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➶-͙˚ ༘✶ ───

❝ Love is a huge word ❞

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Space Academy 

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"Every single one of you must be present in the upcoming parent teacher meeting next Friday. If not, be ready to face the principal as soon as I get a hold of you", the math's teacher of class 10 'B' threatened while distributing the mid-term examination corrected answer scripts. Her aged eyes narrowing at certain students due to their past mischievous records. "No excuse will be tolerated".

Nandini gulped while rubbing her sweaty palms over her school skirt as her roll-number was called loudly by the teacher, even before she could get up. The answer script was passed over to her by some students sitting before her right in front of the teacher. Nandini gritted her teeth to keep her opinion to herself, but grew annoyed when she saw a classmate turn her script and check out her marks before passing it to her with a mocking smile.

She took a shuddering breath before slowly turning her answer script over, her dry eyes growing moist as she saw the digits scribbled on the top of her script inside an irregular red circle. Her nails harshly digging into her soft palm as if the body wanted to feel the pain the soul was experiencing right now. Suddenly she felt a sense of animosity grow inside her against the bundle of paper lying before her, her heart screaming to crush and destroy it.

Her head felt heavy, the mocking smile her classmate passed growing deep in her mind, maybe she did deserve it her mind convincing her. Her mother never bothered about marks, but Nandini still felt guilty. Performing well is the last thing she could for her mom.

I can never make her happy.

Sighing loudly, she waited for her class to get over. Her conscious mind going deep into depressing thoughts. Her feet cold as her eyes absent minded stayed put on the smart- screen where a video explaining the tangent of a circle was being played.

The loud vocals of the bell dragged her back into her present state of mind. Her eyes found the sight of Navya rushing towards her seat merrily. Navya clasped Nandini's shoulder lightly and shook it with excitement bubbling her form. "Gosh! Nandini I was so scared, for a second I thought I was going to fail in math but thank god I made it." Only when Navya's monologue finished she noticed the sullen look on her best friend's face. Her forehead frowning when she waved her hand in front of Nandini's crest fallen face but still couldn't attract her attention.

"Nandu, what happened?" her concern grew when Nandini dismissed her question and looked outside the window, still seated at the corner of her seat.

"Are you and Manik still fighting?" she inquired, even though she was quite sure that was not the case, she found Cabir extra-cheerful this morning, which means Manik was not giving him a hard time. Last few days of their fight was miserable for poor Cabir. Navya's heart bloomed when she remembered Cabir's face pouting at his best friend.

"Will you please stop it Navya!" Nandini snapped at her sharply, her features forming into a light scowl. Navya blinked at her friend in confusion, her eyes growing dull at her sharp words.

"But I-"

"Oh please! Everything that happens in my life doesn't involve Manik." She grew frustrated, her thoughts somewhat blaming Manik for the drop in her academic performance. Nandini knew she was being rude to Navya and completely unfair to Manik. But her heart couldn't help but feel insecure. Manik never had any problems in his academics, him being in section 'a' considered a section for top-scorers proved it itself. So why was she the only one going through this?

Was she ruining herself after him?

"Okay fine!" Navya took a deep breath, "I won't bring Manik up anymore." She raised her hands and chuckled awkwardly when Nandini lightly shook her head biting her lower lip her thoughts still in something demeaning.

Was she jealous of Manik, the same guy who would anything for her in a heartbeat?

Cabir whistled while leaning against the corridor wall with Manik pacing back and forth right in front of his eyes. He smirked, "I don't think the love of your life will be appearing out of her classroom anytime soon."

He chuckled loudly when he saw Manik stiffen from the corner of his eyes, Manik ear's heating up when he turned towards Cabir with a threatening snarl. Manik coughed into his elbows while scratching the front of his fist.

"I don't remember mentioning you anything about her being the love of my life!" Manik raised one of his perfectly shaped eyebrows giving him a look to 'shut his trap right now'.

The teasing smile returned in Cabir's face, making Manik groan in frustration. "So you don't love her?" he ticked Manik, dying to see his friend flustered.

"Love is a huge word, Cabir" Manik looked into his bracelet, a small smile making its way into his face. "Unlike her, she's small and adorable" he chuckled imagining her angry face whenever he made fun of her height.

Manik sobered up when he saw Cabir laughing lightly at him, shaking his head while clicking his tongue. "Anyway, it's none of your business" he scowled at him even though his heart raced at the idea of love.

Did he even deserve love?

Wasn't love supposed to be foolish?

He scratched the rear end of his boots with the corridor tile, when he saw Navya come outside of the classroom with an upset look on her face. Manik's posture straightened up, his feet dragging himself towards the friend of the girl he adored with all his might.

However, the expedition was kept unfulfilled when he was interrupted by his school football team coach, needing his assistance regarding a very important matter concerning their upcoming matches.

His desperate eyes kept flicking inside the windows of the classroom when he passed through it, his gaze locked into hers when he let out a heart-warming smile at her which was reciprocated by one of her smiles.

However, this time her smile made his heart drop instead of blooming it.

Did something change between them?

The doraemon key-chain he bought for her felt heavy in his pant pocket. His thought growing concerning.

Did he do something wrong?