Almost Us

nika

peting with the high-pitched squeal of my alarm. With a groggy stretch, I reached for my phone and nearly dropped it. "Monday?!" I squinted at

a crumpled mess. My school was one of the most prestigious in the city, all thanks to my family's connections and... resources, let's say. Not that I was the ideal daughter for t

er, Tia. Sweet, doting Tia, who somehow made everyone around her smile just by existing. "I'll see you after

ttention. "Ver, please tell me you did the homewor

, handing her my notes. I wasn't exactly the topper

. Speaking of drama, my heart decided to act up the second I spotted him, Ayaan Singhania. He was standin

close. But somewhere along the way, we'd grown apart. Now, he was the school h

y ear, "Did you hear? Ayaan hooke

"Why am I not surprised?" I muttered, eyes glued to my notebo

ing our packed lunch while gossiping about teachers and movies. But today, as I

then a loud rip. I froze, looking down to see my skirt caught on a nail, fabric torn an

eady as always. "It's just a skirt. We

to hold back my

y thigh where the nail had caught me. I bolted out of the room, eag

to laugh too, as if he were the king of the universe, and I was the joke of the day. A chill ran down my spine. This was supposed to be a lazy Sunday morning. But here I was, becoming the school's laughing

f to the bathroom, trying to collect myself. What was I thinking? Slapping Ayaan Singhania?

ady arm caught me before I could fall, guiding me down the hallway, his voic

the Nurs

the bright light. I realized I was lying on one of those cold, vinyl cots in the nur

I didn't hurt her,"

aa

king frustrated. The last time we'd been this close was when we were kids, laughing and sharing secrets. He'd cha

me, checking my cut.

o Ayaan, who had an unreadable expressio

o her, exasperated. "Look, can we just

t? Of course not! It was

, Veronika, and make sure you come back tomorrow," the nur

it, trying to ignore the warmth of his grip as he steadied me. We walked in

down with that familiar cocky grin. "Good to know you're aliv

uttered, trying to sou

ht a glimpse of the boy I used to know. But before I could say anything, he added, "Tell yo

. "In your dre

is head. "Suit yoursel

e. Beneath all the sarcasm and the bad blood, there was something st

ach. They'd grown up together, bound by years of memories that no amount of high school drama could erase. Maybe, jus