She knew him a little too well, from his sincerity towards his parents to his flirtatious approach towards girls. He knew her all as well, from being an arrogant jerk outside to that sweet little girl hidden behind that image she portrayed to the world. They were best of friends. They spent most of their time with each other, and the remaining time talking about each other. She would get angry and run away from him if she found him flirting with someone, and yet she would help him get the girl he wanted. He would end up fighting with any boy who flirted with her and would tell her that he was not her type. Their companions thought they were made for each other. Yet both of them never gave it a thought.

Overtime, he realized he felt more than friendship. Initially, he would brush aside his emotional tingling as a play of hormones, but slowly he realised that he wished for something more. His eyes would search for her in her absence. He would feel jealous and insecure when she was with other guys. He had started noticing her smile, her eyes and her glowing face. It was all too much and he confessed his feelings to her.

She had never given it a thought and she could never imagine them being a couple. She was surprised, annoyed and a bit confused. Neither did she have any feelings for him, nor did she want to lose him. She found a middle path. Instead of saying a yes or a no, she started ignoring him, and running away from him.

He tried innumerable times to talk to her but she just avoided him. Nothing seemed to work until a realisation hit her. People rightly say that it is loss that teaches us the worth of things we have.

It was her birthday. Every year, he would be the first one to wish her and organize grand celebrations; he would make her feel special. This year it was different, the grand celebrations happened, the day was made special and yet she missed something, as if it wasn’t enough. It was him. She realised he was also avoiding her now.

However, she still could not comprehend her erratic behaviour and it never crossed her mind that even she could be falling for him. She only knew one thing; she could not stand this dismissiveness by someone whom she thought would never leave her side. She chose to distance herself from him, move to a new school. Though her mother was well aware of the situation, her father was in complete shock when she told him about completing her senior grades in some other school. He always knew that she was deeply attached to her friends in this school. She managed to cook up a story, convince her father and change her school, far away from everyone. 

Well, feelings, as we all know, can’t be suppressed for long. It happened with her as well. His complete absence from her life made her yearn for him. She started missing his words, his affection, his love and his caring. She realised what this was and she decided to talk to him. She had thought it would all be very easy, talking to him, confessing and being love birds.

Yet, there was a twist.

She met him, they spoke, and she told him about her new school, new life and friends. In turn, he told him about his new girlfriend. She stood there in a state of shock, trying to assess what hit her.

A new girlfriend?, she thought to herself, maybe he wanted to move on and forget her, maybe he wanted to take a revenge on her by showing how happy he was without her, or maybe he still simply liked her but is a state of denial. 

Ironic. He liked her, she liked him, but fate liked something else.

She tried reviving their friendship. She even begged to have him back. However, he was too busy, with his girlfriend and with flirting and stalking random girl.  He wasn’t even serious about his girlfriend.

She was shattered by failing in all her attempts. She didn’t want to open up to anyone anymore. She did not want to be hurt again. It was as if she had built a stone wall around her. Even when a couple of boys asked her out, she snubbed them. She just wanted to be with herself.

Whenever she talked to him, she pretended to be that arrogant girl she had always been. Yet, she would cry herself to sleep and wake up with bloodshot eyes.

Soon she realised that he was happy in his life and did not even bother about what was happening with her whereas she was now a broken girl. She had become an island of misery.

The only way she could find to get over him was to block all contact from him. She even changed her phone number. She embarked on a fresh start, accepting surroundings, even though she still could not feel completely happy.

After a month or so, he managed to get her phone number. As soon as she picked up the phone and muttered a hello, he started cursing her for blocking all the ways which could let him talk to her. He confessed how much he missed her and how upset he was when he was not able to contact her. He went on saying the same thing again and again. She, on the other side, did not utter a word, she cut the line off and simply cried and cried.

He tried to call her again for hundreds of time but she never picked up the phone. He managed to get the address where she moved and went there. He realized what he had done to himself and to her. He was shocked when he saw her. The girl who would go and talk to with random people too just because she did not like to be alone was all by herself now. The cheerful girl had vanished. She still was pretty, but so pale. He missed her smirk. He did not take a second and moved to her and took her in his arms. She was astonished by what happened. He simply gave her a tight hug and whispered sorry. She tried to pull herself out from his tight hug, but he tightened his hug more. She could no more fight with him and there were tears coming out her eyes. She wanted to ask him, sorry, for what? For ignoring her, for reducing her to such a state?  She forgot all those complaints instantly.  She could not speak a word, but simply cried in his arms.

The cold girl had melted, the stone wall had broken.

She wiped her tears and asked him if he would go back to his nefarious friends again. He chided her gently, and pulled her into a hug.

Yes! They were back to abusing each other and this time with a stronger bond, unaware of what is in store for them.

Epilogue

It is not the end and there is some more to come, two new characters, a turn in friendship once and a lot more…