HIGHSCHOOL LOVERS

The Beginning of Something Unexpected

My name is Ban. After passing my SSLC Examination, I took the next big step—admission into higher secondary school for Classes 11 and 12. Everything felt fresh, a little nerve-wracking, but also exciting.

On the very first day, we had a freshers' meet. A room full of new faces, some shy, some already forming groups. We had to introduce ourselves one by one. When my turn came, something unexpected happened. One of the teachers recognized me—turns out she already knew me as a local artist. I’ve always loved music, and when she asked about hobbies, I couldn’t help but say, “singing.” That was all she needed to hear. “Ban, sing something for us,” she said with a smile.

And so I did.

That performance changed everything.

From that moment on, people knew me—not just as a new student, but as the guy who sang on Day 1. Among those who saw me that day was someone I didn’t know yet… Laviu. The girl who would soon become the center of my story. I didn’t notice her then, but she noticed me.

Later that day, they announced the class representative. To my surprise, they chose me. I guess the singing left a mark.

Days rolled on, and school slowly started to feel like home. I had my own gang now—tight boys, the kind you laugh with, mess around with, even share secrets with. With them, I started picking up habits—one of them being smoking in the washroom. It started out casual, just for the vibe, but slowly it became a routine.

That phase opened me up in a different way. I began noticing girls—not just glancing, but really seeing them. Their smiles, the way they carried themselves, the little details that made each one unique. That’s when I told myself, “I’m gonna find my first and last love right here, in this very school.”

I didn’t know how or when it would happen… until that one afternoon after class.

I saw her.

She wasn’t like the others—no flashy style, no loud energy. Just a quiet, simple girl, walking with her sister. Fair skin, innocent vibe, dressed plain but something about her stood out to me. That was Laviu.

I didn’t know her yet, but in that moment, I chose her. Something told me, “She’s the one.” My curiosity kicked in hard. I started asking around—my friends, classmates—“Who’s that girl?” “Where’s she from?” “What’s her name?” Bit by bit, I started putting the puzzle together.

And just like that, she became the reason I looked forward to school a little more each day.

Lost in Translation, Found in a Smile

It wasn’t long before I found out something about Laviu that made this little crush feel like a real challenge—she wasn’t Khasi. She was Manipuri. Just like that, a wall stood between us: language. I didn’t know hers, she didn’t know mine. But I wasn’t the type to back down.

So I came up with a plan.

I went to one of my friends and asked him to translate a simple message for me. Nothing too much. Just:

“Hi, I don’t know you, but I want you to be my friend. Can we be friends?”

That was it. Just a start. I practiced it, messed it up a few times, and then wrote it down too—just in case my accent turned it into something else. I waited for the break, heart thumping, palms a little sweaty, and walked up to her desk with the most serious face I could manage.

Letter in hand. Words in her language, kinda butchered—but I said it anyway.

She looked at me, wide-eyed, completely caught off guard. Then—she smiled. The kind of smile that says, “What the hell is going on?” and “This guy’s crazy,” but also... kinda sweet. She didn’t say anything. Just hid behind her sister, still smiling.

So I turned to her sister, a little desperate now, and said, “Tell her to say yes na!”

Laviu peeked out, looked at me one more time, and said,

“Okay. Now go. You make me feel uncomfortable.”

And just like that—I was in. Not in love, not in a relationship—but in her world. And that was enough for now.

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