Over the next few days, I received plenty of gifts. Bracelets, a head scarf, colorful beads. Not once did Ruby come to hand them over. He slipped them in my bag, or in the space under my desk, waiting shyly for me to rip them open.


It was cute, too cute I think, that this huge boy, the same one that towered over grown men, blushed and looked away whenever he saw me walk in. Did I take advantage of it? Of course. I couldn't get enough of it. Every day, I carefully crafted my outfit only to wrap his bracelets around my wrists, or braid my hair, styling them with his beads.


As much as I enjoyed it, I didn't mention it once. Apart from those stray little moments, we were friends, best friends, chatting and laughing and getting into fights. His gifts were something precious, almost sacred, a silent secret shared between us.



That day, the 23rd of December, I think, he came to lead me behind the gym. It was the last day of school, the last day before the Christmas holidays.

I remember it as if it was yesterday. I was sitting with Evans, lovely girl, on the doorstep outside our classroom, laughing and chatting away about our Christmas plans. That's when he came.


He stumbled awkwardly through the crowd, blushing and stuttering about how he wanted to "show me something". Evans laughed and made a dirty joke and i smiled, though i felt my ears getting red. Ruby looked like he was going to explode.


So I grabbed his hand, even though I'm sure he wanted to grab mine, and dragged him through the yard. He opened his mouth, muttered an incoherent protest, but I was too flustered to even listen. We walked and walked for what felt like ages and seconds all at once.


Eventually, he managed to gather his courage and squeeze my hand, putting a stop to my frenzy. He took a deep breath, looked into my eyes, his gaze making my heart explode.


"I have something for you, Atish", he whispered, taking my hands in his.


I nodded, slowly, almost mechanically. I couldn't think, I could breath, my heart pounding in my chest. And so I followed him almost blindly to this little, covered corner.


I should have known. I really should have known. But I didn't even dare think of it, so I didn't.


The setup was simple, as was his message. A guitar, my own guitar, a dream I've had since I was little, and a single yellow rose.


"I love you, Atish".