Unfinished Letters

Chapter 1: The New Beginning Sia sat in the second row of her new classroom, her fingers nervously tapping against the wooden desk. It was the first day of Class 10 at St. Paul’s High School, and she was the new student—again. She hated being the new girl. She hated the curious stares, the whispers, the awkward introductions. Her eyes wandered around the classroom until they landed on a boy sitting by the window. He wasn’t looking at her like the others were. Instead, he was lost in his own world, staring at the sky, a book in his hand. “Samar!” The teacher’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Samar sighed, lazily standing up. “Yes, ma’am?” “Stop daydreaming and pay attention.” The class chuckled, but Samar just smiled—a slow, easy smile that made Sia wonder who he really was. --- Chapter 2: First Conversations At lunch, Sia found herself alone at the edge of the school courtyard. She didn’t mind. She had spent years moving from city to city, changing schools. Being alone had become normal. But then, someone sat next to her. “You don’t talk much, do you?” She looked up. Samar. “And you talk too much,” she countered. He grinned. “I like that. You’re different.” Sia raised an eyebrow. “You don’t even know me.” “I know that you don’t try too hard to fit in. I know that you like being alone but also wish someone would sit beside you. And I know…” He glanced at the half-eaten sandwich in her hand. “You don’t like tomatoes.” Sia blinked. “How—” “I noticed when you picked them out during breakfast.” She stared at him, unsure if she should be annoyed or impressed. “Observant, aren’t you?” she said. He shrugged. “Only about the things that matter.” And for some reason, Sia felt her heart skip a beat. --- Chapter 3: Letters Left Unfinished Over the weeks, Samar and Sia became friends. They passed notes during class, laughed at bad jokes, and raced each other in the hallways. But what Sia loved most were the letters. Samar had a habit of writing letters—real, handwritten letters. He would leave them in her notebook, her locker, even inside her desk. Each letter was different—some were funny, some were poetic, and some were just random thoughts about the world. But none of them were ever signed. “Why don’t you sign your name?” she asked him one afternoon. Samar leaned back on the bench, looking up at the sky. “Because some words don’t need names. They just need to be felt.” Sia smiled. She liked that about him—his way of seeing the world differently. But what she didn’t realize was that, slowly, she was falling for him. --- Chapter 4: Realization One evening, Sia sat by her window, reading one of Samar’s letters. "Some people are like sunsets—beautiful, but you can’t hold onto them. And some people are like stars—always there, even when you don’t see them." She traced the words with her fingers, her heart pounding. Was she just a sunset to him? Or was she a star? And more importantly—what was he to her? The answer came too easily. She liked him. More than she should. --- Chapter 5: A Confession in the Rain The next day, the school was buzzing with excitement. It was the day of the inter-school football tournament, and Samar was playing as the team’s captain. Sia sat in the front row, watching as he moved across the field effortlessly. He was fast, focused, determined. And then, just as the final whistle blew, he scored the winning goal. The crowd erupted in cheers, but Sia didn’t move. She realized something then. She didn’t just like him. She loved him. After the match, as the first drops of rain started to fall, she found him alone near the school gates. He turned, surprised. “Sia?” She took a deep breath. “I need to tell you something.” Samar smiled. “What is it?” “I—” The words got stuck in her throat. But then, looking into his eyes, she found the courage. “I love you.” The rain poured harder, but neither of them moved. Samar’s smile faded. He looked at her for a long moment before saying, “Sia… I—” And then, before he could finish, the school bell rang, pulling them apart. But Sia saw it in his eyes. The hesitation. The unspoken words. And she knew. He didn’t feel the same way. --- Chapter 6: Distance Things changed after that. Samar didn’t leave letters anymore. He still talked to her, still smiled, but something was missing. One evening, unable to take it anymore, Sia confronted him. “Why are you avoiding me?” Samar sighed. “I’m not—” “Yes, you are.” Her voice cracked. “Is it because I told you how I feel?” He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. “Sia, it’s not that simple.” “Then explain it to me.” He hesitated before finally whispering, “I’m leaving.” Sia’s breath caught. “What?” “My family is moving. My dad got a transfer. I leave in a month.” Sia felt like the ground had been ripped from under her feet. “And you weren’t going to tell me?” “I didn’t know how.” His voice was pained. “I didn’t want to hurt you.” Tears welled in her eyes. “You already have.” And with that, she walked away. --- Chapter 7: The Last Letter The day before he left, Sia found an envelope in her locker. A letter. Her hands trembled as she unfolded it. "Sia, You were never a sunset to me. You were always a star—one that I was too afraid to reach for. I wanted to tell you that I love you too. But I didn’t, because loving you means wanting to stay. And I can’t stay. But if fate is kind, maybe one day, we’ll find each other again. -Samar” Tears blurred her vision. She ran to the school gate, hoping to catch him one last time. But he was already gone. And so, she stood there, holding the letter close to her heart, whispering the words she never got to say. “I’ll wait for you.” --- Epilogue: Years Later Years passed. Sia stood in a bookstore, flipping through a novel when a familiar voice behind her said, “Still avoiding tomatoes?” She turned, her heart racing. Samar. Older, taller, but still the same boy who once left unfinished letters. And in that moment, as their eyes met, Sia realized—some love stories never truly end. Some just wait for the right time to begin again.