Six months is a long time.
Long enough to fall into something quietly.
Long enough to believe in something that doesn't even have a name.
—
By then, Zafar had become a part of my days.
Not officially. Not loudly.
But in the smallest, softest ways.
—
We still hadn't spoken.
Not once.
And yet, we had said so much.
Through smiles.
Through glances.
Through those stupid, shy moments where we'd both look away and then look back again like kids who didn't know what they were doing.
—
It was ridiculous.
And I loved it.
—
I didn't call it love.
I didn't even think about it that deeply.
But I waited for him.
I noticed him.
I carried him in my thoughts in ways I didn't understand yet.
—
And maybe that's what love looks like
before you recognize it.
—
My best friend noticed before I did.
Of course she did.
She always did.
—
"You like him," she said one day, casually, like it was obvious.
I laughed immediately.
"No, I don't."
—
She didn't argue.
She just smiled.
"That's even worse."
—
A few days later, she sent me a video.
Some random YouTube clip.
A guy saying—
"If you have a crush on someone, just go and talk to them. Now or never."
—
She looked at me.
Then at the video.
Then back at me.
—
"Now or never," she repeated.
—
I rolled my eyes.
But something inside me—
something small and reckless—
paid attention.
—
That afternoon felt different.
The sun was softer, the street quieter, like the day itself was waiting for something to happen.
I was inside my shop, pretending to focus, pretending my heart wasn't beating faster than usual.
—
And then—
she went.
—
My best friend walked straight into his shop.
Just like that.
No hesitation.
No fear.
—
I froze.
—
"What is she doing?" I whispered under my breath, panic rising instantly.
—
I could see everything from where I stood.
Zafar was behind the counter, looking down at something.
And then—
he looked up.
—
He saw her.
Confusion flickered across his face.
—
She smiled.
That confident, fearless smile I could never manage.
—
"Hi," she said casually, like this was normal.
"I'm Arohi's friend. Who are you?"
—
My heart stopped.
Actually stopped.
—
Why would she say that?
Why would she bring me into this?
—
Zafar blinked.
For a second, he just stood there, like his brain hadn't caught up with the moment yet.
Then he fumbled—
visibly.
—
"Hi… uh… I'm—" he paused, almost stumbling over his own words, "I'm Zafar."
—
I had never seen him like that.
Not calm.
Not composed.
Just… nervous.
And somehow—
that made everything feel real.
—
There was a small pause.
And then he said, slightly hesitant—
"Can we talk in Hindi?"
—
Something about that made me smile without realizing.
—
My best friend nodded, amused.
"Of course."
—
Then she turned her head slightly—
towards me.
—
And my world ended.
—
Because now—
there was no escape.
—
She gestured for me to come.
—
I didn't want to.
I really didn't.
But my feet—
my stupid, traitor feet—
moved anyway.
—
I walked in slowly.
Every step felt louder than it should.
My heart was racing, my thoughts completely gone.
—
And then—
I was standing in front of him.
For the first time.
Not across the lane.
Not behind glass.
—
Right there.
—
Up close, he looked different.
More real.
More human.
Less like the version I had built in my head.
—
But his eyes—
they were the same.
—
He looked at me.
And I looked at him.
—
For a second—
everything else disappeared.
—
And then—
I spoke.
—
"What's your name?"
—
My voice sounded calmer than I felt.
—
He blinked, like he wasn't expecting that question from me.
Then, softly—
"Zafar."
—
Zafar.
—
I repeated it in my head.
Like it mattered.
Like it meant something.
—
I smiled.
A real one.
The kind that came without thinking.
—
"Nice to meet you, Zafar."
—
That was it.
—
No long conversation.
No confession.
No explanation.
—
Just that.
—
And then—
I turned around.
—
Because I knew if I stayed even a second longer—
I wouldn't be able to breathe properly.
—
I walked out of the shop, my heart still racing, my mind completely blank.
—
And just before leaving—
I turned back.
—
And smiled.
—
Not shy.
Not unsure.
Just… happy.
—
And then I left.
—
The moment ended.
—
But it didn't leave me.
—
That whole evening, I felt different.
Light.
Restless.
Alive in a way I couldn't explain.
—
I replayed it again and again.
His voice.
His hesitation.
The way he said his name.
The way he looked at me—
like the moment mattered.
—
And somewhere in all of that—
something inside me shifted.
—
Not suddenly.
Not loudly.
—
But deeply.
—
I didn't say it out loud.
Didn't even fully admit it to myself.
—
But I was falling.
—
Slowly.
Softly.
Completely.
—
And I didn't even realize it yet.
—
Because to me—
it was just a moment.
Just a conversation.
Just a name.
—
But to my heart—
it was everything.
—
And Zafar?
—
Zafar stood there after I left—
completely still.
—
Like he hadn't moved on from that moment yet.
—
Because for him—
it wasn't just a "hi."
—
It was the first time
the girl he had been quietly noticing for months
stood in front of him,
said his name,
and smiled
like he mattered.
—
And for a long time after that—
he just stood there,
slightly smiling to himself,
like an idiot,
replaying it all—
again
and again
and again.