The sun was sliding down the sky, painting everything in the soft gold and warm orange. The colony lanes buzzed with the familiar sound of laughter, the bounce of a ball, and the calls of children running around barefoot. It was the kind of evening that always felt alive — like the day refused to end.
We all sat near the old bench beside the small playground, our cricket bats leaning against the fence. Alley was the loudest, as usual, laughing at something Jace said. I was half-listening, half-looking at Elvric, who was sitting across from me — quiet, half-smiling at his sister Kiara as she tried to argue with Ryan about who cheated in yesterday's badminton match.
It had been a few weeks since he and Kiara moved into our colony, and somehow, Elvric had become a part of our group. He wasn't exactly warm — more like that cold drink on a summer day, refreshing but with a bit of bite. The kind of boy who didn't need to say much to make people notice him.
But I noticed everything — the way his sleeves were always rolled up, the way his hair fell slightly over his forehead when he laughed, and how, even when he smiled, his eyes stayed a little unreadable. Maybe that's why I didn't realize when a tiny crush started growing inside me.
"Okay! Everyone has to tell a story or a secret now," Mira announced dramatically, her hands on her hips. "Rules are rules!"
"Who made those rules?" Noah groaned.
"I did," Mira shot back. "And as your queen of entertainment, I command you to start!"
Everyone laughed. Liam started first, telling a funny story about how he accidentally wore his shirt inside out to school. Then Sia shared how she and Tara once tried to make cookies but ended up burning the tray. The laughter echoed across the colony, even reaching the aunties who peeked from their balconies.
When it was my turn, Alley nudged me. "Come on, Viara. Don't just smile. Say something!"
"I don't have any secrets," I said, shrugging and lying somehow.
"Liar," alley whispered teasingly, making me rolls my eyes.
"Wait, I'll tell everyone of your secrets viara" Alley winked at me
"Shut up alley, I don't have any secrets" I show her eyes to tell her to shut up
Then all eyes turned toward Elvric, who was leaning back on the bench, looking at the sky. "Your turn, Mr. Attitude," Ryan said.
Elvric tilted his head slightly, his lips twitching. "Why should I tell anything?"
"Because everyone else did," Kiara said, glaring at him. "Be nice for once."
"Kiara, elvric come to home right now" their mom called them from the balcony
"Yes mom, I'll come In few minutes, kiara is coming now" Elvric tell his mom from the ground
"Kiara go to home" Elric command her and she leave from there.
Elvric smirked, running a hand through his hair. "Fine," he said. "You want to know something? Let me tell you something....I already have a girlfriend."
The laughter and noise suddenly went quiet. Even the wind seemed to pause. My heart skipped a beat — not that, I was expecting him to say he liked me or anything else, but hearing that word… girlfriend… hit differently.
"Ohhh! So the cool guy is already taken!" Jace teased, clapping him on the shoulder.
Elvric smiled faintly. "She lives in another city. We've known each other for a long time, but we are dating from two years."
"That's cute," Hana said. "Long-distance relationship love story, huh?"
"Yeah," he said softly, looking away. "She's special for me, I can't imagine myself without her."
I tried to laugh with the others, but something inside me felt strangely heavy. Crushes weren't meant to last anyway, I told myself. They come and go — like evening breezes.
To hide my thoughts, I spoke quickly. "So filmy, I never think that you'll be this much filmy but this is cute, so everyone turn's are over and I'm bored now. Let's play tomorrow instead of just talking."
Everyone agreed, and soon, we started planning the next day's cricket match. The boys got competitive instantly, shouting team names and pretending to argue. I smiled, trying not to look at Elvric again. He caught my glance anyway — just for a second — and smirked before looking away.
That smirk… it always made me feel like he could read my thoughts.
Everyone start to head towards their home when I heard him calling me name
"Viara" he said and I stopped midway and told Tara and nisha to head toward home
"Tara, nisha you go ahead I'll come in two minutes" I told them and they head toward our home
"What is it? Why did you stop me?" I asked
"Hey can't you talk properly to me... Whatever, I just want to asked you that..... Are you jealous" he smirked leaning on a random bike.
"why would I'll be jealous" I crossed me arms to each other looking confident about what I am talking but in my heart I know I was lying
"But I saw when everyone was cheering up for me, you seem to be lost after hearing my secret" he smirk and come towards me
I also step forward and said "Don't assume things, or you might fall on your face" I smirk
"Or you might end up falling For me" he smirk and left from there
"In your dreams maybe" I shout annoyed but yeah he was right that I feel a bit jealous but not that much because I everytime told myself that crush can crushed by anytime and with that I head toward home and like this hours melted into night.
---
The Next Afternoon
The sky was pale blue, and the air felt warm but lazy. I ran across the colony street with my bat, shouting, "Come on, we'll be late!"
Alley laughed behind me, holding the cricket ball. "You're acting like it's the World Cup!"
We gathered near the open field beside the banyan tree. The boys had already started setting up the wickets. Elvric was there too — sleeves rolled up, hair slightly messy, confidence glowing around him like sunlight.
"Ready to lose?" he called out.
I crossed my arms. "Not a chance."
The teams were set — I was on Alley's team, and Elvric was on Ryan's. The game started, full of shouts, laughter, and flying dust. Every time he came to bat, he played like it was personal — hitting hard, running fast, smirking every time our team missed a catch.
When it was my turn to bat, I hit the ball with all my strength and started running. I didn't notice him coming from the other side until our feet tangled. It happened so fast — his hand brushed mine, our balance broke, and he hit the ground hard.
"Oh my God! El!" Kiara shouted, running toward him.
My heart froze. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean—"
He winced, touching his eyebrow, where a thin line of blood was starting to show. His knee had a small cut too.
"Let me help you," I said quickly, offering my hand.
He looked at it for a second before taking it — his hand warm, fingers strong but trembling slightly. I pulled him up, guilt washing over me.
"I'm fine," he said, brushing dust off his jeans. "Just a scratch."
"You should clean it," I said softly.
He didn't argue this time — just nodded and walked toward his house. Everyone went quiet for a moment.
I couldn't focus after that. My chest felt heavy. When I went near his house to check on him, I heard his mother's voice from inside — sharp and worried.
"Elvric! Again? Can't you just stay careful for once?"
"It's not my fault," he said, his tone low but irritated.
"Always with that attitude!" she scolded. "Look at your knee — and your eyebrow! This isn't a game, Elvric."
"I said I'm fine, Mom!" His voice rose, then softened. "Just… stop worrying so much."
I stood quietly near the gate, not meaning to eavesdrop, but the sound carried through the open window. When the door opened suddenly, I turned quickly away and pretended to look at the flowers near the fence. My heart was racing.
He stepped out, cleaned up and dressed in a fresh T-shirt. For a moment, he looked surprised to see me standing there.
"You were eavesdrop, didn't you?" he asked, one eyebrow raised.
I shook my head too quickly. "N-no! I just came to...… say sorry again."
He stared at me for a second, then sighed. "You say sorry too much but you should feel sorry it was your fault."
"Well, you bleed too much, is it hurting so much?" I asked
"Well what do you think, did I look fine after getting wounds" he asked
I went near him and touch his eyebrow and apolo to him "Sorry!" "I didn't meant to hurt you" I am really sorry!, I touch his eyebrow and he hissed in pain "it must be really hurting right"
A smirk played on his lips " Toućhe"
That single word made me smile despite myself. "So are you coming back to play?"
He nodded. "Of course. Can't let your team win that easily."
"Ohhhhh...so you want to loose huh" i shot back
"we'll see who will lose" he said and went toward our group
---
By the time he came back, everyone cheered. The sunset spread gold across the playground, the laughter returned, and it was like nothing bad had happened. He played again — slower, careful — but with that same spark.
And when our eyes met from across the field, I felt something quiet change between us. Maybe it wasn't love. Maybe it wasn't even close. But something shifted — like a curtain lifting between two people who suddenly started to see each other differently.
As the sun dipped low, we all sat on the grass again, tired but smiling. Kiara leaned on her brother's arm, and Alley teased Ryan for missing every catch.
And me?
I just looked at Elvric, watching him laugh — really laugh this time — and thought, Maybe this is how it begins. Not with fireworks. But with a small accident and a tiny step closer.
The world blurred in the soft orange light, and I could feel my heartbeat syncing with the sound of our laughter and before I knew it the day went by.