The atmosphere at school was charged with excitement and a touch of nervousness. Today was the day their 11th-grade results were going to be announced, and the students were anxiously clustered around the notice board, waiting for the final list to go up. Sana was standing with her friends, her heart pounding in her chest. Though she had worked hard, she knew that without Sid's guidance and support, this day might have felt a lot different.

Sid was beside her, calm and composed as usual, but even he could not hide the encouraging smile on his face. He knew she had done well he had been there through every late-night study session, every revision, every moment she had doubted herself. He nudged her lightly.

"Relax, Sana. Tune itni mehnat ki hai, result toh accha hi aayega" he reassured her.

"Result ka to pata nahi lekin school walo ka murder zarur kar dungi main, kya kabse bigg boss ke finale jese kar rahe hai bata hi nahi rahe result" she said while biting her nail.

"Arey kiu tension le rahi hai fail to nahi hogi na?" Reem asked her.

"Tu motivation de rahi hai ya dara rahi hai?" Sana angrily asked her.

"A... ab main to bass puch rhi hu itna likha hai na paper me?"

"Reem please muh band rakh" Sana joint her hands infront of her.

"Ashi tum to hamesha ki tarha top hi karogi" Randeep said to Ashi as they are standing near the pillar.

"Pata nahi Deep bass dar lag raha hai!" She said in low tone.

"Tumhe darne ki zarurat nahi hai just trust yourself" he hold her hand, she blush while looking down.

"Are inka kuch karna padhega na?" Sana asked Reem and Sid.

"Matlab?" Sid asked her.

"Are matlab inki feelings bahar laani hogi na warna inpar chhor diya to Ashi ke bacche Randeep ko mamu mamu karke bulayenge" Sana said to him.

"Point hai" Reem agreed with her.

"By the way tum dono track se bhatak rahe ho result aane wala hai" Sid said while Rolling his eyes.

Finally, the teacher pinned up the result sheet, and the students surged forward, searching for their names. Sana felt her hands tremble as she was standing there.

"Dekho main pass hui to balle balle karna aur fail hui to aahu aahu" she said to her friends.

Reem and Sid look at each other than went to saw their result. Ashi and Randeep also try to search their names. Finally they turn towards Sana, she look at their faces and sat down holding her head.

"Papa ko kya bolungi, main fail ho gai" she said in crying tone when her friends start doing bhangra. She look at them in confusion.

"Kya hua? Itne gande marks aaye hai kya jo aese react kar rahe ho?"

"Abey gadhi tu pass ho gai" Sid said with a proud smile.

"What?"  She shout and run towards the pin board to check her result.

"Sidharth! Mujhe accha score mila! Dekho!" she exclaimed, unable to hold back her excitement as she found her name with a score much higher than she had expected.

Sid's face broke into a proud smile. "Maine kaha tha, Sana. Tere mehnat ka yeh result hai. Congratulations!" He held out his hand for a high-five, and she eagerly slapped her hand against his, their laughter mingling.

Reem teased, "Sid ki mentorship mein to tere scores skyrocket ho gaye, Sana! Tumhari friendship ka magic lagta hai"

Sana laughed, her gaze lingering on Sid for a second longer. "Yeh toh hai, without him, shayad yeh scores possible hi nahi hote"

Sid just shrugged, brushing off the praise. "Mujhe credit dene ki koi zaroorat nahi, Sana. Tune khud ye achieve kiya hai."

"Wese har baar ki tarha toppers hamare group me se hai" Randeep said.

"Haan as always Sidharth first, tu aesa kya likhta hai paper me jo hamesha first aata hai" Ashi asked him while pouting as she achieved second position like always and Sidharth get the first position.

"Ye to secret hai" he said with a chuckle.

"Wese wo Kabir ne bhi ache marks score kare hai" Ashi said.

Sana rolled her eyes "haan to jiska Sid jaisa bhai hoga wo to high marks score karega hi na".

"Ye bhi hai usko chhordo ab party Banti hai kiu Sid, Ashi" Reem asked them getting excited.

Their class teacher came there "well done Shehnaaz your scores are better compare to the mid terms, and Sidharth, Ashi you both are the toppers so congratulations and you all did the great job well done and keep it up" she said and left from there.

"Sid tujhe kese thank you bolu yaar" Shehnaaz said getting emotional as it's all his credit.

"Dhat pagal tune khudh mehnat kari hai tabhi to ye possible ho paya hai" he hit her forehead with his fingers.

But she knew better. Sid's unwavering support, his encouragement, his patience in explaining difficult concepts, every bit had made a difference. And, as she looked at him now, she felt a warmth in her heart that went beyond friendship. She was not sure when it had happened, but her feelings for him had started to shift. She found herself drawn to him in ways she had not anticipated, the easy comfort they shared suddenly tinged with something deeper.

Meanwhile, Kabir, standing a little distance away, watched the scene with a frown. He could not ignore the bond between Sid and Sana anymore. There was something strong, something genuine, in the way she smiled at him, laughed with him. The regret was a bitter pill to swallow. He'd been the one to push her away, assuming she'd always be there, but now he realized what he had lost. Sana had found someone else, someone who clearly valued her.
And the someone is his own brother.

..................

In the following days, the students started preparing for their 12th-grade year, and the atmosphere was abuzz with excitement about what lay ahead. Sana and Sid spent more time together, tackling new subjects, sharing inside jokes, and supporting each other. The bond they shared grew stronger with each passing day.

One afternoon, as they sat in the library, engrossed in yet another round of study sessions, Sid looked up from his notes and noticed Sana lost in her thought, her gaze focused on him.

He raised an eyebrow. "Kya hua, Sana? Aise kyun dekh rahi hai?"

Sana blinked, caught off-guard. She quickly looked down, her cheeks warming. "Kuch nahi… bass soch rahi thi tu itna handsome hai kabhi koi girlfriend nahi bani?"

Sid blush hearing handsome from her mouth and replied, "nahi".

"Kiu?" Suddenly she start getting interest in his relationship status.

"Kabhi koi mili nahi, teri jesi" he said the line line under his breathe., her gaze focused on him.

"Huh?"

"Nahi matlab wo kabhi in cheezo me dhyan nahi diya hamesha padhai par dhyaan rehta tha mera to" he shrugged off his shoulder, and look down in his book.

Sana smile thinking he never had any girlfriend don't know why but she feel happy about it.

He smirk thinking about something and said "wese ek ladki thi to"

She snap her head towards him with a speed of light "Ohh... toh aisa kya khaas tha uss ladki mein, Sidharth?" she asked, trying to sound casual while fighting the growing curiosity and jealousy...within her.

"Thi ek khubsurat ladki" he lost in his thoughts when he saw her for the first time in the rain, he loved when she saw her helping the little puppies in the rain, he loved when the rain was falling on her beautiful face making it more beautiful, her wet hairs, her dress color, he remembered everything. "Uske lambe khubsurat baal the, pink fluffy cheeks, long eye lashes, wo baarish me aese ghum rahi thi jese koi morni ho"

Sana's heart fluttered, and she felt a pang she had not expected. She forced a smile. "Acha? Baarish mein? Nice...Lagta hai tujhe woh pasand aa gayi. Tune use approach kyun nahi kiya?"

Sid chuckled, shaking his head. "Nahi... I did not approach her. Bas door se dekha, par kuch tha usmein, ek alag si energy" He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, noticing how she was fidgeting with her notebook, her usual easy smile replaced by something else something that looked almost... hurt.

Sana could not quite understand why the thought of Sid liking someone else made her feel so uneasy. She tried to play it cool, keeping her voice steady. "Toh… kab milva rahe ho humein usse?" she teased, though her smile was strained.

Sid finally turned to her, unable to hold back his smile. "Kya pata, shayad hum kabhi mile bhi na"

Sana blinked in confusion, furrowing her brows. "Kya matlab?"

"Matlab itni Khubsurat ladkiya kaha milti hai ab" he said dramatically and hide his face in his book to control his laugh. "Kaash wo mil jaaye"

Sana was thinking about that girl and don't know why but felt ping of jealousy in her heart.

"haan to mil jaaye to pata lena apni baarish wali ko" she said angrily and left from there.

"Arey sun to uske baare me sunti to ja" he laughed loudly when she left from there "jhalli" he said and shook his head in disbelief.

....................

As the days passed, Kabir's regret grew. He often found himself watching Sana and Sid, unable to ignore the easy camaraderie and genuine connection they shared. The way Sana laughed freely around Sid, the trust she had in him...it was all too evident. For the first time, Kabir realized that he had missed out on something special.

One day, Kabir tried to talk to her after class. He approached her cautiously, his expression uncertain. "Sana… ek baat kar sakta hoon tumse?"

Sana looked at him, surprised. Her heart no longer ached like it once did,  instead, she felt a quiet strength because the liking towards him faded with time. With Sid's support, she had found her worth. She gave a polite nod. "Haan, Kabir, bol"

He hesitated, glancing away for a moment before continuing.

"Mujhe lagta hai ke maine tumhe galat samjha tha. Tum mere liye hamesha thi, aur maine kabhi uska importance nahi samjha, i know maine teri insult kari thi lekin kya hum friends ban kar reh sakte hai?" He asked her.

Sana took a deep breath, her tone calm but firm. "Kabir, kuch cheezein hum tab samajhte hain jab unka waqt chala jata hai. Tumne jo feel nahi kiya, usmein tumhari koi galti nahi thi. Lekin main ab apne aap ko kisi ke bhi feelings ke hisaab se nahi badlungi" She paused, thinking about her loved once, who was waiting for her success and she can't leave them disappointed, "Ab mujhe woh log chahiye jo mujhe sach mein samjhte hain aur value karte hain"

Kabir looked down, nodding slightly,  with a hint of jealousy, she left from there.

Like this both Sid and Sana felt a newfound warmth between them. Sana could not deny the way her heart felt lighter around Sid, the way her smile came easily, the way she felt seen and valued. And as for Sid, though he did not say it, he felt his own feelings growing with each passing day. What had started as a friendship was now blossoming into something far more meaningful.

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Hope you liked this chapter.

Thanks for reading ❤️