Episode 4: When Jealousy Knocks

Monday arrived with clear skies and the excitement of the upcoming Regional Science Innovation Fair. Only three days remained, and every team was making final adjustments to their projects.

Ayan arrived at school carrying a carefully labeled folder filled with research notes. As usual, his eyes instinctively searched the courtyard.

"There you are!"

Zayan jogged toward him, his tie hanging loosely around his neck and a paper bag in one hand.

"I brought breakfast."

Ayan raised an eyebrow.

"You skipped breakfast again, didn't you?"

"...Maybe."

"I knew it."

Zayan handed him the paper bag with a proud grin.

"Two chicken patties."

"You bought these for me?"

"I bought them for us."

Ayan smiled despite himself.

"You'll go broke one day."

"Worth it."

They walked toward class together, laughing over something as simple as breakfast. Neither noticed the pair of eyes watching them from the corridor.

That afternoon, Mr. Rahman announced one last change before the science fair.

"Each team will practice presenting their project in front of another team."

The class murmured in anticipation.

"Ayan and Zayan, you'll practice with Hamza and Faris."

Hamza was known for being one of the smartest students in school. Confident and competitive, he rarely accepted second place.

His partner, Faris, was equally ambitious.

When the four students gathered around the demonstration table, Hamza glanced at Ayan's neatly arranged model.

"This is impressive," he admitted.

Ayan smiled politely.

"Thank you."

"You designed the filtration system yourself?"

"Mostly."

Hamza leaned closer, examining the structure with genuine interest.

"I've never thought of using activated charcoal this way."

Before Ayan could answer, Mr. Rahman called Hamza away to discuss another project.

"I'll be back," Hamza said. "I still have questions."

As he walked away, Zayan quietly folded his arms.

He didn't know why.

But something about the conversation bothered him.

Later that day, while Ayan was organizing their notes, Hamza returned.

"Do you have a minute?"

Ayan looked up.

"Sure."

"I wanted to ask if you'd share your research sources."

"Of course."

The two of them sat at a nearby desk, discussing books, websites, and design ideas.

Ayan became animated as he explained the science behind the filtration process. It was one of the few subjects that made him forget how shy he usually was.

Across the room, Zayan watched silently.

Faris noticed.

"You okay?"

"Hm?"

"You've been staring at them for five minutes."

"I haven't."

"You definitely have."

Zayan looked away.

"They're just talking."

Faris smirked.

"So?"

"So... nothing."

But it didn't feel like nothing.

When school ended, Ayan packed his bag.

"I'm going to the library for half an hour."

"Oh?"

"Hamza wanted to compare some research."

Zayan forced a smile.

"Sounds fun."

"It should be."

"I'll head home, then."

"See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

Ayan waved before walking away.

Zayan stood there, watching him disappear down the hallway.

For the first time in weeks...

Ayan wasn't walking beside him.

The next morning, Zayan was unusually quiet.

He answered questions with short replies.

He laughed less.

Even during lunch, he mostly pushed food around his tray.

Ayan noticed immediately.

"Are you feeling sick?"

"No."

"You've barely eaten."

"I'm fine."

"You don't seem fine."

"I said I'm okay."

The sharpness in his voice surprised them both.

Ayan blinked.

"...Did I do something wrong?"

The question made Zayan's chest tighten.

"No."

"Then why are you upset?"

"I'm not upset."

"You are."

Silence settled between them.

For the first time since becoming friends, neither knew what to say.

That evening, Zayan lay on his bed staring at the ceiling.

His phone buzzed.

Ayan: Did I really upset you today?

He stared at the message for a long moment.

Another appeared.

Ayan: If I did, I'm sorry.

Zayan sighed.

He typed.

You didn't do anything.

Deleted it.

Typed again.

I'm just tired.

Deleted that too.

Finally, he wrote:

Can we talk tomorrow?

Ayan replied almost instantly.

Of course.

The following afternoon, after their final practice for the science fair, Zayan asked Ayan to meet him on the rooftop.

The sun was beginning to set, covering the city in soft shades of orange.

For a while, neither spoke.

Finally, Zayan took a deep breath.

"I'm going to ask something stupid."

Ayan smiled.

"You usually do."

That earned the first laugh Zayan had given all day.

"When you were studying with Hamza..."

"...Yeah?"

"Were you having fun?"

Ayan looked confused.

"We were talking about the project."

"I know."

"...Then?"

"You looked..."

Zayan searched for the right word.

"Comfortable."

"I was."

His honest answer made Zayan's stomach sink.

"You've made another friend."

"I suppose."

"And..."

He looked away.

"You probably don't need me as much anymore."

Ayan stared at him in disbelief.

"What?"

"You have someone else who understands science. Someone who's probably smarter than me."

It finally clicked.

Ayan couldn't help smiling.

"Wait..."

"Were you jealous?"

Zayan's ears turned bright red.

"I wasn't jealous."

"You were."

"I wasn't!"

"You absolutely were."

"I just..."

He stopped.

The words caught in his throat.

He couldn't explain why seeing Ayan with someone else had hurt so much.

He simply knew it had.

Ayan stepped a little closer.

"Hamza is a classmate."

"...Okay."

"You're my best friend."

Zayan looked up.

"There's a difference."

"...There is?"

Ayan nodded.

"When something funny happens, I want to tell you."

"When I solve a difficult problem, I want to show you."

"When I have lunch..."

He smiled softly.

"It doesn't taste the same if you're not there."

Zayan felt his heartbeat quicken.

The uncomfortable weight he'd been carrying for days suddenly disappeared.

"So..."

Ayan asked, trying not to laugh.

"Are we okay now?"

Instead of answering immediately, Zayan held out his fist.

"Our usual truce?"

Ayan chuckled and bumped his fist against Zayan's.

"Our usual truce."

Neither of them realized that what they were feeling was becoming harder to call simple friendship.

Neither knew that jealousy often arrives before love has the courage to reveal its name.

But somewhere deep inside both their hearts, something had quietly begun to bloom.

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