A Distance Between Us
The Next Day
The morning sun bathed the college entrance in golden light, casting long shadows on the pavement. Students bustled around, engaged in their usual chatter, some laughing, some groaning about morning lectures.
And then—
"Oh."
A familiar voice stopped me in my tracks.
I turned my head, and there she was—Shreya.
Her long, silky black hair swayed slightly with the breeze, and her deep brown eyes met mine. For the first time since yesterday, we stood face to face.
"H-Hey… Good morning," I said, forcing my voice to sound casual.
She hesitated for a second before responding. "Good morning." Then, shifting slightly, she added, "About yesterday..."
The moment those words left her lips, my heart tightened.
I quickly cut in before she could continue. "Oh, hey, umm… don't worry about it. I'm fine, really. Let's just… forget about it."
Silence.
For a moment, she simply stared at me. Something flashed in her eyes—uncertainty? Guilt? I couldn't tell.
"A… Alright," she finally said, her voice quieter than usual.
I turned away, but a bitter thought echoed in my mind.
'Forget about it…'
Why am I so dumb?
I clenched my fists at my sides. I'm the one who confessed. I'm the one who broke our friendship and made things awkward. Now, I'm acting like none of it ever happened.
The tension was suffocating. Just standing there felt unbearable.
Then—
"Hey, Harsh!"
A voice called out, breaking through the heavy atmosphere.
I turned to look behind me.
Shruti.
She was walking towards me, her usual confident stride making her stand out in the crowd. With her shoulder-length wavy brown hair and sharp, intelligent eyes, she had an effortlessly cool aura. Shruti was one of the 'Three Beauties' of our college—smart, athletic, and kind to everyone.
Unlike me.
Still, in this moment, I felt nothing but relief.
Thank you, Shruti! Thank God! I thought.
Taking the opportunity, I turned back to Shreya. "See you around." Without waiting for her reply, I walked away, heading straight towards Shruti.
She smiled lightly. "Hi! What's up?" I asked, trying to sound normal.
She tilted her head slightly, amusement glimmering in her eyes. "Nothing. I just wanted to say your name."
I blinked. "Huh?"
Her lips curled into a small grin, as if enjoying my confusion.
I sighed, shaking my head. "Stop doing unnecessary things and let's go to the classroom."
She laughed softly but followed me anyway.
As we walked, I could still feel the weight of Shreya's gaze lingering behind me. But I didn't turn around.
I wasn't ready to face it yet.