"Nick! If you don't sit on this scooty in the next ten seconds, I'm leaving you behind to become a dropout philosopher!"
The neighborhood echoed with the screeching voice of Vaishnavi, who sat on her old navy-blue Honda Activa revving it like she was in a Fast & Furious movie set in Navi Mumbai. Her son, Nick, came flying out of the building gate with his tie around his neck like a noose and a half-eaten toast clenched between his teeth like a cigarette.
"Wait, maa! Coming!" Nick yelled, hopping on one foot as he tried to wear his other sock mid-run. "I had to set my hair. You know how important first impressions are!"
"You've been in the same class for the last three years! What new impression are you planning to make—annual failure of the year?"
Nick slid onto the seat behind her, still fixing his collar with all the urgency of someone about to walk a red carpet. "It's different now, maa. She looked at me."
Vaishnavi narrowed her eyes through the rearview mirror. "Who?"
"Pearl."
"Oh god, not again."
Nick placed his hand over his heart like a dramatic villain about to confess his sins. "Yesterday, when she turned around and asked if anyone had a pen… she looked straight at me."
"She looked at everyone, Nick."
"Exactly! But I was in that group! That counts! I made eye contact with her eyebrows. That's a connection."
Vaishnavi slammed on the brakes at the signal and looked over her shoulder with the deadest expression ever. "Nick, she's the school topper, sports captain, and going to be a doctor. You can't even find your own socks in the morning."
"That's what makes it beautiful, maa. She's fire. I'm… the tragic fool who danced too close to it."
"She's a future MBBS topper, and you're the boy who got three marks in chemistry viva."
Nick gasped. "That was a miscommunication. I was thinking spiritually."
"No. You were thinking about her during your viva."
Nick whispered dramatically, "She's always on my mind…"
The light turned green and they zoomed toward Terna International School, weaving through morning traffic. The school, with its polished gates and crisp white uniformed students already bustling about, loomed ahead like a temple of academic pressure.
Vaishnavi stopped outside, and Nick hopped off, brushing invisible dust from his pants like he was preparing for war. "Today's the day," he muttered.
Vaishnavi shook her head. "Don't forget your ID—oh wait. You already did."
"I don't need identification. I just need love."
"Get inside before I lose my patience and make you repeat 6th again for fun."
With a two-finger salute, Nick stepped forward heroically, took three confident steps…
THUD.
Tripped over a pothole and faceplanted in front of the watchman.
The security guard, not even blinking, muttered, "Good morning, Mr. Romance."
Nick rolled over and whispered, "Even the earth wants me closer to her…"
Inside the school building, the familiar smell of chalk dust and sweaty blazers welcomed him. Students rushed to morning assembly as Nick limped toward the shoe rack, already scanning the crowd for a flash of her.
Enter K—Nick's best friend and human cheat code for sports, studies, and general chillness. With a basketball in one hand, earbuds in, and the casual swagger of someone who could actually pass finals, K spotted Nick and grinned.
"You fell again?"
Nick waved it off. "I don't fall. I descend with elegance. Gravity's just aggressive with me."
"You say that every week," K said, flicking his earphone out. "Let me guess. Pearl's smile gave you hope again?"
Nick clutched his heart. "She glanced in my direction, K! That means something. Her aura touched my retina."
K blinked. "Bro. You're worse than a K-drama protagonist."
Then came Zaid, their third partner in teenage delusion. He strolled in with a cream roll in one hand, lazy eyes, and an aura of "I-don't-care-until-it's-actually-serious."
"So," Zaid said, chewing, "are we proposing today, or just doing your usual 'background actor with a tragic monologue' bit?"
Nick ignored the sarcasm. "I've already imagined our first date. We'll go to a library. I'll accidentally recommend her favorite book. She'll laugh. I'll laugh. And the wind will blow dramatically."
"You don't even read," Zaid pointed out.
"I'll start!" Nick yelled. "For her, I'd read the dictionary."
K chuckled. "She'd rather date the dictionary."
Nick sighed dreamily. "That's fine. As long as I get to be the footnote in her life."
Zaid rolled his eyes. "You need therapy."
"No. I need… her attention."
The bell rang. Students shuffled toward assembly, but Nick paused in the hallway as his breath caught in his throat.
There she was.
Pearl.
Walking in from the school parking gate, hair tied in a high ponytail, and wearing that confident, effortless expression like she had her entire life sorted by 18. She wasn't even wearing lip gloss, yet somehow looked like an ad for girlboss energy.
Nick froze. "There she is. The moon. The reason I breathe. The reason my grades suffer."
K and Zaid both turned casually. K nodded. "Okay, I'll admit, she does walk like she's the protagonist of a Disney sports film."
"She is," Nick whispered. "And I'm the guy in the bleachers who writes her name in his notebook and never speaks to her."
Zaid shrugged. "You could just… talk to her?"
Nick turned slowly, eyes wide. "Do you want me to die?"
"Worse things have happened," K muttered. "Like your last attempt."
Nick winced. "She asked for a scale and I said, 'You already measure up to my heart.'"
"Exactly. And then she walked away."
"She smiled first!"
"Because she thought you were having a medical issue," Zaid said.
They reached the courtyard where morning assembly was just starting. Nick took his usual position in the back row of Class 11-A, right behind a tall guy named Ramesh who always blocked his view.
Pearl was near the front, of course. Leading the school pledge with that perfect diction and a voice like melted chocolate and revolution.
Nick whispered under his breath, "She could be a world leader…"
"Shh," K hissed. "You're praying again."
"Not praying. Manifesting."
As the national anthem played, Nick stood straight, hand on chest, but instead of focusing on the flag, he stared at her like she was the flag. The sun hit her cheek and he gasped quietly. "Did you see that?! The sunlight chose her!"
Zaid muttered, "Even the sun simps for her now."
By the time the anthem ended and students were sent back to class, Nick was floating. His steps were lighter. His eyes dazed. He nearly walked into a wall.
K caught his shoulder. "You okay, Romeo?"
"I'm in love."
"You're in denial."
They reached their classroom just as their class teacher was writing on the board.
Zaid nudged him. "Bro. Focus. History class. Don't zone out."
"I can't," Nick whispered. "She was wearing that black hoodie today—the one with the small red logo. That's her serious hoodie. Today's a study day. She won't talk to anyone. That means…"
"That she really won't talk to you?" K asked.
"No. It means I can stare without fear of her noticing."
Zaid sighed. "I feel like I'm watching a romantic tragedy and a comedy fight each other."
Nick opened his notebook, flipped to the last page, and started doodling.
He drew her name in bubble letters. Circled it. Drew a tiny stethoscope next to it.
"She's going to be a doctor," he whispered.
"She's going to prescribe you reality pills," K whispered back.
Here's a quick character appearance description for each of them, to add into your novel when needed:
Nick (19, Marathi, 5'5")
Nick has slightly messy black hair that he tries to style like his favorite Marvel characters but usually ends up looking like a hedgehog with confidence. He has expressive brown eyes full of drama and daydreams. His skin is dusky and he wears his school uniform with a tie that's always slightly crooked. He walks with the energy of someone who thinks the background music is playing just for him. Loves Marvel, and has an actual Dove Cameron poster in his room that he pretends he's "too cool" to fangirl over.
K (18, Bangalore, 5'6")
K has sharp features, short spiky hair that always looks freshly styled, and warm brown skin. His school blazer is always crisp, and his basketball is practically an extra limb. His eyes are focused but chill—like he could dunk on you or help you with homework, depending on his mood. Usually seen with a hoodie tied around his waist, and a slight grin that says, "I've got this."
Pearl (18, 5'4")
Pearl has long, jet-black hair that falls in perfect waves, even in Mumbai humidity. Her eyes are sharp, almost intimidating, with the kind of confidence that makes boys shut up mid-sentence. Her skin is clear, glowing, and she walks like she's on a ramp—not because she tries, but because she's that girl. Wears her uniform with perfect precision, and even her socks look like they follow rules. She has an aura of "Don't talk to me unless you've solved physics and won nationals."
Vaishnavi (Nick's Mom)
Vaishnavi has soft features, tired but kind eyes, and is always dressed in a simple cotton saree. Her hair is usually tied up in a neat bun, and she walks like she's been handling chaos since before Nick was born (which is true). Her tone flips between sweet and terrifying in 0.2 seconds, especially when Nick forgets his homework. She's supportive, loving, and has a sixth sense for when Nick's about to do something stupid.