Chapter 3: The Secret Behind Arham’s Name

That night, Yusra couldn’t sleep.

Her phone screen kept glowing in the dark as she read Irfan’s last message again and again.

“Because I want to know if I still have a chance.”

Still have a chance.

Still.

Have.

A chance.

Her heart was beating so fast that it felt like it would come out of her chest.

“What does he mean by that…?” she whispered to herself.

Was he serious?

Or was it just another one of his jokes?

She turned to the other side of the bed and hugged her pillow tightly.

“Pagal ladka…”

But deep inside, she knew something was different this time.

Very different.

The next day in school, everything felt awkward.

Yusra entered the classroom and quietly went to her seat.

She avoided looking at Irfan.

Avoided looking at Arham.

Avoided looking at everyone.

But her eyes betrayed her.

They slowly moved toward the last bench.

Irfan was there.

Talking to Arham again.

Laughing like nothing happened.

Like he didn’t drop a bomb on her heart last night.

Yusra felt annoyed.

“Khud message karke offline ho gaya… aur ab hasi mazak kar raha hai.”

She opened her notebook aggressively.

Meanwhile, Arham noticed her behavior.

He leaned toward Irfan.

“Bhai, lagta hai gussa hai.”

Irfan glanced toward Yusra.

She was writing, but her face looked slightly upset.

He sighed.

“Pata hai.”

“Phir kya kiya tune?”

Irfan smirked lightly.

“Sach bola.”

Arham raised his eyebrows.

“Kaunsa sach?”

Irfan looked at him and said quietly,

“Wahi jo tu samajh raha hai.”

Arham’s eyes widened.

“Tu pagal hai kya?”

Irfan shrugged.

“Ho sakta hai.”

During break time, Yusra went outside to drink water.

She stood near the corridor window, staring at the playground.

Children were playing football.

The sun was shining softly.

Everything looked peaceful.

But her mind wasn’t.

Footsteps approached.

She didn’t turn.

She already knew who it was.

“Irfan,” she said without looking.

He stopped beside her.

“Hmm.”

Silence.

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then Yusra turned and looked at him.

“Kal jo bola tumne… kya matlab tha uska?”

Irfan leaned against the wall casually.

“Kaunsa?”

She frowned.

“Tumhe pata hai kaunsa.”

He smiled slightly.

“Tumhe kya lagta hai?”

Yusra crossed her arms.

“Mujhe lagta hai tum mazak kar rahe the.”

He shook his head slowly.

“Nahi.”

Her heartbeat increased.

“Then?”

Irfan looked directly into her eyes.

And said calmly,

“Main mazak nahi kar raha tha.”

The world around her suddenly felt quiet.

“Matlab…?”

He stayed silent for a moment.

Then said,

“Matlab simple hai.”

“Tum kisi ko pasand karti ho.”

“Haan.”

“And I want to know… if I still have a chance.”

Her breath got stuck in her throat.

She whispered,

“Chance for what?”

Irfan stepped a little closer.

“For you.”

Yusra immediately stepped back.

“This is not funny, Irfan.”

“I’m not joking.”

“Then Arham ka naam kyu liya?”

For the first time, Irfan looked slightly uncomfortable.

He rubbed the back of his neck.

“Because… agar main directly bol deta, tum baat karna band kar deti.”

Yusra stared at him.

“So Arham doesn’t like me?”

Irfan shook his head.

“Nahi.”

“So that boy… doesn’t exist?”

He smiled softly.

“Exist karta hai.”

“Kon hai?”

He looked at her quietly.

For a few seconds, he didn’t say anything.

Then he spoke slowly.

“Tum already jaanti ho.”

Her heart started racing.

“No… I don’t.”

Irfan chuckled lightly.

“Jhooth bol rahi ho.”

“I’m not.”

He leaned closer and whispered,

“Yusra… it’s me.”

Her eyes widened.

Everything around her froze.

The corridor.

The students.

The noise.

The wind.

Everything stopped.

Only one sentence echoed in her ears.

“It’s me.”

She looked at him in disbelief.

“You… like me?”

Irfan smiled softly.

“Thoda sa.”

“Thoda sa?”

“Haan.”

“How much?”

He looked at her with calm eyes and said,

“Utna… jitna tum soch bhi nahi sakti.”

Her heart melted and panicked at the same time.

“This is wrong.”

“Kyu?”

“We are just classmates.”

“So?”

“Log kya kahenge.”

Irfan laughed lightly.

“Log to kuch bhi kahenge.”

Yusra looked down.

“I don’t want complications.”

Irfan’s voice became soft.

“I don’t want to complicate your life either.”

“Then why?”

He took a deep breath.

“Because I like you.”

Simple.

Honest.

Direct.

No jokes this time.

No teasing.

Just truth.

Yusra stayed silent.

Her mind was confused.

Her heart was scared.

Her emotions were tangled.

“I need time,” she said slowly.

Irfan nodded.

“Take it.”

“And don’t talk like this again.”

He smiled.

“Okay.”

“And no patience testing.”

“Okay.”

“And no fake boy stories.”

He laughed.

“Okay.”

As she turned to leave, Irfan spoke softly.

“Yusra.”

She stopped.

“Haan?”

He said quietly,

“I’ll wait.”

Her heart skipped again.

She didn’t reply.

She just walked away.

But a small smile appeared on her face.

Because somewhere deep inside…

She knew.

Someone was finally waiting for her.

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