Almost Love (pt 3.)

Between What Was and What Might Be

The first time I saw him, it didn’t feel like anything special—at least not in the way you might imagine. It was just another ordinary afternoon, the kind where the sun hung lazily in the sky, casting a warm glow over everything. The air had that soft, familiar humidity of late afternoon, and the buzz of students echoed in the halls, mingling with the low hum of chatter and laughter. Nothing about that day seemed different, not at first.

I was standing near the corridor, caught in the middle of a conversation with a friend, when I noticed him. He was walking beside my friend, Zayan—his brother, I would later learn. The way he moved caught my attention immediately. It wasn’t because he was trying to stand out, but there was something effortless about him. One hand tucked into his pocket, the other casually holding onto the strap of his bag, which hung over his shoulder like it belonged there, like he had all the time in the world.

His walk was the kind of casual confidence that you don’t notice unless you’re paying attention, and I guess that’s exactly what I did. Without even realizing it, I found myself watching him. He wasn’t doing anything out of the ordinary, but there was this quiet aura around him—like the moment seemed to pause just for a beat longer when he was around.

As they approached, I waved at Zayan, a bright smile forming on my lips. “Hey!”

Zayan’s face lit up with that signature grin of his. “Hey, Inayah!” he called back, stopping just a few steps away. He motioned to the boy walking beside him. “This is my brother.”

My eyes shifted toward the boy beside him, and that’s when I saw him clearly for the first time. Ayaan. I took him in—his low cut, the easy confidence in his posture, the quiet way he existed in the world around him. For a brief moment, my mind went blank. There was nothing particularly striking about him, nothing that would have made me gasp or drop my jaw. But somehow, in that quick exchange, he left an impression. A subtle shift.

“Your brother?” I asked, my smile tugging at my lips as I looked from Zayan to Ayaan, a small curiosity building inside me.

Zayan nodded, clearly amused by my sudden curiosity. “Yep. Inayah, meet Ayaan.”

Ayaan turned to face me fully. Our eyes met, and for just a fraction of a second, something passed between us. It wasn’t the kind of electric shock you see in movies, but there was a quiet pull, like the world just slowed down a tiny bit. His eyes were steady, not overly intense, but they were kind, like he was genuinely looking at me and not just through me.

“Hi, Ayaan,” I said, my voice just a bit softer than usual. I tilted my head, offering him the kind of polite smile that felt natural, but also a little warmer than I intended.

He nodded, his lips curving into a small smile. “Hey, Inayah.”

Just two words, but they felt so much more. They felt like an invitation, like he was speaking a language of his own, and I was being let into a secret without even realizing it. His voice was calm, almost like he wasn’t trying too hard, but still, the warmth of it lingered in the air between us.

There was something about the way he said my name. Inayah. It wasn’t rushed or casual—it was like he meant it, and for some reason, it stuck with me. A tiny, imperceptible flutter stirred in my chest, the kind you get when you hear something that feels oddly familiar, even if you’ve never heard it before. And it wasn’t anything dramatic. It wasn’t like I’d just met the love of my life. But there was a gentle spark, one that seemed so small, so innocent, yet it made everything feel just a little bit more significant than it had before.

And then, just like that, the moment was over. Zayan waved playfully at me as he and Ayaan started walking again, continuing their conversation. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had just shifted. Something I couldn’t put into words. I stood there for a moment, watching them walk away, my mind still lingering on the quiet exchange.

I could feel my heart beating just a little faster than usual. That was weird, I thought. Why am I still thinking about this?

But then I laughed to myself. Maybe it was nothing. I had a way of getting lost in moments sometimes. Maybe it was just the way Ayaan had said my name or the calm way he carried himself, but in that moment, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something important about this—something more than just a casual encounter.

So I brushed it off, my smile turning into something more playful, more dismissive, as I walked in the opposite direction. It wasn’t a big deal. But still, that tiny thought, that flicker in the back of my mind, stayed with me: This wasn’t going to be the last time I noticed him. Maybe, just maybe, he’d notice me too.

And just like that, as simple as it was, everything felt different. A small shift, a new possibility, blooming quietly in the back of my mind.

I couldn’t know then, of course, how much that moment would come to mean later, but for now, I had a feeling that things weren’t going to be the same anymore. And that maybe—just maybe—I’d find out more about Ayaan than I could ever have expected.

P.S: Do you guys actually like this series?