COLLEGE CRUSH

Business school was pretty much like an emotional roller coaster, or I wouldn't understand why, in God's name, this was being done; it was just some mess of so many assignments, clubs, and endless socializing. What was sane in this sense was that I had a secret crush, built over the course of several weeks. He was tall, handsome, with a quiet, almost shy demeanor that made him stand out from the crowd. Problem is, I never even knew his name.

It started when the sports club visited our class to give an introduction. He led the session with other seniors. I was designated to record some videos for their Instagram page, so it gave me a chance to interact with him.

"Oh, could you hold the camera higher? It's going to record better," he said, very calmly and polite.

After these few minutes, we were exchanging just a few words about the angles of the videos but could hardly focus as my heart had started racing with the speed of a marathon. That brief had been enough for days to engage my thoughts without knowing his name.

Even close friends in college hardly knew of that tiny crush I harbored inside me. The exceptions were two good friendsI made here in this two week; Riya and Ankita would still have their say in it, though.

There was full-scale party in Ankita's room. The soft background music and snacks were on the bed as everyone had collected in the warm cozy room. The seniors mingled freely with juniors, and it was electric: excitement and laughter were hanging mid-air. The beer bottles somehow managed to make their way into the party, and before anyone knew, someone said that the game of "Truth, Dare, or Situation" must be played.

I was not quite interested in playing, but Riya and Ankita were tugging me along, saying there was no way I could get out of it. "You cannot escape this time, Aditi," Riya teased, winking.

It became crazier and crazier with time. Ankita was forced to enact an intense break-up scene with one of the seniors; all the members then broke into a laughter storm. A junior had to perform an impromptu dance on one of the most cringe-worthy (sexy) Bollywood songs I've ever come across. I could not but burst out laughing as she performed in that congested room.

The bottle spun and, horror of horrors, landed on me.

"Aditi, truth or dare?" one of the seniors asked with a wicked grin.

"Truth," I replied, not wanting to risk whatever crazy dare they had in mind.

The room fell silent as the senior leaned forward, his smirk growing. "Do you have a crush on any senior guy? And if yes, who is it?"

I just stopped breathing. Riya and Ankita smiled at me, as if they knew already what would happen. The whole room held its breath for a moment while I waited for my answer-it was impossible to get out of this now.

"Okay," I said, taking a deep breath. "The guy from the sports club. You know, the tall one who came to class for the introduction."

"Tanmay?" the senior asked playfully.

With that, his name struck me like a lightning bolt. Tanmay. Finally, there was a name to the face.

"Yes," I whispered softly, not wanting to look as flustered as I was.

The room broke into cheers and teasing.

"Oh, so Tanmay's the lucky one!" Riya exclaimed, nudging me.

"You have good taste, Aditi," Ankita winked and said.

It went on for some time, but I did not let embarrassment show by laughing at it. Then, after we moved on to the game, we danced along to a mix of old-school and party hits, sang off-key loudly, and cracked jokes well into the night.

Finally, I stood up and came back to the room. After lying down in my bed, I opened the Instagram app and searched for his name. That profile appeared also private, with little display photos, which will be enough.I gazed at it for quite a while, smiling to myself. That night brought me something that I did not have before—a name, Tanmay—and a memory that I would never forget.

The determinations that were boiling in my head were whispering with me, "The sports club forms should come out soon because I can't wait.

Author's Note:I really enjoyed writing this chapter, capturing the chaos of business school and the unexpected connections that form amidst it. The balance between personal struggles and new beginnings was something I wanted to highlight, and I hope it resonated with you. The games, friendships, and little crushes make it all the more relatable. I'd love to know your thoughts on the story so far and what you think of the characters. Thanks for reading, and I look forward to sharing more!