chapter 14

Part 14:  A little fun with a glanceIt was a regular Tuesday morning, but something had started to change — not in loud ways, but in small, happy shifts.Riya walked into class, her hair a little messy, trying to adjust her tie, when she suddenly heard a soft whisper behind her."White Crow."She turned instantly, narrowing her eyes. “Monkey!”They both chuckled quietly. These were their secret nicknames — ones no one else knew or was allowed to say.“Only I can call you that,” Riya whispered, smirking.“And I can call you this,” Dhirav replied, tapping her head lightly before walking away to his seat.Their bond had become something warm — like a cup of tea in winter. They were no longer just quietly understanding each other. Now, there was teasing, laughter, playful insults — and a comfort that was hard to explain.During break time, the group gathered as usual — Riya with her best friends Pihu and Sneha, and Dhirav with his close buddies Kunal and Abhi.Pihu: “I think today ma’am is going to take a surprise test!”Kunal groaned. “I didn’t even bring a pen.”Abhi: “Don’t worry, I’ll lend you a broken one.”Riya laughed. “Perfect for your broken concentration.”Everyone burst out laughing. Even Dhirav smirked.They all sat in a circle, making fun of each other, sharing food, and laughing over silly things. But even in the middle of all that noise, Dhirav’s eyes sometimes paused on Riya a little longer. And she noticed.During the science class, their teacher was explaining something about circuits. But the backbenches had a different energy.Kunal scribbled a cartoon of their teacher on his notebook. He passed it to Abhi. Sneha saw it and nearly choked trying not to laugh. Pihu covered her mouth.And then, Riya passed a note to Dhirav.It read:“Monkey, why does your hair look like electricity passed through it?”Dhirav tried not to laugh, scribbled back:“White Crow, at least I have hair. You’re looking like a flying puff today.”They exchanged the note three times before the teacher spotted movement.Teacher: “What’s going on there?”Everyone straightened up immediately.Riya stood up, hiding her smile. “Ma’am, we were just discussing the circuit…”Teacher raised an eyebrow. “Good. Then come explain it on the board.”Riya panicked for a second, then glanced at Dhirav. He winked.With a deep breath, she walked to the front and — surprisingly — explained the whole thing perfectly.As she returned, Dhirav mouthed: “Proud.”She mouthed back: “Still a monkey.”The day was filled with little nudges, silly eye-rolls, and inside jokes only they understood. And the others — Pihu, Sneha, Kunal, Abhi — had started noticing that something was different between Riya and Dhirav. But no one said anything. Not yet.After school, while walking toward the gate, Riya and Dhirav walked behind the rest of the group.“Hey,” she said, nudging him, “do you always act cool, or is it a special talent?”He grinned. “Only around White Crows.”She rolled her eyes but smiled. “Shut up.”“You shut up.”“You first.”And then they both burst out laughing.Friendship? Yes.Love? Maybe.But most of all — comfort, trust, and a space that felt like home.Some connections don’t follow any rule.They tease, they laugh, they protect, they roast — but deep down, they care.And that’s how Riya and Dhirav were growing…From just quiet understanding —To the joy of being best friends with hidden feelings.