ONE MOMENT AT A TIME

The corridors of Northvale High buzzed with chatter about the debate. Students were still talking about the way Eyana and Avyansh had stolen the show — not just with their arguments, but with their chemistry.

Eyana stepped through the front gate, the sunlight catching in her hair. She wasn't smiling exactly, but there was a calmness in her eyes that hadn't been there in weeks. Like a weight had quietly lifted.

"Puffer fish!"

She turned, already rolling her eyes. "Pigass."

Avyansh was leaning against the wall near the garden, holding a paper cup of chai. He held out a second one for her.

"You remembered," she said, surprised. "I drink it with sugar and ginger-."

"Obviously. You give death glares to anyone who don't add ginger to your tea."

She took the cup, their fingers brushing for a moment. It wasn't awkward this time. It just... was. Natural.

They walked in together, side by side. No words needed. The few kids who passed them raised their brows or whispered, but neither of them cared. Not anymore.

Inside the classroom, Tejal and Jhanvi were already at their desk — whispering loudly enough for the whole row to hear.

"Oh my god, they came together."
"I bet he finally confessed."
"No way! Did she say yes? Wait, are they dating now?"

"Are you both done?" Eyana asked dryly, sliding into her seat.

Avyansh smirked. "They've been running this fake fan fiction in their heads since day one."

"Don't lie, we've got real material now," Veeryansh added, joining them with Atharva. "The rooftop scene? Epic."

Atharva added, "Bro, even the moon was third-wheeling."

Everyone burst out laughing, including Eyana — the kind of laugh that reaches your eyes and makes your cheeks ache.

But as the laughter faded, Avyansh leaned closer to her, voice low.

"I meant everything I said yesterday, Eyana."

She looked at him for a second — really looked.

"I know."

And with that, she picked up her notebook and flipped to the page that said 'Final Debate Notes'.

"Alright, let's prep for the class discussion."

He smiled to himself, watching her—eyes focused, voice clear, spark in full glow.

Yeah. She was back. And so was they.

Recognition

The sky was still painted in hues of early morning gold as students gathered on the field of Northvale High for the Monday assembly. The air buzzed with leftover excitement from the recent interschool debate competition. Everyone was still talking about the surprising win and how brilliantly Eyana and Avyansh Agastya had performed.

Eyana stood quietly in line with Tejal Sharma and Jhanvi Mehnoor, her hands tucked into her sleeves, feeling a little more relaxed than usual. Avyansh Agastya caught her glance from his row and gave her a quick wink. She rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the faintest smile.

Principal Mehra stepped up to the podium, his voice calm but proud.

"Good morning, students. Before we begin today's announcements, I would like to acknowledge some students whose outstanding performance brought great pride to Northvale High."

The crowd fell silent.

"We participated in the interschool debate competition last week, and I'm thrilled to announce that Northvale High brought home the trophy after five long years."

The school erupted into applause. Eyana shifted nervously, a little flustered. Tejal nudged her shoulder encouragingly.

"And the credit goes to our exceptional team—Jhanvi Mehnoor, Tejal Sair, Atharva Sharma, Veeryansh Mishra, and of course, Eyana Dhritya and Avyansh Agastya."

The applause swelled. Eyana's heart fluttered hearing her name alongside Avyansh's.

Principal Mehra smiled. "What made their performance even more remarkable was their teamwork and the emotional depth they brought to the topic—something our judges specifically praised. Working together with such grace and maturity is no small feat."

Whispers and curious glances followed Eyana and Avyansh. Some students teased, "Are they dating?" "They seem really close now."

From the faculty seats, Samiksha Ma'am sat stiffly, arms crossed, her face unreadable. Her plan to undermine the team had failed spectacularly.

After the assembly, Ms. Kaur, the history teacher, approached Eyana and Avyansh.

"I watched your debate," she said warmly. "You two make quite the team. Keep it up—your chemistry and coordination were impressive."

"Thank you, ma'am," they said together, sharing a chuckle.

As they walked back to class, Avyansh nudged her playfully. "Looks like we're the talk of Northvale High now."

Eyana shrugged, trying to play it cool. "As long as they don't start calling us 'Puffer Fish and Pigass' again, I'm good."

He laughed. "Oh, they will. But hey, now we're famous."

The chatter of students slowly faded as Eyana and Avyansh found a quiet corner behind the school's old library—a small refuge away from the buzz of the crowd.

Eyana leaned against the cool brick wall, her heart still fluttering from the morning's announcement. "I never thought I'd hear my name announced like that... next to yours."

Avyansh smiled softly, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "You earned it, Eyana. I just helped with the words."

She looked up, meeting his steady gaze. "No, it was more than words. You were there... steady. I felt it."

He took a small step closer. "I was nervous too. But having you there—it made everything easier."

For a moment, they simply stood in silence, the noise of school life distant and muted.

Eyana finally whispered, "Thank you... for believing in me, even when I didn't believe in myself."

Avyansh's hand found hers, fingers intertwining naturally. "Always. You're stronger than you know."

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, but a genuine smile broke through. "Maybe... maybe we make a pretty good team."

He chuckled softly. "The best."

As the bell rang in the distance, signaling the next class, they reluctantly let go of each other's hands.

"See you at La Vie Café later?" Avyansh asked.

Eyana nodded, her smile warm. "Wouldn't miss it."

They walked back toward the school, their steps lighter, their bond quietly deepened.

La Vie Café buzzed softly with the afternoon crowd, the warm scent of freshly brewed coffee and spices wrapping around them like a gentle hug. Eyana slid into the booth beside Avyansh, their shoulders just barely touching.

She glanced at him with a shy smile. "It feels good... you know, just being here, like nothing else matters."

Avyansh grinned, stirring his chai with sugar and a hint of ginger, just the way she liked it. "Yeah. No grades, no debates, no pressure."

For a while, they just talked—about silly things, favorite songs, and their dreams.

"I want to be a space scientist someday," Eyana said, eyes shining. "I love stars, galaxies... the whole universe feels like a mystery waiting to be solved."

Avyansh nodded thoughtfully. "That's amazing. I want to be an engineer—build things that make life easier and better. Maybe I'll design rockets that can take you to the stars."

Eyana laughed softly. "You'd better. Then maybe you'll be my ride to the universe."

He smiled warmly, reaching across the table to gently brush her hand. "I'm really glad we did this... all of it."

Eyana looked down, her cheeks warming. "Me too. I never thought I'd find someone who actually gets me."

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm not going anywhere."

Outside, the sky was painted in soft pastels, the day slipping into evening. Inside, beneath the golden glow of the café lights, something unspoken bloomed—a quiet promise between two hearts finally finding their rhythm.

The cozy hum of La Vie Café wrapped around them like a soft blanket. Eyana stirred her chai, the gentle clink of the spoon filling the comfortable silence between them.

"So, space scientist, huh?" Avyansh teased, watching her with a sly smile. "That sounds pretty out of this world."

Eyana laughed, a sound that made his chest tighten. "Well, someone's got to explore the stars. What about you, engineer? Building rockets or something?"

"Maybe," he said, leaning back. "Or maybe I'll just build something to keep you grounded."

She rolled her eyes, but the flush on her cheeks gave her away. "Smooth talker."

Avyansh grinned, nudging her playfully with his elbow. "Hey, I'm serious. You're the only one who makes me want to reach higher."

Eyana's smile softened. "Guess we're both chasing dreams, just in different galaxies."

They sat there a little longer, the world outside fading, their dreams quietly intertwining over cups of chai sweetened just right — sugar and a touch of ginger, just like Eyana liked it.

he soft clink of teacups and the muted murmur of conversations filled the cozy space of La Vie Café, but to Eyana, it all faded into the background. Her fingers curled around the warm cup of chai, the sweetness of the sugar and the subtle zing of ginger comforting her in a way she hadn't expected.

Across the table, Avyansh's gaze held hers—steady, sincere, and just a touch hesitant. He cleared his throat softly, as if gathering courage. "You know," he began, voice low and warm, "I never really told you how much I appreciate having you by my side. This debate, the hours we spent together—it made everything feel... easier."

Eyana's breath hitched. The way his words brushed against her heart felt like the first gentle rays of dawn after a long night.

"I'm glad too," she whispered, voice barely audible.

For a heartbeat, the world seemed to still. The space between them shrank, and Avyansh reached out, his fingers brushing lightly against hers. The touch was electric but tender—an unspoken promise.

"I don't know what the future holds," he confessed, his eyes searching hers, "but I want to explore it...

A smile bloomed on Eyana's lips, soft and shy but full of hope. "Then let's take it one moment at a time."

And in that quiet corner of the café, amidst the scent of chai and the glow of soft lights, something delicate and beautiful began to take root—an unspoken understanding that this was just the beginning.

The warmth of their hands lingered a moment longer before Avyansh reluctantly pulled back, a playful grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Alright, enough of the mushy stuff," he teased, nudging Eyana's shoulder lightly. "We still owe Tejal and Jhanvi an explanation for why we took over the café today."

Eyana laughed, the sound light and genuine, breaking the spell. "True. They'll think we've formed some secret alliance or something."

As if on cue, Veeryansh and Atharva appeared at their table, faces full of mock suspicion. "So, what's this 'secret alliance' about? Planning to take over the school next?" Veeryansh joked, pulling up a chair.

Avyansh exchanged a quick look with Eyana, and she shook her head with a grin. "Just helping with last-minute stuff," she said, though neither of them looked completely convinced.

Atharva leaned in conspiratorially. "Come on, spill it! We're all ears."

Before either Eyana or Avyansh could respond, Tejal and Jhanvi swept in, arms linked, cheeks flushed from laughter. "Looks like we're the last to the party again," Tejal said breathlessly. "What did we miss?"

"Nothing much," Avyansh said with a sly smile. "Just sealing a pact to conquer the world."

Jhanvi raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh. And the first step is stealing all the chai from La Vie?"

Eyana smirked and took a sip of her chai, the ginger's warmth spreading through her. She caught Avyansh's eye, and in that glance was a quiet understanding—that whatever lay ahead, they were ready to face it together, with friends by their side and maybe something more blossoming between them.

Veeryansh suddenly jumped up from his seat, striking an exaggerated superhero pose. "Alright, team! Since we've conquered the debate, it's time for the next mission — La Vie Café's ultimate trivia showdown!"

Atharva groaned dramatically. "Please no. Last time, I lost miserably to Jhanvi's random facts about 90s Bollywood songs."

Jhanvi beamed, "Hey, that's talent!"

Tejal grabbed a napkin and a pen, already jotting down questions. "Okay, Eyana, you're up first. Question one: What's Avyansh's most embarrassing childhood nickname?"

Avyansh threw a mock glare her way. "Wait, who told you that?!"

Eyana smirked, "Goofball"!

Everyone burst out laughing, including Avyansh, who shook his head but couldn't hide his grin.

"Okay, my turn!" Avyansh said, "Which one of you accidentally set off the fire alarm last week during lunch?"

All eyes darted around, and after a second of silence, Tejal blurted out, "That was definitely me." She pretended to wipe sweat off her forehead. "I swear, it was an accident!"

The group exploded with laughter again, and even Eyana's cheeks flushed with amusement.

As the trivia battle continued, the earlier tension felt miles away. Between playful jabs, teasing, and shared memories, the friends were reminded of why this group felt like a second family — messy, loud, but full of warmth and laughter.

Avyansh caught Eyana's eye across the table, his smile softer now, and she realized some moments were too precious not to hold on to.