INT. SCHOOL CAMPUS – LUNCH BREAK – UNDER THE SHADE TREE

Preethi is sitting with Reeka and Archana on a stone bench, munching on her lunch. Saravana walks over dramatically, grinning wide, holding a juice box.

SARAVANA: "So… when’s the wedding?"

PREETHI (mid-bite): "Whose wedding?"

SARAVANA: "Yours, obviously. With Mr. Basketball Backbencher. Arjun."

ARCHANA (grinning): "Should I start designing your bouquet?"

REEKA: "I call dibs on the sangeet playlist!"

PREETHI (rolling her eyes): "Oh please. I’d never fall for a guy who thinks mitochondria is a mobile app!"

Laughter breaks out among the group. Just a few steps behind them, unknown to Preethi…

SAME LOCATION – BEHIND A TREE

Arjun, holding a cold drink, stops in his tracks. He hears the laughter. The words hit like a slap. His grin fades. He turns and walks away slowly.

SCHOOL BASKETBALL COURT – LATE AFTERNOON

*The sun hangs low, clouds thickening above. The court echoes with the sound of sneakers squeaking and the *thump-thump* of a basketball. Arjun is alone, shooting hoops like a storm bottled in a boy.*

*He dribbles hard, faster than usual. Throws the ball. Misses. Tries again. This time it hits the rim and bounces away. He growls under his breath.*

ARJUN (muttering): “Mitochondria is a mobile app, huh…?”

*He picks up the ball and shoots again—too hard. It slams the board and rolls into the grass.*

*Jeeva jogs over from the benches, water bottle in hand.*

JEEVA: “You’ve missed three shots in a row. Either your aim’s off, or your heart’s not here.”

ARJUN (panting, annoyed): “It’s just a game.”

JEEVA (smirking): “Nope. It’s about a girl who called you dumb in front of half the school.”

*Arjun glares, then looks away. His jaw clenches. He leans against the pole, running a hand through his hair.*

ARJUN (softly): “I didn’t think it’d sting. But it did.”

JEEVA: “Maybe because it wasn’t just a joke to you.”

ARJUN: “She didn’t have to say it like that… like I’m a joke.”

*A pause. The wind picks up. Distant thunder rumbles.*

JEEVA: “Then prove you’re not.”

ARJUN (smirks bitterly): “What? Get top marks in biology just to impress her?”

JEEVA (playful shrug): “Or just pass. That’ll shock her enough.”

*Arjun picks up the ball again and shoots—this time, a clean swoosh. But there’s no joy in it.*

ARJUN (quietly): “She can call me whatever she wants… I just didn’t think she’d laugh like that.”

But frustration boiled him as best...but he knows that words don’t meant to say...still he take out frustration in playing basketball 🏀

TUTOR CLASS – EVENING

The usual chatter is missing. Arjun takes his seat quietly, staring at his book but not reading. Preethi walks in, pauses for a second, then sits up front without turning back.

JEEVA (whispering to Arjun): "You okay? You look like someone stole your cricket subscription."

ARJUN (shrugs): "Nah, just tired."

JEEVA (gently): "You skipped lunch. You never skip food unless something's eating you."

Arjun stays silent. Jeeva glances at Preethi. She hasn’t looked back once.

GIRLS’ CORNER – CLASS CONTINUES

ARCHANA (to Preethi, softly): "You didn’t even look at him today."

PREETHI (flipping a page): "Why should I?"

REEKA: "Because he heard you."

Preethi freezes slightly. Archana watches her carefully.

ARCHANA: "That line? The mitochondria one?"

PREETHI (quietly): "I didn’t mean it like that. It was just… teasing."

REEKA: "Yeah, but sometimes teasing hits where it hurts most."

OUTSIDE TUTOR CLASS – AFTER SESSION ENDS

Preethi packs her books slower than usual. Arjun is already gone. She watches the empty doorway for a beat longer than necessary.

ARCHANA (to Jeeva, as they watch from the side): "So… what’s the plan? These two are colder than last week’s leftover idli."

JEEVA (cracking knuckles dramatically): "Leave it to me. Operation Mitochondria Redemption begins tomorrow."

*Class ends. The sky turns a dull gray. Thunder rumbles gently in the distance. Students start hurrying out of the gate, bags over heads, racing the wind.*

*Raindrops begin to fall—light at first, then heavier. Umbrellas pop open. Preethi stands under the edge of the tutoring center’s tiled roof, phone in hand, no umbrella.*

REEKA (pulling out her umbrella): “I told you to pack your foldable one!”

PREETHI (sighing): “I forgot. Appa said he’d send the driver, but there’s traffic.”

ARCHANA: “We’ll wait with you—”

PREETHI (smiling faintly): “No no, you both go. You’ll get drenched. I’ll wait right here.”

*They hesitate, but the wind picks up. One final check, and they dash off, calling out:*

REEKA (teasing):.“If a certain tall basketball boy shows up with an umbrella, don’t act surprised!”

*Arjun stands under a neem tree near the school compound wall, hoodie pulled over his head. His bike waits beside him, droplets dripping from the handle.*

*He watches from a distance. Hidden. Silent.*

*Preethi doesn’t see him. She hugs her books closer, shivering slightly. The wind lifts her braid.*

*Jeeva walks up beside Arjun with an umbrella.*

JEEVA: “You still here?”

ARJUN (softly):.“She’s waiting for her car. Can’t let her stand alone like that.”

JEEVA (looking over, nodding): “Even after what she said?”

ARJUN (quiet smile): “She might’ve joked… but she’s not cruel. She just didn’t know I was listening.”

*A beat of silence. Jeeva holds the umbrella over them both.*

JEEVA: “You’re a mushball, man.”

ARJUN: “Shut up.”

MOMENTS LATER

*A white car pulls up. Preethi sees it and exhales in relief. She hops in, turns once… as if sensing something… but sees no one.*

*Inside the car, she looks out at the rain-blurred world. A flicker of something on her face. Guilt? Longing? Regret? Maybe all.*

*As the car drives off, Arjun watches till the taillights disappear.*

ARJUN (murmuring): “At least she’s safe.”

*Raindrops run down his cheeks. Or maybe that’s just the sky mirroring something else*

TWO DAYS LATER - TUTOR CENTER – EVENING

Silent Seats & Not-So-Silent Hearts

*The air is thick—not with chalk dust, but with awkward silence. Preethi enters with her usual calm, books clutched tight. Her braid sways as she walks to her front-row seat. Archana and Reeka follow.*

*At the back, Arjun is already there, head down, flipping a pen between his fingers. Jeeva is beside him, chewing gum slowly, watching the whole scene unfold like a drama serial.*

REEKA (whispering to Archana): “Still no eye contact?”

ARCHANA: “Forget eye contact—she hasn’t even said *hi* in three days.”

*Preethi opens her notebook but her pen halts halfway. She risks a small glance over her shoulder.*

*Arjun doesn’t look up. But he felt it.*

BOYS’ SIDE – MOMENTS LATER

JEEVA (to Arjun): “She just looked at you.”

ARJUN (dry): “Maybe she thought I was a mitochondria molecule.”

JEEVA (snorts): “You need to let it go, man.”

ARJUN: “It’s not about what she said. It’s how she said it… like I was beneath her.”

*A beat. He tosses his pen aside and rests his chin on his hand.*

ARJUN (softly): “She didn’t even ask if I was okay that day. That’s what hit harder.”

FRONT DESK – PREETHI’S SIDE

ARCHANA (nudging her):“You do know he heard you, right?”

PREETHI (low voice): “Yeah… I know.”

REEKA: “Then why are you being so… ice queen?”

PREETHI (quietly): “Because if I talk to him, I’ll end up saying something stupid again.”

ARCHANA: “Too late, babe. You already did.”

*Preethi bites her lip and stares at the blank corner of her notebook. A small doodle of a stickman with messy hair appears. Her fingers unconsciously sketch him—Arjun.*

PREETHI (softly): “I didn’t mean to hurt him… I was just embarrassed.”

TUTOR CLASS – DURING SESSION

*The teacher drones on about chemical reactions. Arjun stares blankly at the board. Preethi takes notes, but every now and then, her eyes flicker to the back row.*

*Their gazes meet for a second—

One second too long—

Then both look away. Fast.*

**INT. OUTSIDE THE CENTER – AFTER CLASS**

*Students begin to pour out. Reeka and Archana hang back with Preethi. Arjun walks past, not even sparing a glance. Jeeva follows behind, giving the girls a small nod.*

REEKA (watching Arjun leave): “Cold war continues.”

ARCHANA (to Reeka): “We have to fix this. It’s getting tragic.”

REEKA: “You thinking what I’m thinking?”

RCHANA (grinning):

“Group study. Fake emergency. Lock them together.”

Author pov;

Despite silence of hurt from both side,

They just want to settle back..

Maybe more then what heart needs...

Words may hurt to person who you value most but that same time it's not meant as say when heart say differently...

To be continue....