AYUSH SINGHANIA

X

VIDHI MALHOTRA

"LOVE IS SOMETHING YOU BETTER NOT DO TO YOUR BEST FRIEND"

-AAYUSHHHH

Aayush

"Now don't think by this tag line that I don't love my best friend, but the fuck, I love her? The most ridiculous shit you can think is how you can fell in love with someone you've just been real with you ever since you met them?" I scoffed at my cowardness when I looked at her coming near me. She was in her school uniform, her hairs been tied into two braids, completely oily hairs.

No matter, she looked cute.

It was the first day of our school, since we our 10th exams ended. We daily talked on zoom for hours, like mid nights until I used to beg and convince her to come and meet me and my family.

The most shocking thing which came to me was Vidhi Malhotra was my mother's favorite. That lady hates everyone, even her own kids, and could make my relative's kids work till the bone, but this whole world was different to this witch.

"Finally!" Vidhi sighed as she sat on her seat, next to me. She looked so tired, as if she has done the biggest work in the world by walking on two floors of staircase. She was breathing heavily, as she kept her bag down.

"Grandma, it's seven in the morning, and you're tired" I laughed at her when she rolled her eyes. Ouch, did she got hurt by my comment? No way, she started laughing herself.

"You've no self-respect, do you?" I asked when she smacks me over head. My cute girl, I thought but cringed at the same second.

CUTE GIRL? I've seen many of her shits to even think she's cute. It is hard to have a crush on your best friend- like what do I see in her? Her face? Her voice?
What do I actually like in this girl?

"So, finally we made it till 11th" Vidhi said, when I looked at her with a slight frown.

"People say that friends get separated after 10th but look at us" Vidhi said when a grin appeared on my face.

"We'll make it forever" I blurted out of nowhere when she looked at me, her face darkened.

"Huh?" She asked when I shook my head.

"We both choose to become doctors, so we'll make it forever, our friendship" I cleared myself when my throat dried, my voice almost drained.

"What was I thinking to say?" I thought. She's my only friend since childhood, I never let anyone came in our friendship, but since I understood my feelings made an entry, I feel scared. To lose a friend, to lose someone who stays with me at my lowest. The one, who encourages me. My best friend, since childhood.

"Ohhooooo, love birds" Vividh, our classmate and an annoying idiot hooted. Vidhi hated whenever someone said such things about us, but to me this word sounds so beautiful.

"LOVEBIRDS" I can make the whole class shout it for us. Wouldn't that sound so appealing? But this grandma feels this cringe.

Of course, the moment she'll get about my feelings for her, she'll stop considering me as her friend too.

My hearts sinks thinking that she'll watch me with any other emotion than love or friendship.

"This is what happens when you come to 11th but your humor and senses were left in 5th. He's so senseless, what makes us look like 'lovebirds' you're so ugly for me" Vidhi sarcastically mumbles, thinking that she just cracked a joke.

"Vidhi, you just called me ugly" I said pouting, when she looked at me

"Yes, I did"

"Even your sense of humor is left in 3rd" I told her when the teacher came inside.

"What, really?" She muttered slouching her shoulders, looking at our class teacher.

How can I forget that she's the second copy of my mother. My LADIES hated every single person on this planet.

"Let's go to assembly, Supriya, you help everyone in making a line" The teacher instructed, when almost everyone went. Supriya was the coolest monitor any class could've. She simply excused her, as I begged Vidhi to come along.

"Chal le na, Principal ko bhi pata hai ki yeh dono to kabhi time pe pahaunch hi nahi sakte assembly" I asked, trying to pull her up.

(Let's go, even principal knows that we don't reach by time)

"Dekh, stairs up down nahi hoti mujhse tu ja, main to bahana mar hi dungi"

(Look, I can't go up and down the stairs, you may go I'll get an excuse)

"Haan han, tu to minister ki beti hai na jaise? Chala nahi jata rani sahiba se" I muttered rolling my eyes, as a chuckle came out of my mouth.

(As if you're minister's daughter. Highness can't walk downstairs)

"Haan vo to main hu hi, minister ki beti" She said, as she looked at me.

(Yes, so I'm that. Minister's daughter)

As I looked at her, I rolled my eyes. How can I forget the highlighting detail about her? Minister's daughter.

That's why she's so free and do whatever she wants to.

Her smile disappeared, whenever I mentioned the name of her own parents in front of her, she turned the saddest. Reason, I'd guess all these years must be her step mother?

I walked away. "Mat aa, dramebaaz"

(Don't come actor)

I told when she stood, looking at me. "Rukk, main aa rahi hu" She said, as she came running behind me.

If you're thinking why teacher's don't say anything, so even guys like me don't exist in your world and until and unless, we aren't in the middle of a controversy, the teachers stay away from us.

-

As we stood in different lines for prayer, my eyes drifted at her. Her eyes closed, her hands clasped together in front of her, and a serene expression on her face. She looked so peaceful, so calm, and I felt a pang of longing in my chest.

I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to be the one she turned to when she needed comfort, when she needed someone to talk to. What would it be like to be the one she loved?

I shook my head, pushing the thoughts away. I was her best friend, not some lovesick idiot. I needed to focus on being there for her, supporting her, not pining after her like a fool.

But as I looked at her, I couldn't help but feel that familiar flutter in my chest. It was a feeling I'd grown accustomed to over the years, but one that still left me breathless.

The prayer ended, and Vidhi opened her eyes, looking around at the dispersing crowd. Her gaze landed on me, and she smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners.

I smiled back, feeling my heart skip a beat. Yeah, I was in trouble. Big trouble.

She looked up at me, raising her furrows, when my heart grew with anticipation. I shook my head in denial.

This one sided relationship and those unexpressed feelings deep down kills me. I look at her, she looks at me with the same gaze, but isn't it so weird? My eyes have love in them, while she couldn't even notice it.

My eyes expresses a sea of emotions, but she stood blind.

It took us 15 minutes in assembly, when they called principal for "4 special words". I could've managed to convince my parents about taking a dummy admission in this school, but my best friend somehow convinced me not to do that, because she really needs to come school daily.

-

As we went back to the class, she wore on her specs as she opens her diary. She's a nerd, okay I was also a topper, but that doesn't means to be engrossed with her books so hard that you don't even look outside.

Vidhi was scribbling on her diary, when I asked her, "Tu chaar din se kaha busy thi? Phone tak nahi pick kiya" I complained her when the teacher came.

(Where were you busy since last 4 day, you didn't even picked my call)

There first class was of biology, when our teacher started teaching us straight away, without having any introduction shit! Fuck, such teachers really exist?

Vidhi was making the notes of first chapter- while I sat listening to the teacher.

Her writing was so beautiful, while mine was worse that the ECG lines. I barely wrote anything, all over the year while she fills all the pages of her notebook.

My scribbles, a chaotic mess,
Like my heart, where emotions confess.
Empty pages stare, a reflection of his mind,
A canvas bare, where thoughts are left behind.

Vidhi's handwriting, a symphony of art,
A dance of letters, a gentle touch to the heart.
Her pages filled, a testament to her zeal,
A world of knowledge, where her dreams reveal.

Two worlds collide, in this contrasting pair,
My emptiness, Vidhi's meticulous care.
Their differences shine, like the sun and the night,
A tale of two hearts, beating with different light.

I stared at her, my eyes lingered on her when I felt a smack on my head.

"Second bench, concentrate" the teacher shouted when I looked at the board. Infuriated.

-

Poem isn't mine. I took it from somewhere!

💓✨