I placed my bag on the bed, she is sitting on the bed, eating apples.

"You look very happy," I asked, putting my handbag aside.

"Apple." Extended half ate apple to me

"No."

I took a bottle from the fridge and drank some water. I sat on the bed for a while.

"So, what did you decide?" I asked nervously, hoping she didn't say yes.

Aadhira smiled and said, "Kiara, at least freshen up first."

I came back after changing into my white salwar suit. Who knows what I had given promise her, I would just tell her I said it casually. I wasn't going to do it.

She came back wearing a white salwar suit. I saw that she had already prepared the food. I was eating while she remained silent as if she was waiting for something. It was making my heart anxious, wondering what was happening. Why was she creating so much tension and not saying anything? She was watching Instagram reels.

While washing the dishes after dinner, I remembered my school days.

School Time.

I was in 10th grade. The teacher said, "Today is your day to clean, clean your class thoroughly. Where is your partner?"

"She is not my partner."

"It's your batch partner's day too. Two people have to do it together."

She was probably kissing some boy in a corner, before I could understand, she had already grown up. She was so mad, I didn't know how she could kiss anyone. But she is my friend, so I shouldn't be jealous. What was her fault if she didn't have a crush on me? Everyone left, and I started cleaning with a broom when Aadhira came, holding a boy's hand. She saw the broom in my hand and tapped her own forehead.

"Shit, I forgot. (To me) Get out of here. (To the boy)"

The boy left. he gave her flying kisses. Shit that annoying.

"Don't you get bored running after these monkeys?"

"So what should I do?" She started cleaning with the broom. She asked as if she had no other options. She could consider me, couldn't she? But no, I was getting really angry.

"I do not know...maybe...Fall... in... LOVE (I glace her.)" 

Aadhira started laughing loudly. "You are so funny. Me and love? Where do you see that I want to be serious with anyone?"

"It doesn't seem, I am sure you will never fall in love." I said angrily.

I sat down angrily on the bench. She continued cleaning. She put on her earphones and started listening to music. She cleaned the entire class. I snatched the broom from Aadhira. Mu blood is boiling.

"Aadhira, why are you ignoring me? What have I done?" I said, standing in front of her.

She took out her earphones. "What did you say?"

I didn't have the courage to repeat myself. "Nothing, rot here." I took my bag and left. I don't know why I felt that she understood me, she knew me.

All crushes seem magical, but you can't get hold of them, right? Is that how it works? I wish I could meet someone else to date, but she really acts like my mother and not let me date. If I ever get the chance, I will definitely date someone. Besides, I don't look that good that every guy would die for me. Why just a guy? A girl? How do you know if someone is interested in girls? I wish everyone wore a pride flag. I was looking up at the sky while talking, then after a while, I went to fill water at the school. There was a batch of brown-colored girls. I sat there. I took out my phone. Let's see if searching for something about lesbians shows anything. YouTube has useless videos. They just talk about getting into bed. Stop, how much crazier can you get, close it.

Aadhira came just then, I was trying to close it, Please Please! It wasn't closing. I put the phone upside down. Seeing my scared face, Aadhira asked, "What are you hiding?"

"What song were you listening to?"

"What?" She saw my phone.

As soon as she picked up the phone, I started apologizing. "I swear! I was searching for something else, and this came up."

She smiled and said, "Kiara! innocent! cute girl interested in gay shit?"

"No! Absolutely not, I..umm I... " I don't even remember who I am.

Aadhira restarted the video and put on her earphones. "Don't do it like this, someone will hear. Let's watch it from the beginning, though on YouTube, you will only find romantic scenes."

She didn't care. She wanted to watch it like a crazy person with me, she sat next to me, her shoulder touching mine. She put her school bag beside the bench, put one side of the earphone in my ear, and started the video, I looked at her, and she is laughing. It seemed like she was trying to support me, or she is hiding something. What is she hiding? I never understand what Aadhira wants. I glanced at the phone and said, "Eww, I don't want to watch this, where's the fun in watching two people do this...whatever is this.... things."

Aadhira raised her eyebrows and said, "You were enjoying it, watching it alone, now you are shy with me."

I'm not shy, if your first love sits next to you and shows you such videos, you don't want to give yourself any more hope. Aadhira said scarily, "Then why did you search for it? Will you tell?"

I stood up to create some distance from Aadhira and looked into her eyes, then remembered what to say, turned my face, and said, "I think I like girls? umm ... Is this normal?"

"Huh?" Aadhira took out her earphones and stood up.

"Do you think I have a problem, I have a crush on a girl..."

"A girl?" Aadhira clapped and reacted proudly.

"When did all this happen, you are telling me today, if you had told me earlier, we would have celebrated, you have grown up, Kiara. Crush and all huh? (She smiled.) On whom, Neha ma'am? English ma'am is so h.."

I interrupted her, "Aadhira, she is a classmate."

"You are kidding? are you? There is no good-looking person in our class, who did you fall for, forget it, whatever you do, let's have Gola. It's just a crush, why are you taking it seriously."

She picked up her bag and started walking. she didn't listen to my whole story. I also picked up my bag and followed her.

Back to present.

I am washing the dishes. Aadhira had said, it's just a crush, forget it. I couldn't forget. I don't know when this crush crossed its limits. When I was finally trying to move on, Aadhira said she wanted to date me. I knew from the beginning Aadhira was never serious. I shouldn't have said yes. Whatever this is, it should end today.

I washed my hands, dried them with a towel, and said, "had your dinner?"

"Don't worry, I ate pizza," Aadhira said excitedly.

"What? Alone?" I said, teasing her.

"Hey! Listen, it was for my happiness, I finally talked to my dad today."

"OMG" I hugged her happily. She was very happy too.

"I brought a gift for you. Don't eat pizza, last time your stomach got upset."

"Aaaahhhaaaa! Stop reminding me, where's the gift?"

Aadhira gave a red box. My heart was about to stop. What is inside?

"A red box?"