Vikrant and other boys from the locality stood at the bus stand waiting for their school bus. He was seated on the railing of the bus stand, but he straightened on seeing a familiar black car. He hunched little and saw Annie sitting in the back seat. She was dressed in the school uniform. Her hair braided. As the car passed him, Vikrant hoped she saw him, but she didn't notice him. He watched the car go.

'Bhai. Behave. All our schoolmates are here.' Dev whispered urgently into his ears. Vikrant doesn't bother with him and kept watching the car drive away. He got distracted when the school bus arrived. Quickly, everybody climbed on the bus.

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The first half of school, Vikrant got distracted with his friends and mundane classes. At lunch break, Vikrant and his gang of five boys walked into the canteen. One of his friends cracked a joke and they laughed. Just then Vikrant's gaze fell on a young girl sitting alone at one of the tables. She was reading something that didn't appear to be school book. Obviously, who studies on the first day of school. Vikrant watched her as she flipped a page, then her hand went up and she tugged behind a strand of hair. Slowly, she looked up and saw Vikrant. He felt like the time paused. She blinked her round eyes and Vikrant felt his heart flutter. She was so adorable.

'Hey, man.' - Sudeep, one of his friends, leaned on him and threw an arm around him. Distracted, Vikrant looked at him, - 'Come.' He said tugging his arm. Vikrant nodded. He looked back at Annie. She had raised her book and was covering her face with it.

Gone with the wind – The book title read.

The rest of the day, Vikrant couldn't concentrate and felt bored. He wondered why Annie had covered her face. Perhaps, she was shy with the other boys. Vikrant was relieved when the bell for the last class sounded. He hurried with his friends.

'Soon, I will be getting my own bike and then no need of this stupid bus.' Vikrant exclaimed to his friends. He turned his head and found Annie stepping out from the school campus. Even though she was in class XIth, she looked like a kid. The green blazer she had worn was very loose. Her braid had loosened little. She walked out from the campus and looked up. Vikrant smiled at her, but she doesn't. Instead, she clenched the sling of her bag and lowered her head as she passed by the boys. Vikrant saw her go and stand at the main gate.

The boys asked Vikrant to board the bus but he refused stating he was waiting for Dev. Actually, he wanted to make sure Annie gets her ride back home. A minute later, he got anxious but relaxed when a black car stopped in front of her. As she opened the door to the passenger's seat, Vikrant saw Alvin on the driver's seat. She got in and then Vikrant turned around. He climbed on the bus.

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'How was the first day of school?'

'Good.'

'Vikrant?'

Vikrant was lost in his thoughts as he fidgeted with the vegetable on his plate.

'Beta, Vikrant.' His mother called and held his wrist. He looked up from his plate and looked at his mother who sat beside him. She gestured towards his father.

'When are going to get your bike?' He asked tearing a morsel of his Roti. Vikrant shifted in his seat and replied.

'This weekend.'

'Good.' Rahul nodded and got back to eating. Vikrant turned his attention back to his plate and smiled. Since he had seen Annie go in the car he had been imagining him taking her around on his bike.

She would be sitting behind him with her palms on his shoulder, no, her arms wrapped securely around his waist.

The thought made Vikrant blush. He doesn't notice his family looking funnily at him. When he looked up from his plate he spotted them eyeing him. He straightened his expressions and cleared his throat.

'Are you on drugs, Bhai?' Dev raised an eyebrow. There was a collective gasp from the other members.

'Shut up.' Vikrant scolded him, and Dev began laughing. The other members were relieved.

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