Always beside him

The first time Aarohi Sharma met Advik Malhotra, she was six years old.

She still remembered the bright summer afternoon as if it had happened yesterday.

The Sharma and Malhotra families had been neighbors long before either child was born. Their fathers had built businesses together, their mothers spent almost every evening chatting over tea, and every festival was celebrated under one roof.

To everyone else, they were two families.

To Aarohi, they were one.

She sat quietly on the swing in the Malhotras’ garden, hugging her favorite teddy bear close to her chest. She wasn’t good at making friends. Every new face made her hide behind someone.

“Aaru!”

Her mother smiled warmly.

“I want you to meet someone.”

A little boy walked toward her with messy black hair and a permanent frown.

He looked annoyed.

“I’m Advik.”

He didn’t smile.

He simply looked at the little girl sitting on the swing.

“Why is she crying?”

“I-I’m not crying,” Aarohi sniffled, wiping away the tiny tears that had escaped after falling earlier.

Advik sighed dramatically.

“Girls cry too much.”

His mother laughed.

“And boys talk too much.”

Everyone burst into laughter.

Everyone except Aarohi.

She pouted.

“I don’t like him.”

Advik shrugged.

“I don’t like her either.”

From that day onward…

They were inseparable.

⸻

Years passed.

School replaced toys.

Homework replaced cartoons.

But one thing never changed.

Wherever Aarohi was…

Advik wasn’t far behind.

If she forgot her lunch, he shared his.

If someone bullied her, he stood in front of her without thinking twice.

If she fell while riding her bicycle, he scolded her before helping her up.

“You never watch where you’re going.”

“You pushed me!”

“You were already falling.”

“You liar!”

Their arguments became legendary.

Both families had grown used to hearing them bicker over the smallest things.

“Aunty!” Aarohi complained one afternoon.

“Advik ate all the mango ice cream!”

His mother looked at him.

“Did you?”

He shrugged shamelessly.

“She was taking too long.”

“I was praying before eating!”

“You pray too much.”

“I’ll tell Uncle!”

“Go ahead.”

Within seconds…

Aarohi chased him around the garden while everyone laughed.

Even then…

No one imagined their story would become so complicated.

⸻

When they turned twelve, life slowly began changing.

School became harder.

Friendships became confusing.

Feelings became unfamiliar.

One afternoon, after basketball practice, Aarohi sat under the large banyan tree waiting for Advik to finish talking to his teammates.

Several girls surrounded him.

They giggled.

They complimented him.

One of them shyly handed him a chocolate.

Aarohi watched from afar.

She didn’t understand why her chest suddenly felt heavy.

She looked away.

When Advik finally walked over, he tossed the chocolate into her lap.

“You eat it.”

She blinked.

“But someone gave this to you.”

“I don’t like chocolate.”

“You loved chocolate yesterday.”

“I changed my mind.”

She smiled.

“Thanks.”

He simply rolled his eyes.

“Hurry up. Mom said we have to get home before it rains.”

She nodded, holding the chocolate tightly.

For some reason…

It felt more precious than any gift she’d ever received.

⸻

At thirteen…

The teasing began.

Both families gathered for Diwali every year.

As always, Aarohi and Advik were lighting sparklers together.

One uncle laughed loudly.

“Look at them.”

“They already look like husband and wife.”

Everyone laughed.

Aarohi’s cheeks turned bright red.

Advik nearly dropped his sparkler.

“Eww!”

“She’s annoying.”

“I’m not marrying her.”

Aarohi forced herself to laugh too.

“It’s okay.”

“We fight too much anyway.”

But that night…

She stood on her balcony long after everyone had gone to bed.

She looked toward the Malhotra house.

The lights in Advik’s room were still on.

A strange ache settled in her heart.

She didn’t know why.

Not yet.

⸻

Years continued slipping by.

Birthdays.

School trips.

Exams.

Family vacations.

Every memory somehow included Advik.

He was there when she won her first painting competition.

He was there when she cried after failing a math test.

He was there every time she was scared.

He was simply…

Always there.

Without realizing it…

He had become home.

⸻

One rainy afternoon during their tenth-grade year, classes ended earlier than usual.

The school gate overflowed with students trying to avoid the downpour.

Aarohi forgot her umbrella.

She sighed.

“Great…”

Before she could step into the rain, an umbrella appeared above her head.

“Move.”

She looked up.

Advik.

“When did you get here?”

“You walk too slowly.”

“I was packing my bag.”

“You always pack like you’re moving houses.”

She laughed softly.

They walked home together beneath one umbrella.

Their shoulders occasionally brushed.

Neither noticed.

Or perhaps…

Only one of them did.

As they reached her house, Aarohi smiled.

“Thanks.”

He nodded.

“Don’t get sick.”

Then he walked away without waiting for another word.

She watched him disappear into the rain.

A smile slowly spread across her face.

She didn’t know it then.

But somewhere between shared lunchboxes…

Countless arguments…

Rainy walks…

And ordinary days…

She had quietly fallen in love with the boy who still saw her as nothing more than his childhood friend.

And neither of them knew…

That one confession years later would change both of their lives forever.

— End of Chapter 1 —

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