I have always wondered what's it about the rain that makes it so peaceful. I looked at the drops of rain pouring on the window. The cold glass was tempting me to pull open and to let the droplets kiss my face. I surrendered myself.  One by one they poured on me. I closed my eyes. Inhaled the earthy scent. One drop after the other, they soaked on my skin and some rolled down my cheeks. The smell of the rain calmed my entire being. It was such an amazing sight, an amazing feeling I loved all by myself. It was raining since last night and early morning too. I was embracing the cool wind. It was so damn cosy. I just prayed silently for it to be a holiday at school. I didn't want to go. All I wanted was to curl up in a blanket and drink a cup of warm coffee. 

The only thing I didn't like about rain was the streets, all wet. Not only that it looked dirty but also gross. It was so difficult to walk on streets having their mini ponds of the rainwater.

"Zuki... there's a call for you on the phone, I guess it's Aisha.", called out mum.

I kept different contact ringtones for each one of my friend who called on my mum's mobile because of two reasons: one-I didn't have my own mobile yet. Two- my dearest mum believed in giving me a mobile after I complete my 12th grade. Again, it came under things my mom did which I completely didn't understand.  One thing I knew that she was too overprotective of me and my sister and also because I was such a sensitive teenage, she worried about me a lot.

"Asalamu Alaikum Zuki, what's up?", asked Aisha through the phone. The tone of her voice suggested that she was excited.

"Uh, Alaikum salaam, school is up what else?", I replied as I shook my head. 

"Hold Zuki, I'll put your call on the conference." She said

"Okay," I said as I moved on to remove my uniform from the cupboard. 

"Asalamu Alaikum, Zuki" everyone shouted in a unison.

"Walaikum salam, woah there! as far as I remember I don't think today is my birthday then what are you ladies up to? Given that, its raining and we have to get ready for school!", I stated.

"Don't you know that today is a holiday?", Noor was giggling. 

"Uhm...." It took me a minute to process what she said. "No! Is it? Oh my god! Oh yes! oh yes!", I started doing my happy dance.

"And guess what?", Zee asked. 

"You know very well, I'm going to simply ask what and not actually guess so, better spit it out!", I said in a duh tone. 

"You are such a spoilsport! Uff!", she gagged. I could feel her rolling her eyes as well.

 "Elections' results are out!", she screamed. 

"Please tell me I'm not the Headgirl!", I whined.

"You have to come online on Facebook and check it out yourself for that. Since it was raining and no school, they'll be announcing on our school's page within few minutes and tomorrow will be the Investiture ceremony to give nominees their respective badges", instructed Noor.

"How do you know about the inside workings of our school?" I asked her, quite surprised. 

"Because Faisal's aunt is a teacher!" She said and everyone giggled because that was an obvious thing.  

"Okay nevermind. I'll see what are the outcomes in a moment. Catch you guys later!" I said as I hung up.

I ran to my laptop and logged in my Facebook while simultaneous informing Mom that it was a holiday so that she let me use the laptop.

As soon as the page loaded, It felt like today all my wishes were coming true.

Honors Public School.
Principal Mrs Waseema Qureshi,
is glad to do the honours of the school's students' elections held this year.
The results of students votes
are as follows:

Huda was chosen as the Headgirl, thank god I prayed.

Yazan as the Headboy. Undoubtedly. 

Noor and Faisal became the Sports captain. Aisha and Talha became the Head prefects. These people wanted these roles and were worthy of it whereas, I became Sapphire house captain with Nouman on the boys' side. 

I just loved this colour Sapphire and I was glad I would get to represent this house.

Every other person got the role they wanted. I literally had to tell everyone among the juniors I know to not to vote for me as their Headgirl as Huda deserved to be in that place. She was the known beauty of our school and, with some requests, she got in the position she wished for whereas I was satisfied with my position.

Just then Noor started adding every student body member in a group on Facebook. Everyone else congratulated each other and asked Huda and Yazan for their treats.

I was hesitating to congratulate Yazan when the tone of one inbox message startled me. 

Yazan: Finally got rid of not being a Headgirl?

I was taken aback. I didn't know what to say or react to his message because clearly, He didn't accept my apology the other day. I decided to let my doubts go. If he was going to pretend like nothing has happened then even I was going to do the same. 

Zukroof: Oh yes! You can't even count the number of times I am thanking God for saving me from this torture.

Yazan: Haha alright...Congratulations by the way! 

Zukroof: Thank you! And to you too.

I didn't know what else to add. I just sat there seeing him type something and then delete as if he was having second thoughts to saying something. I wanted to know if everything was cool between us but I didn't bother to ask.

The next day at school was fun because we had Investiture ceremony in the school assembly where every student body member was given their respective badges and had to take an oath. 

Moments before assembly could start every one of us gathered in a room where the teacher was going to instruct us on what to do and what to say and everything. 

I didn't know if I was daydreaming or something but when I was going through the speech that we had to give my gaze landed on Yazan and when he looked back at me, He smiled. 

It was not his signature smirk but a genuine smile that I didn't know the meaning of. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion and looked away. 

When the teacher walked out of the room to get our badges, he came and stood beside me. I didn't notice it was him until he smacked my arm with his. 

I looked up and that's when he gave his signature smirk. "Do you think I have a chance with Huda?" He asked, gesturing at Huda. 

I looked around to see where Huda was and then turned to see him. "Since we will be spending most of our time together as Headboy and Headgirl and she's kinda pretty..." He added. 

I didn't even say anything or react to what he was blabbering. I was confused. Why was he talking to me like I was one of his boys?

"I guess...I can only tell you one thing and that is...to give a try" I said distractedly still looking down on my speech. 

"Alright. Thanks" He said as he smacked my arm once again. 

He didn't move from beside me but stood as he was. I didn't know what was going on in his mind and He was making me curious as every second passed so I decided to know it right away. 

"Is everything cool between us?" I asked, turning around to face him. 

His mouth curled and his eyes grew small as he smiled. "I don't know...you say..." He came closer to me but I moved a step back. I thought after becoming the Headboy he was losing his mind. "Do you think everything is cool between us?"

"I don't know..." I blinked. "You have been acting weird lately," I said not looking up at him. 

It was really weird how he was behaving and nobody was even looking at our direction. 

"And why do you think I have been acting weird lately?" He asked with his eyebrow raised. 

"Because you are a jerk?" I said. Till this moment I was feeling bad for everything I had done and I had apologised but him calling me a mad woman and suddenly acting weird is making me lose myself. 

He smiled as he shook his head. "I am sorry about the other day. I just acted as if I was annoyed when I saw you in the class but then I saw little tears in your eyes before you ran away and I felt bad" 

I narrowed my eyes at him and his smile turned into a laugh. He threw his head back and laughed. "So everything is cool between us now?" He mimicked and I smile involuntarily as I hit his arm. 

"I hate you!"  I hit him back as he tried to block my punches. 

"Oh, you better!" He giggled. 

Then the teacher came and we all took our positions. Yazan beside Huda, Noor and Faisal. Me and Nouman. Aisha and Talha. 

I looked at Yazan and Huda as they shared a secret smile with each other. So the rumours might be true about Yazan and Huda's closeness seeming like they were going to turn out being more than friends. In school, rumours spread like fire.

I looked beside me. Nouman looked up from his paper as he felt my gaze. 

"Nervous?" He asked. 

I took a deep breath in and smiled at him. "A little bit" 

Only I knew what my heart was feeling at that moment. Behind the tomboy me, I was a girl after all and I kind of liked Nouman for the way he was with me, unlike other guys who just used me to get their stuff delivered to their girlfriends. I and Him joined school together in the second standard and I still remember the day when a girl with two big ponytails bullied me and I was crying.  We used to sit beside each other and He pulled that girl's pony because He couldn't stand me crying. 

I didn't know if he remembered that day or not but ever since that day He became my friend. I made other friends throughout my journey of growing up in this school but Nouman has been beside me ever since I joined the school so I can say maybe I liked him more than any guy friend of mine. Nobody among my group of friends knew about my little secret. Neither I confessed it in front of Nouman anytime.

I am a chaos of feelings and mixed emotions. It depends on my mood and my comfort zone. Sometimes, I blurt out anything I have on the tip of my tongue and at the same point, I am really insecure. This was the reason I never discussed my personal life with anyone so no one assumed I may even have a crush on anyone. 

For the world, I was just a happy-go-lucky person and nobody really knew the real me. And with all my honesty, I was really glad to be paired up with Nouman as my partner because we both together would be representing the Sapphire house. 

My favourite colour.