Tisha was the kind of girl the world rarely noticed-
quiet, calm, always sitting in the last row,
finding comfort in silence more than people.
She wasn't the brightest student, not the most popular one,
but she was soft, steady, and honest.
Her world was small:
just books, her rooftop, and her one best friend-Nooriya.
Nooriya was the complete opposite:
pretty, bold, popular, always surrounded by whispers and secrets.
She was secretly dating a boy named Rafi,
and in their whole friend group of eight,
only Tisha knew the truth.
They had grown up together -
Tisha, Nooriya, Maisha, Mili, Milan, Miles, Nazir, and Rehett -
a messy bunch with loud opinions and louder laughter.
Tisha wasn't like them.
She listened more than she spoke,
blended into corners,
and quietly held everyone's secrets.
Where everything began:
The first day of class 8 felt ordinary... until it didn't.
Four boys walked in together -
Atif, Tamim, Altaf (the ones she knew from primary school)...
and a new face.
A boy she had never seen before.
The bell rang sharply.
Mr. Niaz, their new class teacher, entered with his usual strict-calm voice.
"Morning, students. I'm your class head. Let's have a good year together.
Any new student here?"
The new boy stood up.
"My name is Tashfiq. I joined today.
Let's make this year fun, friends!"
The whole class laughed.
Tisha didn't.
She couldn't care less about new boys-
she had goals, dreams, a future she wanted to chase.
Crushes weren't her priority.
Class went on.
Break came.
And like every day, Tisha quietly joined her other group from section B -
Rifat, Najmi, Maria, and Saad.
They talked. She listened.
Suddenly, the new boy appeared.
"What's up, man!" he greeted Rifat like they were long-lost brothers.
Tisha blinked in surprise.
How could someone adjust so fast?
How could someone talk so easily?
He said hi to everyone.
When his eyes met Tisha's, she muttered a tiny "mm" and lowered her head.
New people made her heart race in the uncomfortable way.
School ended.
The boys rushed to the field for a football match.
Of course, Nooriya begged:
"Tisha please! Come with me today! He's playing!"
Tisha sighed,
"Do I ever say no to you?"
They went.
The match had already started.
Nooriya was cheering wildly for her secret boyfriend,
though no one knew who she was cheering for.
And then-
the new boy, Tashfiq, scored the first goal.
Najmi screamed his name like a proud childhood friend.
When the game ended, everyone scattered.
Tisha waited alone at the gate for Nooriya.
Footsteps.
She looked up.
Tashfiq.
His smile had a dimple.
A real dimple.
For no reason at all, she felt her heartbeat trip over itself.
"Waiting for someone?" he asked.
"Hmm... Nooriya," she murmured.
"Well... see you tomorrow then."
He walked away.
And she felt strangely aware of him.
That afternoon, she went to her rooftop-
her little sanctuary.
And fate played its trick:
she saw him again.
The new boy...
was her neighbor.
She panicked and ran to her room like a startled cat.
He didn't notice.
But her heart did.
The Next Day
She sat at her desk, quietly flipping through pages,
when suddenly four boys came and sat around her.
And one sat right beside her.
"Hi," Tashfiq said with a soft smile.
Tisha gave a tiny smile back.
"You always this silent?
Or only around new people?" he teased.
Before she could answer, Najmi walked in.
And instantly, something in Tashfiq shifted-
nervousness, excitement, something unspoken.
Break time came.
Tisha headed toward the library when she heard:
"Tisha!"
She turned.
It was him.
"Can we talk for a bit?"
"I need to go to the library..."
"We can talk while walking."
She nodded.
"So... this might sound weird," he said, rubbing the back of his neck,
"but I want to be friends with you."
"Okay," she replied softly.
They reached the library.
She began searching the shelves when he cleared his throat.
"As a friend... can I ask you a favor?"
She looked up.
"What?"
He took a breath.
"I think...
I think I have a crush on Najmi."
---