"the way back to us"

Krisha’s POV

Life wasn’t exactly slow after that basketball day. In fact, it moved faster than I expected.

I had a tight schedule—college from early morning till afternoon, then straight to coaching. Not just any regular tuition, but the type that prepares you for competitive exams—boards, entrances, the works.

They had different batches for every exam, but because the syllabus overlapped, our classes were often combined. That meant more students, more noise, and less breathing space.

Out of the entire week, I only got 1.5 hours of proper break on Mondays and Wednesdays.

That too felt like a privilege.

Most of the time, I’d just sit in the café nearby, earphones in, zoning out for a while. It wasn’t peaceful, but it was something.

I hadn’t told the others much about it. Maybe because I didn’t want to sound like I was complaining—or maybe because I didn’t want to seem like I was pulling away.

But truth was…
Sometimes, I felt like I was.

The basketball match had brought me back—back to a version of myself I missed. The one who smiled without checking the time. Who laughed without guilt. Who didn’t count hours like they were running out.

And Asher…

Asher made it worse in the best way possible.

The way he looked at me during the match—like I was more than what I let people see—stayed with me longer than I expected.

Even when I was surrounded by books and formulas, that smirk of his, the way his fingers brushed mine when we fought over the ball—it all replayed like a scene I didn’t want to fast forward.

I wasn’t sure what this meant.
But I knew I wanted to see them all again.

Especially him.

Today was Monday, and surprisingly—my first class got cancelled.
Which meant I had something rare: free time. Three whole hours.

I should’ve been excited… but I wasn’t.

Going home wasn’t an option.
Not because of the distance, but because of the way it felt.
Too loud. Too suffocating.
Like even the walls wanted something from me.

So, I stayed.
In coaching.
The one place where, even in chaos, I felt invisible.
Safe.

There were plenty of classrooms, and I quietly slipped into my favourite one—the one with the wide windows that let in the golden afternoon light.

Since most students had left after hearing about the cancellation, the room was almost empty.

I went to the back row, settling by the window seat, where the sun touched the cold surface of the desk just enough to make it warm.

I rested my chin on the wooden bench, gazing out the window.

From here, I could see the narrow street outside. People walking lazily, bikes zooming past, a tea vendor wiping glasses. Life was moving… and for once, I wasn’t a part of it.

My mind was oddly quiet—until it wasn’t.

My thoughts drifted.

To school.
To that basketball match.
To Asher.

That smug smile when I scored. The way his eyes widened when I told him about myself. The spark in his tone when he teased me. It was like he saw through the layers.

And somehow, I didn’t mind.

A small smile tugged at my lips.

God, why was I thinking about him so much?