"Slow down, please!" Ram cried, clinging to Yash as the bike sped out of control. "We're gonna crash"
"No way— I'm not being late for her" Yash cried, the air rushing past him as he looked back for a split second.
"I have asthma, you moron! You're going to kill me!" Ram panted from the back seat, his voice catching in the wind. "Slow down!"
Yash pulled a sharp drift as they burst through the school gates, leaving Dheeru and Vini trailing far behind.
"Calm down, baby, we're at school in one piece," Yash said, stepping off the seat and looking his friend over.
They made it to the classroom just as the teacher began the lecture.
"What's the move for today? You are meeting up with her?" Dheeru asked, leaning forward from the desk behind Yash.
"Of course, you idiot! Now shut up before the teacher catches us again," Ram whispered.
The teacher's eyes landed on Yash. "Hey, Yash! Focus. What's the differentiation for the equation on the board?"
Yash stood up slowly, rubbing his chin as he tried to work it out in his head. After a few seconds of silence, he spoke up. "Sir... is it tan(2x) +sin(cos(x))?"
"You little... I can't even argue with that. Just sit down and pay attention," the teacher muttered, turning back to the board to continue the lesson.
Ten o'clock arrived, and the second the teacher finished, they rushed to the window connecting the classroom to the park.
They climbed out the window and onto the park grounds. Dheeru looked at Yash—
"So, is it official? You're definitely meeting her today?"
"Yeah, I'm heading out now. You guys have fun without me," Yash said with a wave.
As Yash stepped into the park, he spotted a girl pushing Stuti's wheelchair. He made a beeline straight for them.
"Hi, Yash!" Stuti and the other girl chirped in unison, both of them waving as he approached.
"Hello— Nice to see you again," he replied, his eyes lighting up as he looked at Stuti.
"Meet my sister, Himari," Stuti introduced, tilting her head toward her sister.
"Hello, big brother Yash!" Himari said, giving him a bright smile.
Yash looked at the ground, shaking his head. So much for some alone time, he thought bitterly. I didn't plan for a third wheel.
"Something wrong, Big Bro?" Himari asked, tilting her head as she noticed his sudden change in mood.
"Oh, it's nothing! Here, let me take over," Yash said, reaching for the handles of the wheelchair. "I'll show you both the canal and the temple.
They made their way out of the park, and as they passed through the gates, a stunning canal came into view. They took a sharp right, following the path alongside the water.
"By the way," Yash said, keeping his eyes on the path ahead to hide his blush, "you look amazing today. That pink top really suits you, and those jeans are awesome."
Stuti's face turned bright red. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and looked away, murmuring a shy, "Thank you."
"And what about me, Big Brother?" Himari asked with a smirk, striking a little pose. "Don't I get a compliment too?"
"Yeah... you're about as beautiful as a wheel," Yash murmured under his breath, looking down at the ground to hide his face.
Everyone shared a laugh as they gazed out at the bright blue water together.
"Okay, we're heading for the temple now—you can see it right there," he noted, gesturing toward the building. "It's actually pretty quiet today, which is a nice change."
"I think I'll stick around the canal for a bit longer—" Himari said. "You guys go ahead." She didn't want to be a third wheel any longer.
"You're sure?" they asked together, looking back at her. Himari simply nodded in agreement, a small smile on her face.
Yash moved closer, walking slowly with his head dipped. He kept stealing glances at Stuti's face, subconsciously wetting his lips as his heart began to race.
She turned around suddenly, her forehead bumping right into Yash's. "What was that for?" she asked, startled by how close he was.
"Umm... nothing!" Yash stammered, stepping back quickly. "I was just... uh... checking to see if the temple was actually open yet."
As she looked forward again, the breeze blew a few strands of hair across her face. She gently tucked them behind her ear. As the wind died down, she smiled to herself and thought, "Such a bad liar."
They kept moving along the water's edge. "Look at the way the water flows right there," Yash said softly. He moved over to the left of her wheelchair, leaning in closer to point it out.
"It is," she whispered. They both turned at the same time, and their gazes locked. For a moment, the sound of the water seemed to fade away.
Yash stared at her, his heart in his eyes. He bit his lip and breathed out, "Mesmerizing..."