A New Beginning
535 Words
A Few Months Later...
The last answer sheet was collected.
The school bell rang.
And just like that...
The Class 10 Board Examinations were finally over.
The entire school erupted with excitement.
Students rushed out of their classrooms laughing, shouting, throwing papers into the air and taking endless photographs.
Outside the school gate...
Hania stretched both her arms dramatically.
"Freedom!"
Shanya laughed.
"Results haven't even come out yet."
"I know."
"But at least no more studying tonight."
The two best friends high-fived each other.
That evening...
The Khan and Singh families celebrated together at the Singh house.
Colonel Arvind ordered everyone's favorite food.
"Today," he announced proudly, "no one is allowed to talk about exams."
"Agreed!" Hania cheered immediately.
Naila looked at her daughter.
"You were saying yesterday you'll miss studying."
Hania smiled innocently.
"I lied."
Everyone burst into laughter.
A week later...
The board results were declared.
Hania nervously refreshed the website again and again.
"It isn't loading!"
Shanya, sitting beside her with her laptop, groaned.
"Neither is mine!"
Finally...
The page opened.
For a few seconds...
Neither girl spoke.
Then—
"We did it!"
The girls screamed together.
Hania had scored excellent marks, especially in Science.
Shanya topped in English and Social Science.
The two hugged each other tightly while both families clapped proudly.
Imran's eyes shone with pride.
"My scientist."
Colonel Arvind smiled.
"Our future journalist."
Isha hugged both girls.
"I knew you could do it."
A few days later...
Admissions for Class 11 began.
As expected, they chose the same school again.
Hania selected the Science stream.
Physics.
Chemistry.
Biology.
Mathematics.
"I want to understand how life works," she said with a bright smile.
Shanya chose the Humanities stream.
Political Science.
History.
Psychology.
Journalism Club.
"I'll become a reporter one day."
Hania grinned.
"And you'll expose all my embarrassing stories."
"Oh, definitely."
The first day of Class 11 felt different.
They were no longer juniors.
They walked through the school corridors with confidence.
New classrooms.
New teachers.
New responsibilities.
Yet one thing remained exactly the same.
"Hani!"
"Hmm?"
"Promise?"
"What now?"
"No matter how busy we become..."
"We'll always stay best friends."
Hania smiled and held out her little finger.
"Promise."
They linked their fingers just like they had years ago in Class Five.
That weekend...
A familiar Army jeep stopped outside the Singh house.
Captain Eshaan Singh had returned home for a short leave.
Shanya ran downstairs happily.
"Bhai!"
He hugged his younger sister warmly.
"You've grown taller."
"I know."
Then he looked toward the gate where Hania was entering with a box of homemade sweets from her mother.
For a second...
Both simply looked at each other.
"So..." Eshaan said.
"Congratulations on your results."
Hania smiled politely.
"Thank you."
"You chose Science?"
"Yes."
"And you?"
She raised an eyebrow playfully.
"Still giving orders?"
A faint smile appeared on Eshaan's face.
"Still arguing?"
"Always."
Shanya sighed dramatically.
"You two have literally grown up..."
"...but your fights haven't."
Colonel Arvind laughed from the veranda.
"Some battles are permanent."
Everyone smiled.
None of them knew...
that these ordinary moments would one day become memories they would cherish forever.
Because after Class 12...
life would send Hania and Eshaan down completely different paths.
- Writer
