A Letter, a Crush, and an Unexpected Twist

There’s a strange, unspoken rule in friendships—when it comes to love, whoever confesses first has the claim. Sameer and I had always abided by these rules, no matter what. So, when Sameer confided in me about his feelings for Dhriti, I did what any best friend would do—I set my feelings aside and promised to help him.

Sameer had spent an entire evening pouring his heart out into a letter for Dhriti. It wasn’t just words; it was his heart on paper. The plan was simple: hand the letter to Dhriti when she boarded the school bus home. Easy, right? Or so we thought.

The Big Day

The final bell rang, and the usual chaos of school wrapped around us. Sameer and I, however, had a mission. We rushed to the bus stand, weaving through the crowd, our hearts pounding—his from anticipation, mine from the quiet battle within.

She arrived, her usual radiant self, with her bag slung casually over one shoulder. Sameer gripped the letter tightly, his knuckles pale. I nudged him, whispering, “Now’s the time. Go!”

But his courage faltered. His hands shook, and his words dried up. The letter, meant to be his bold declaration, stayed tucked in his palm as Dhriti stepped onto the bus.

Realizing time was slipping away, I knew I had to act. Friendship demanded it. Spotting a young boy nearby, I handed him the letter and pointed towards Dhriti. “Give it to her,” I said, trying to sound calm despite the storm within.

The boy trotted up, tapped her on the shoulder, and delivered the letter. I could see her looking puzzled, scanning the crowd for the sender. That’s when it happened—the boy turned and pointed at me.

For a split second, the world stood still. My heart skipped a beat as her gaze locked onto mine. She raised an eyebrow in confusion before the bus doors closed, leaving me rooted to the spot, staring at my unwitting mistake.

The Twist

The next day, the corridors of the school felt unusually quiet—or maybe it was just my nerves. Sameer hadn’t said much after yesterday, and I was avoiding Dhriti altogether, dreading what might come next.

And then it happened.

“Hey, stop!” Her voice cut through the silence as I walked past the lockers.

I froze. Turning slowly, I saw her walking toward me, her cheeks tinged with the faintest blush.

“You could’ve told me in person, you know,” she said, her voice soft, almost teasing.

“Told you what?” I stammered, confused.

“That you like me,” she said, her eyes locking onto mine. “You didn’t have to go through the trouble of writing that letter and getting it delivered.”

I stood there, speechless. Before I could even explain, she leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a whisper.

“I love you,” she said, her blush deepening.

A Complicated Ending

In that moment, my mind raced. Should I tell her the truth? Should I let her know the letter wasn’t mine? But before I could say anything, she smiled and walked away, leaving me standing there, grappling with a mix of joy, guilt, and the undeniable realization that sometimes, love has its own plans.

That day, I learned that even the best intentions can lead to unexpected twists. And while I never set out to steal the spotlight, fate had other ideas.

*** images courtesy AI