Illusions of Perfection

17. The End of an Era

Back from the school trip, and bam, exams were looming like that monster under your bed. Students were still chillaxing, while teachers were pulling their hair out. And there I was, feeling like I missed all the chances to chat up Aisha. Time flew faster than a jet, and I was left regretting all the missed opportunities.

Then there was Jishnu, trying to wrangle Aanya into saying yes. I mean, we all knew she kinda liked him, but there was this whole drama swirling around. Still, I was Team Jishnu all the way, cheering him on like a coach at the Olympics. Finally, after endless nagging from me and the whole class, Aanya spilled the beans. It was like watching a rom-com, but with more algebra.

Fast forward to that golden moment when the teacher was MIA, and I was just twiddling my thumbs. And guess who decides to grace me with her presence? Yup, Aisha. It was like she got tired of waiting for me to make the first move and decided to take matters into her own hands. But me? I was as awkward as a penguin on a skateboard.

"So, Jay," Aisha starts, breaking the silence, "what's up? You seem kinda quiet today."

I muster up a nervous smile. "Oh, you know, just the usual. Trying to survive the impending doom of exams," I reply, trying to play it cool.

Aisha chuckles, her laughter like music to my ears. "Tell me about it. I feel like I'm drowning in textbooks."

I nod in agreement, grateful for the chance to talk to her. "Yeah, it's like they expect us to memorize the entire history of the universe in one month."

We both laugh, the tension easing between us. And then, in a moment of courage fueled by who knows what, I decide to take the plunge.

"Aisha, can I ask you something?" I say, my heart racing a mile a minute.

She tilts her head, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. "Sure, shoot."

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever comes next. "Do you... uh, do you like me?" I blurt out, feeling like I've just jumped off a cliff without a parachute.

Aisha's expression softens, and she looks at me with a mix of surprise and something else I can't quite decipher. "Jay, I..."

I hold my breath, waiting for her answer, hoping against hope that maybe, just maybe, she feels the same way.

But then, before she can say anything else, the bell rings, signaling the end of our free period. Aisha gives me a small smile and stands up, brushing off her skirt.

"We'll talk later, okay?" she says, her voice gentle like a summer breeze.

As Aisha starts to walk away, I feel a surge of desperation welling up inside me. I can't let her go without knowing the truth, without understanding why.

"Wait, Aisha," I call out, my voice cracking with emotion. "Please, just tell me why."

She turns back to me, her expression softening as she sees the turmoil written all over my face. "Jay, it's complicated," she begins, her voice tinged with sadness.

I take a step closer, my heart pounding in my chest. "Complicated how?"

She hesitates for a moment, as if trying to find the right words. "It's... it's our families," she finally admits, her voice barely above a whisper.

Confusion washes over me as I try to process her words. "Our families?" I repeat, feeling like I've just been hit with a ton of bricks.

Aisha nods, her eyes filled with regret. "Yeah, they... they wouldn't approve. And it would just cause so much drama and heartache for everyone involved."

My mind races as I try to make sense of what she's saying. Our families? Drama? Heartache? It's all starting to sound like a bad soap opera.

"But... but what about us?" I stammer, feeling like my world is crumbling around me. "What about how we feel?"

"Sometimes, it's just not that simple," Aisha says, her voice barely above a whisper.

I furrow my brow, trying to read between the lines. "What do you mean?"

Aisha hesitates, her gaze flickering away for a moment before returning to meet mine. "It's... complicated, Jay," she admits, her words tinged with a hint of sadness.

My heart sinks as I try to decipher her cryptic response. "Complicated how?"

"It's..." Aisha starts, then stops, chewing on her bottom lip nervously. 

I take a step closer, feeling a surge of determination. "But what about us?" I asked again.

Aisha's expression softens, a flicker of something resembling longing crossing her features before she quickly masks it. "Jay, I..." she starts, then trails off, her words hanging in the air between us.

I reach out, gently taking her hand in mine. "Aisha, please," I implore, my heart pounding in my chest. "Tell me the truth."

She looks down at our intertwined fingers, her voice barely a whisper. "Jay, I care about you, more than you know," she admits, her admission like a balm to my soul. "But sometimes... sometimes it's easier to hide how we really feel."

My heart skips a beat as her words sink in. She cares about me? Could it be that she feels the same way I do?

Before I can voice my thoughts, the next bell rings, signaling the end of our conversation. Aisha gives my hand a gentle squeeze before pulling away, a bittersweet smile playing on her lips.

"We'll talk later, okay?" she says softly, her eyes holding a promise I can't quite decipher.

And as I watch her walk away, a glimmer of hope ignites within me. Maybe, just maybe, there's a chance for us after all. But it was just my false hope and nothing more. Days passed be, and nothing more happened. Exams were upon us and it was like everything ended in a hurry. And like that, the two years were at an end.