Even after the dog day, I still wasn't brave enough to randomly start a conversation with him in person.
I mean... what would I even say?
"Hey, remember how I melted into a puddle over your dog?"
Yeah, no thanks.
But then... Instagram.
The land of indirect bravery.
I was scrolling through stories. BORED.
Then — his story popped up.
A video: Aditya and fluffy outside, one of our classmates screaming in the background while fluffy happily ran around.
I actually burst out laughing.
It was SO funny. The poor classmate was being so dramatic — scared of this tiny ball of fluff.
Without thinking, I tapped Reply:
"LOL this is hilarious 😂"
A few minutes later — ping.
He replied:
"Right? She just wanted to say hi but people get scared so easily 😂"
My heart JUMPED.
HE. REPLIED.
And just like that... a tiny crack opened in the wall between us.
I casually replied:
"She's so cute omg 🥺 I would've been cuddling her instead!"
He sent a laughing emoji.
And from there... something changed.
---
The next day — I posted a story. Just random — nothing special.
PING.
Aditya had liked my story.
I froze. Stared at the screen.
Screamed into my pillow.
LITERALLY screamed. 😭😭😭
I ran to my Close Friends story — bragged Tanya and Shaurya in:
"GUYS. HE LIKED MY STORY. OMGGGGG 😭😭😭"
Tanya:
"Girl calm down 😂"
Shaurya:
"Wow, good nicee 👏"
But nope. No calming down.
Then it happened again.
Next story — another like.
Then another.
Every time — me:
Screaming.
Texting my besties.
Acting like I just won an Oscar.
And honestly?
It felt magical.
Like maybe... just maybe... he didn't hate me.
Then one random afternoon while we were chatting —
Aditya sent me this funny meme.
Something about best friends holding hands in public and making everyone jealous.
I laughed and teased him back:
"Haha YOU could never hold my hand in front of everyone 😏"
And he replied:
"Wanna bet?"
Me — acting bold (but dying inside for real):
"Yeah. Bet."
---
I didn't think he'd actually do it.
I mean — people say that stuff in chat all the time, right??
---
But then came that day.
After class.
Everyone getting ready to leave.
We were walking across the road — me, him, some classmates — casual casual.
---
And then — OUT OF NOWHERE —
HE HELD MY HAND.
---
Right there.
In front of EVERYONE.
---
My brain: blank
My heart: about to explode
My face: 1000 degrees red
My inner voice:
"OMG OMG OMGGGGG 😭😭😭 what is happening??"
---
It was the FIRST time anyone had ever held my hand.
And it was HIM.
---
I literally couldn't look at him.
I was about to faint from butterflies.
Meanwhile he was so smug — just walking like nothing happened, with that "told you I could" smirk on his face.
---
That was it.
I was GONE.
And that tiny hope?
Yeah... it was enough to make me fall.
One story reply.
One like.
And a thousand new feelings.
To be continued…