Siddharth's POV

I woke up much earlier today. I was unable to sleep properly, my mind wandered off to Ann. I don't know what happened to her. I just wish she was okay.

"Good morning Sid!" Saikat, my elder brother spoke as he walked to our breakfast table, panting heavily after a workout in our backyard. He sat across me, opening a bottle of water, and started to drink fast to quench his thirst. His dark brown hair looked a little messy while a few of the strands dripped in sweat fell on his forehead. His strong jawline looked even sharper with each passing day as the more he worked out. He has a tanned complexion as mine and we both share the same grey eyes like our mother's.

"Morning..." I replied, my voice a bit dull.

"What's the matter?" He asked, his voice concerned "You look worried !"

"Nothing !" I replied monotonously, as I scrolled through my phone. Checking on Ann's last seen on WhatsApp and on other social media platforms. Her last seen was still 3:35 p.m yesterday, she hasn't been online since then.

"Are you sure?" He asked as he took the newspaper and flipped through its pages.

"Yeah!" I replied to which he nodded and started reading the newspaper in his hand.

Saikat has always been more of a friend than a brother. We lost our parents in a car accident when we were young. He was 18 then and I was just 9. Dad was a businessman and after his death, my brother took over his whole business. He was still in college but much more mature than his age. He is the reason that our company is now one of the finest tea producers in the country. He always takes too much care of me. From my very childhood, he was my everything.

"What do you wanna have for breakfast? " Maria asked us. "Maria can you get us some cornflakes and milk and make it fast please." Bro requested her.

"Sure!" She replied and walked back to the kitchen to get our breakfast.

Maria is our cook. She has been there in the house before we were even born. She is in her early 40s, a bit chubby, and a very sweet woman. She takes care of us like our mother.

"Good morning boys!" I heard my 60 years old grandma wishing us while coming down the stairs. After we lost our parents she and Maria have been looking after us. They care for us like our parents.

"Morning grandma !" We both wished her while she sat comfortably on the dining chair.

Grandma and my brother started talking about our business affairs, shares in the market, etc, while Rahul helped Maria to serve us our breakfast. Rahul is our helper and takes care of everything in the house; from cleaning to shopping, he even acts as our chauffeur when needed. Sree is Rahul's wife and she also stays in our house to help Maria and Rahul with their work.

"Saikat do you want some fruits along with your breakfast?" Sree asked as she brought a cup of warm lemon tea for grandma, her voice so soft that sometimes it's even hard to hear. She is a very beautiful woman in her mid-20s with medium-length silky black hair which she keeps tied into a bun.

"Yeah sure!" my brother replied with a smile. Sree excused herself and went back to the kitchen to cut some fruits for us.

"You should add some more details about how we grow our tea!" Grandma spoke as she looked over at my brother's laptop. They all were talking about the new website that our company was going to launch.

Grandma has always been very jolly and full of life, even at 60, she could trek through mountains easily. After my parents were gone she was the one who taught my brother how to look after our business. They continued their discussion while my mind wandered off to how Ann was. What happened to her yesterday? Why did she look so scared? How is she now? Will she come to school today?  Were the only thoughts running in my mind.

I called her after I got back home but she hasn't received any of my calls or replied to my texts. I hope she is alright. Did somebody do something to scare her? I wondered as I gulped down a spoonful of cornflakes along with milk. I don't know why but the thought of someone hurting her made me feel quite annoyed or rather outraged. I will have to see if anyone is trying to bully her. I will protect her. I thought to myself.

Now, wait why am I thinking about her so much? I mentally asked myself when suddenly I felt a soft and wrinkled hand on my shoulder. I looked up to find my grandma looking at me with a concerned face.

"What is the matter, Sid?" She asked in a worried tone. "You look so anxious and troubled. Is something bothering you?"

"Yes Sid, come on tell us what's the matter !" brother asked.

"Nothing...nothing at all.." I managed to reply, faking a smile.

"Are you sure?" Grandma asked, to which I nodded in positive. Although I was a bit nervous, it was not easy to hide anything from grandma. She could read us like a book yet I tried my best to keep up a 'not bothered' face.

"Now come on don't hide from us. We called you so many times but you were so deeply engrossed in your thoughts that you didn't even notice us calling you! And moreover, after you returned from your coaching institution yesterday you looked a bit lost, or more like worried." Saikat spoke, his voice a bit agitated.

"Wha..?" I reacted, Was I that obvious? I asked myself.

I sighed and told them what happened yesterday. Grandma looked a bit worried too. But Bro looked at me in surprise. He gave a mysterious naughty smile as if he came to know some deep secrets. "What are you smiling for?" I asked him, with a stern and unamused face.

"Ah, nothing!" He replied, smirking as he looked back at his laptop.

"No, wait!" I almost jumped up on my seat and lunged forward shutting his laptop down as I looked at him, "TELL ME!" I demanded.

"Woah! Okay okay calm down!" he spoke, almost throwing his hands up in defeat.

"WHY ARE YOU SMILING?" I asked again, rather demanded.

"....because my little brother is finally growing up." He said with a huge grin on his face.

"Stop grinning bro, and what do you mean by growing up? Now, I am talking something serious here and... and you are just making fun of it! I almost shouted at him sounding all irritated trying to hide my blushing face under a stern and serious look but I knew what he meant and I was quite embarrassed and flustered.

He paused for a while looking at me, then suddenly burst into laughter. "Sid...you are..so damn...funny, and...I understand your feelings dude...am not making fun of anything here!" He said in between his laugh. "Shut up! You don't understand." I spoke as I sat down on my chair, calming down a bit. "I tried to reach her so many times but she hasn't responded and I am so worried!" I blurted out unknowingly. Although it was a mere whisper, he heard it. Wait what! What are you saying Sid! I asked myself, internally panicking.

"Ok ok...Sid, cool down." my brother said while placing his hands on my shoulder. "Don't worry she will be alright!"

"Yeah...I hope so" I replied, my voice low, trying to sound not much bothered but I was actually blushing and yes I was worried.

Anwesha's POV

I waved at Sis as she drove off and walked inside my school campus. Going through my phone I realized I got many texts and calls from my new friends here, especially from Siddharth. I haven't got much time in the morning to look through my phone and yesterday night I was in no place to receive any calls or texts, I was extremely tired and exhausted. They might be worried about me, I thought.

"Hey, Ann!" I heard a very familiar voice and I know it was Siddharth's. I turned around to find him waving at me. I waved him back.

"How are you feeling now?" He asked me as he walked up to me.

"I am feeling much better!" I replied with a smile looking up at him, I realized he was quite tall. "And Siddharth, thanks for helping me out yesterday!" I spoke as he looked at me with his bright ash eyes, feeling shy and intimidated, I looked down trying to hide my blushing cheeks.

"Ah it's nothing!" he replied, smiling sheepishly, scratching the back of his head shyly and blushing a little. "I am glad I was there to help you out!" He spoke smiling to which I smiled back.

"You know I got a bit worried even though your sister told me you will be alright, still..!" He spoke, his voice was diffident. I looked up beside me as we walked on through the corridor, even though he was looking down a bit I could see his cheeks turning red, Was he blushing? I asked myself, smiling internally.

"And I called-"

"Anwesha!" He was interrupted by a loud voice calling us from behind. Turning around we saw Anirudh, Clair, and Sam along with Anita, waving at us as they hurried towards us.

"Hey!" I waved back smiling at them.

"How are you feeling Anwesha?" Sam asked, looking at me with his worried face.

"Much better!" I replied.

"We heard what happened! Siddharth called us!" Clair spoke, exchanging a look with the others, their faces looked so concerned.

"We were all worried and we tried reaching you but it was in vain...which made us even more anxious!" Anita added.

"Oh, I am so sorry to cause you all so much trouble!" I replied with an apologetic voice.

"It's absolutely fine! Well even if you told us not to worry we would have still been quite worried!" She spoke.

"Well we are friends after all and friends do worry!" Anirudh added.

"We are just glad you are alright!" Sam spoke as he placed his hand on my shoulder with a smile to which I smiled back.

"Well, what happened?" Anita asked as we all walked towards our class.

"Nothing much, it's just I sometimes get these stressful headaches!" I replied, masking the truth, I thought it was better this way.

"Migraine?" Sam asked as he joined me and Anita.

"Yeah kinda!" I replied trying to shrug off the questions and convenience them, but I could sense Siddharth's eyes fixed at me, as he walked behind us along with the others and he was not convinced with my explanations.

"Hey, Anwesha! You're feeling okay?" Anushka asked as we reached our class.

"Yeah!" I replied by taking my seat behind her, she was already in the class before us.

"I was so worried when you did not receive our calls or reply to our texts!" She continued as she turned around to talk to me.

"Actually I was so tired yesterday that I kept my phone in silent mode and went off to sleep," I replied with an apologetic voice.

"It's alright!" She spoke as the rest of our friends joined us. We were talking among ourselves when the teacher entered our class asking us all to take our seats.

"Hey, Ann..." I heard Sid calling from behind, he sat just behind me, poking me with the back of his pen, his voice was a mere whisper trying to avoid getting yelled at for disturbing the class.

"Yeah?" I asked as I turned around slightly.

"I am really sorry for disturbing you yesterday, you must have been so tired yet I kept on calling and texting you!" He said with a worried and concerned voice.

"No no! it's fine! It's me who should be apologizing for making you worried and also I wasn't disturbed, rather..." I replied as I looked down, trying to avoid blushing, "Thank you for checking up on me!" I spoke smiling at him. He looked at me with his bright eyes, for a second he looked as if he was surprised a bit but soon his eyes gleamed with contentment as his lips curved into a soft, cute smile.

"Siddharth, come up to the board and solve this." Dinesh sir called, catching him off guard, as he wrote a math numerical on the board.

"Ye...yes sir!" He replied, getting up hurriedly which resulted in him knocking down the books from his table making the whole class laugh. He smiled embarrassed, scratching the back of his head, as he walked up to the board to solve the question he was asked. Classes continued on.

"Good morning students, today we will study about Taxonomical Hierarchy," Our biology teacher, Anurag sir spoke as he wrote the topic on the blackboard. The class went on monotonously, as I looked out of the window by my seat. The sun was peeking behind the soft clouds, gentle breeze blowing. It was indeed a beautiful bright day today.

With the buzzing of the electric bell, our class got over.

"Hey Anwesha, let's get lunch!" Anita called to which I nodded, I was still arranging the books in my school bag. I followed my friends to the cafeteria and got some sandwiches for us. Siddharth and Sam got noodles while Anushka just brought some juice.

"You know the new Warriors movie is going to be released coming week!" Sam spoke all excitedly.

"Yeah let's all go and watch it together!" Anirudh suggested to which we all agreed, excited. As we completed our lunch the boys went to play basketball, while I along with Anita, Clair, and Anushka we went to play some badminton. It was really fun.

"You are awesome Anwesha!" Anushka complemented, panting for air as we were returning back to our classes after lunch.

"Ah, it's nothing!" I replied smiling while taking a sip from my water bottle. Classes got over soon.

"See ya tomorrow!" Clair and Anita spoke waving at us as she got on her bus. Anushka and Anirudh already left on their bicycles. I waved back at them while waiting for a bus to go back home. Today we do not have our coaching classes.

"Hey!" I felt someone nudging me, turning around I saw Siddharth overshadowing the setting sun behind us. He looked a little shy, carrying his bag on his shoulder, his tie was a mess.

"Hi!" I replied, turning around.

"Umm... well, tomorrow we don't have any coaching classes as well, so... umm... I was thinking ...if we could...go out... for a movie after school?" He asked, trying to avoid any eye contact. His tanned skin looked red under the setting sun.

"Oh! Sure, are the rest of our friends coming?" I asked, looking up at him.

"A..well...actually-"

"We have remedial classes tomorrow!" Sam spoke cutting him off in between as he joined us.

"Oh!" I replied, a little surprised to see Sam, he kind of hopped out of nowhere. Siddharth looked at him in surprise, not expecting the sudden intrusion, but it felt his eyebrows frowned in confusion with his answer but he immediately masked his expression and agreed with Sam.

"Yeah!" He spoke looking back at me.

"We would have loved to come, you know, but last day's surprise test really surprised us too well, and you know none of us made it into double digits, except for a few of you guys!" He said looking at me and Siddharth, "Dinesh sir, you know him, he will not let us go!" He spoke, making a 'fed up' expression with his face.

"Yeah, I know!" I replied with a chuckle.

"But you should definitely go, there is a new movie out and I heard it's really good!" He suggested exchanging a look with Siddharth, to which he nodded.

"Sure ..why not!'' I replied chuckling. I found his face became enlightened with happiness as he heard my reply. Sam smiled, looking at the both of us.

"Great then I will come to pick you up at 5:30 p.m ..okay?" He asked. 

"Okay!" I replied with a blush.

Soon my bus arrived," See you guys tomorrow!" I spoke, waving them goodbye, I climbed into the bus and took a seat at the end beside the window. Grinning sheepishly as I pulled my bag close to me burning my face into it trying to hide my flushed face. I was so happy!

Hello everyone. Thanks for reading my story. I hope you are enjoying it. Stay tuned for more. And please do vote and comment.

-Anusree