"Mihika! Are you still sleeping?"

Her mother's voice echoed through the small house.

"Get up right now! You're going to be late for school!"

The delicious smell of buttered toast and hot tea drifted into Mihika's room, but instead of waking her gently, her mother's voice shook the walls.

Mihika groaned and buried her face deeper into her pillow.

"Five more minutes..." she mumbled sleepily.

"No more five minutes!" her mother shouted from the kitchen. "I've been calling you for ten minutes already!"

Her eyes shot open.

"Huh?"

Still half-asleep, she reached for her phone on the bedside table. The bright screen lit up her face.

8:00 A.M.

"...WHAT?!"

She jumped out of bed so fast that her blanket landed on the floor.

"Oh no... no, no, no!"

Her heart pounded wildly as reality crashed into her.

I'm late!

She rushed toward the bathroom, nearly slipping on the floor.

Then another horrifying thought struck her.

"My chemistry assignment..."

Her face turned pale.

It was still lying unfinished inside her school bag.

She had promised herself she would complete it during the first period before the chemistry teacher arrived.

"Why did I keep procrastinating?" she cursed herself.

If she entered class late, she'd receive punishment.

If she didn't submit the assignment...

Double punishment.

"Great," she muttered sarcastically. "This day is already ruined."

From downstairs, her mother called again.

"Mihika! Breakfast is getting cold!"

"I'm coming!" she yelled back while frantically brushing her hair with one hand and searching for her socks with the other.

Little did she know...

Being late for school would be the least of her problems today.

_________

AT SCHOOL

The school corridor was buzzing with students rushing to their classrooms.

Mihika ran as fast as her legs could carry her, clutching her school bag tightly.

"Please let me make it... Please don't let the teacher notice..." she prayed silently.

She stopped outside her classroom, took a deep breath, and quietly pushed the door open.

"Miss Arora."

The deep voice of her class teacher made her freeze on the spot.

Slowly, she turned around with an awkward smile.

"Y-Yes, sir?"

The entire class shifted their attention toward her. More than forty pairs of eyes were staring at her.

"Oh no... not again." she sighed inwardly. "I hate this public humiliation."

Her teacher folded his arms.

"Late. Again?"

Mihika scratched the back of her neck nervously.

"Umm... Sir... actually..."

"Yes?"

"My younger siblings started fighting during breakfast, and I had to separate them. That's why I got late."

The classroom fell silent.

Her teacher stared at her for a few seconds before letting out a tired sigh.

"You always have an excuse, Miss Arora."

"I'm sorry, sir."

"This is your last warning. Now come inside."

A smile of relief appeared on her face.

"Thank you, sir."

Just as she was about to walk to her seat, his voice stopped her once again.

"And submit your chemistry assignment."

Her smile instantly disappeared.

"I'm dead..."

Her face turned pale.

She slowly walked toward her bench and dropped into the seat beside her best friend, Aanya.

Aanya leaned closer and whispered,

"What happened? Why are you late?"

Mihika rolled her eyes dramatically.

"My siblings. They turned breakfast into World War Three."

Aanya giggled.

"And your chemistry assignment?"

Mihika looked at her with wide eyes.

"Don't scare me! First tell me... how much time is left before sir collects everyone's notebooks?"

Aanya glanced toward the teacher's desk.

"About... five to ten minutes."

Mihika's eyes sparkled.

"That's enough."

"What?"

"Just watch my speed."

She immediately pulled out her chemistry notebook and started writing at lightning speed.

Her pen raced across the pages.

Formula after formula...

Diagram after diagram...

Explanation after explanation...

Her fingers barely stopped moving.

Aanya watched in complete disbelief.

"Are you even writing, or printing?"

Mihika didn't even look up.

"No talking. Genius at work."

Five minutes later...

She placed her pen down with a satisfied grin.

"Done."

Without wasting another second, she walked to the teacher's desk and handed over the notebook.

Her teacher flipped through the pages carefully.

Mihika held her breath.

A few moments later...

He nodded.

"Good."

A relieved smile spread across Mihika's face.

She returned to her seat, trying hard not to celebrate too loudly.

As the periods passed one after another, Mihika finally let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank God... I survived."

The chemistry assignment was submitted.

She wasn't punished.

And somehow, she had managed to escape another embarrassing lecture.

___________

The last bell before dispersal hadn't rung yet.

It was the last period of the day—the Games period.

For almost every student in the school, it was the most awaited class. The football ground echoed with boys shouting at the top of their lungs, the basketball court was filled with cheering, and the volleyball net had already become the center of another heated match.

But Class 12-B girls?

That was a completely different story.

The moment the sports teacher blew the whistle and announced, "Go to the ground, girls!" almost everyone walked outside with expressions as if they had been sentenced to hard labor.

None of them actually wanted to play.

After all, most of them had chosen Physical Education for one simple reason—

Marks.

Easy marks.

No complicated numerical problems.

No endless derivations.

No impossible organic chemistry reactions.

Just theory, practicals, and scoring well in the board exams.

Actually playing games?

That wasn't part of the plan.

Some girls sat beneath the huge neem tree, some occupied the stairs outside the auditorium, while a few leaned against the boundary wall scrolling through old photos in their phones that they had secretly brought to school.

Among all of them...

Mihika was undoubtedly the laziest.

If laziness had an ambassador, it would definitely be her.

Running?

No.

Jogging?

Absolutely not.

Even walking two extra rounds around the ground sounded exhausting to her.

The sports teacher had stopped forcing her long ago.

"At least stretch a little," he would say every week.

Mihika would obediently stand up...

Stretch one hand.

Stretch the other.

Take a deep breath dramatically.

Then quietly return to her seat.

Mission accomplished.

Today was no different.

The moment the girls reached the ground, Mihika looked around and found her favorite corner beneath the old banyan tree.

"There!" she pointed dramatically.

"Our headquarters."

Her gang immediately followed her.

Within seconds, six girls were comfortably settled on the grass.

Anaya...

Anushka...

Mansi...

Sakshi...

Chhavi..

And Mihika.

The unofficial gossip committee of Class 12-A.

The circle was incomplete without one of them.

As usual, shoes were lying carelessly beside them while everyone sat cross-legged on the grass.

The cool evening breeze played with their hair.

Someone opened a packet of chips that had magically survived till the last period.

Someone else stole the first bite.

"Excuse me!" Mansi complained dramatically.

"I bought those!"

"Our friendship doesn't believe in ownership," Sakshi replied while stuffing another chip into her mouth.

Everyone burst into laughter.

"You shameless girl!"

"I'm hungry!"

"You literally ate two samosas during recess!"

"So?"

"So where did they disappear?"

"My stomach has trust issues."

Again...

Another round of laughter.

The conversation drifted exactly where every conversation among teenage girls eventually drifted—

Teachers.

"Oh my God," Chhavi whispered dramatically.

"Did you all notice how Sharma Ma'am looked at Rohan today?"

Everyone leaned in.

"What happened?"

"He was sleeping in class."

"No!"

"Yes!"

"And then?"

"She simply removed his notebook."

Everyone blinked.

"And?"

"When he woke up after ten minutes..."

"He started searching for it under the desk!"

The entire group exploded into uncontrollable laughter.

"I swear!"

"He looked so confused!"

"I would've paid money to watch that."

Mihika laughed so hard that tears appeared in her eyes.

"No... stop..."

"My stomach hurts..."

Before they could recover, Anaya started mimicking their chemistry teacher.

She adjusted her imaginary spectacles.

Held an invisible chalk.

And spoke in the exact same voice.

"Students..."

"If you don't understand organic chemistry..."

"You don't deserve to pass."

The imitation was so accurate that everyone immediately recognized the teacher.

Mansi dramatically raised her hand.

"Sir, I don't understand."

Anaya, still acting, glared at her.

"Then understand."

The group lost it.

Girls nearby turned around to see why they were laughing so loudly.

Even Mihika, usually the calmest one, was bent over laughing.

After nearly five minutes, everyone somehow managed to control themselves.

The topic changed again.

This time...

Classmates.

"Did you see Priya's new hairstyle?"

"It actually suits her."

"I know!"

"And she looked pretty today."

"Unlike Rahul."

"Oh please," Sakshi rolled her eyes.

"He thinks he's the hero of some Bollywood movie."

"He even walks in slow motion."

Everyone laughed again.

Their gossip continued endlessly.

Teachers.

Assignments.

Classmates.

Upcoming practical exams.

School functions.

Random Instagram reels

Nothing escaped their discussions.

Then...

Like every group of teenage girls...

The conversation slowly shifted toward the most interesting topic of all.

Crushes.

Relationships.

Boyfriends.

Mansi smiled shyly.

"So..."

"What happened yesterday?"

Sakshi instantly nudged her.

"Tell us!"

Mansi tried acting innocent.

"What?"

"Don't pretend."

"You met him yesterday."

The girls immediately screamed.

"Ooooooo..."

Mansi covered her face.

"Shut up!"

"No!"

"Tell us everything!"

She sighed dramatically before smiling.

"He came to pick me up after coaching."

"Awwww..."

"He brought my favorite chocolate."

"Only chocolate?"

Anushka teased.

"He also wrote me a small letter."

Everyone collectively melted.

"So cute..."

"I want someone like him."

Mansi blushed so much that even her ears had turned pink.

Then it was Sakshi's turn.

"My boyfriend forgot our monthly anniversary."

"What?"

Everyone gasped dramatically.

"But then..."

"He surprised me with flowers in the evening."

"Awwww!"

"And he apologized like five times."

Chhavi sighed dreamily.

"Boys who apologize first..."

"Green flag."

Anaya nodded seriously.

"Very rare species."

The group laughed.

One by one, everyone started sharing little stories.

Late-night calls.

Birthday surprises.

Cute fights.

Jealous moments.

Funny messages.

The conversation was full of giggles and teasing.

Among all of them...

Only two girls stayed unusually quiet.

Anaya.

And Mihika.

The only permanently single members of the gang.

Sakshi suddenly noticed.

She narrowed her eyes dramatically.

"Wait..."

Everyone looked at her.

She slowly pointed her finger toward Anaya.

"Single."

Then toward Mihika.

"Double single."

Everyone burst into laughter.

"Excuse me!" Anaya protested.

"I have standards."

"Oh really?"

"Very high standards."

"And what about you, Mihika?" Chhavi asked mischievously.

Mihika immediately sensed danger.

"No."

"No what?"

"I already know where this conversation is going."

Everyone exchanged evil smiles.

Anushka slowly shifted closer.

"So..."

She gently placed her hand over Mihika's shoulder.

"My darling..."

"Tell us..."

"Who do you like?"

Mihika's eyes widened.

"What?"

"Answer."

"I don't like anyone!"

"Liar."

"I'm serious!"

"Ewwww!"

She made the funniest disgusted face imaginable.

"Ewwww..."

"I don't like someone, yaar!"

The way she scrunched up her nose while saying it made everyone laugh uncontrollably.

Even girls from another group looked at them curiously.

Anaya clapped dramatically.

"See?"

"I told you."

"She's allergic to boys."

"I'm not!"

"You literally said 'Eww.'"

"Because..."

Mihika searched desperately for an excuse.

"I don't have time."

Everyone stared at her.

"No time?"

"For what?"

"Board exams."

The group collectively groaned.

"There she goes."

"Our future topper."

"Books before boys."

Mihika folded her arms proudly.

"Exactly."

"My parents already give me enough lectures."

"I don't need another headache."

Chhavi wasn't convinced.

"Hmmm..."

"Someone must be there."

"No."

"There has to be."

"No!"

"Just tell us."

"I seriously don't like anyone."

Mansi leaned closer.

"Not even a tiny crush?"

"No."

"A celebrity?"

"No."

"A senior?"

"No."

"A junior?"

"Eww! No!"

"A teacher?"

"What?!"

The entire group burst into another fit of laughter.

"Have you all lost your minds?"

Anushka couldn't stop giggling.

"Look at her face!"

"She's blushing!"

"I'm not blushing!"

"You are."

"I'm not!"

"You definitely are."

Mihika immediately covered both cheeks with her hands.

"They're red because it's hot."

"It isn't."

"The weather is literally cool."

"It's because I laughed too much."

"Lies."

"Complete lies."

Chhavi smirked.

"If nobody exists..."

"Then why are you blushing?"

Mihika opened her mouth.

Closed it again.

No answer came.

Her silence was enough.

The girls immediately started screaming dramatically.

"I knew it!"

"There Is someone!"

"There is!"

"There is!"

"There is!"

"There isn't!"

"There is!"

Mihika buried her face in both hands.

"You all are impossible."

Anaya laughed so hard she almost fell backward on the grass.

"I've never seen her this embarrassed."

Anushka wrapped an arm around Mihika's shoulders.

"Relax, darling."

"We're your best friends."

"We won't tell anyone."

Mihika looked at each of them suspiciously.

"I don't trust a single one of you."

"Smart girl," Sakshi admitted.

Everyone laughed again.

The sun had already started setting, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink.

A cool breeze passed across the ground as their laughter echoed through the campus.

For a few precious moments, there were no board exams.

No report cards.

No pressure.

No expectations.

Just six teenage girls sitting on the grass, teasing each other, sharing secrets, laughing until their stomachs hurt, and unknowingly creating memories that years later would become the stories they would miss the most.

❤️❤️❤️ Author Aaru