Bharath

“There was this weird little corner in our school library, next to the window that always creaked when you opened it, under a ceiling fan that wobbled like it might fall any minute. No one sat there. It wasn’t cool or cozy. So naturally, we claimed it. It started as a place to “study” for finals. Which really meant we sat there eating hidden snacks, pretending to do math, and avoiding eye contact just enough to make it obvious. I had just bought a micromax phone. It was cheap, kinda slow, but mine. I felt like I had unlocked adulthood. I also got a wired earphones, I liked how dramatic it felt to untangle the cord like a knight unsheathing a sword. I had been obsessed with this one song: “You Are the Right One” by Sports. It was funky and soft and made me feel like I was the main character in a movie that didn’t exist. Every time I listened to it, I thought of her .. sitting across from me, doodling tiny dinosaurs in the corner of her notebook like she wasn’t slowly turning me into a puddle. One afternoon, I got bold. Or stupid. Probably both.I plugged in my earphones, slid one across the table, and said, “You don’t have to listen to this. But you should. Because it’s… uh… cool. And has instruments. And stuff.” She blinked at me, then took it without saying anything which was honestly the most terrifyingly intimate moment of my entire high school life. We sat there in silence while the song played. Her face didn’t change much. She just kept doodling, the earbud barely hanging in. But there was this tiny, quiet smile at the edge of her mouth like she knew. Like she definitely knew. When the song ended, she didn't say anything. No smirk. No comment. Just passed the earphone back like it was the most casual thing in the world and said, “You have a weird taste in music.” (she's not the most expressive , specially when it comes to love ) yk awkward teens. But the next day, she came to the corner early.And that’s how it went. No big confession. No movie moment. Just quiet corners, awkward smiles, half a shared song, and two idiots pretending not to fall for each other.I still can’t hear that song without thinking of her. Of that wobbly fan. Of the notebook dinosaurs. Of how terrifying and wonderful it felt to feel everything and say almost nothing. Almost like a punch and hug from her all at once. Fyi we met in college again and dated for lil while( like 3 months ).”