CHAPTER 11

Iqra came with me to the cafeteria afterward for our very short 30-minute break.

"Guys, this is Iqra, you met her this morning..." I announced, grinning at Jasmine and Maya. Iqra waved a hand in the air slightly.

"Oh right, you're the one shanaya ran into..." Maya said causally.

"I didn't run into her!" I protested, "I was just, not looking where I was going..." I trailed off at the unconvinced looks on their faces.

After a couple of minutes, Addy and Ishan made their way to us as well.

Addy or Adrit Gupta walked over to stand next to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. I don't know why Instinctively, I glanced over at Iqra watching as a glimmer of discomfort passed over her. I half-smiled at him removed his arm from around my shoulder.

"How are you?" He whispered.

"I'm alright..." I murmured.

"Okay."He said simply.

I caught Iqra's gaze as I looked back down and she immediately looked away, jaw clenched Almost as if she wanted to say something but hadn't.

**********

"Addy. Is he your.. boyfriend?" Iqra asked as we sat in the music room the next day. It seemed to be the only time we could spend together without the others around. I don't know why but I like spending time alone with Iqra ,Only me and iqra and no one else.

I nodded, pulling out the notes we'd made last time.

"You don't look happy together." I looked up at her, narrowing my eyes,

"Yeah. I guess we don't." You could tell she was feel bad by this, but she didn't say anything as I suggested a couple of things to add to the song.

"What about we switch the chords in the chorus, so its more interesting...?" I said, glancing up at her but she seemed so far away, staring out of the small window at the back of the room. She bit her lip slightly, making my heart flutter in my chest, "Iqra?" I asked and she immediately turned to me.

"Sorry..." She murmured, " I've got a lot on my mind..."

"You wanna talk about it?" I said, concerned, placing the guitar beside me.

"No, I'm okay..." She said quietly, only making me even more worried.

"Sure?" I asked and she just nodded.

"This always makes me a little happier...." She said, almost inaudibly.

"Same..." I said in response, causing her to look up at me in surprise, "I meant... um... like music ..." I stammered to which she just bites her lip.

"Not just the music..." She murmured softly causing my breath to catch. Hastily, she grabbed the guitar again and looked down at it, to distract herself.

"I think we should switch it to F#m, C#m, E, A... in the chorus I mean... so..." I played the chords,When I looked up, she was smiling slightly, "What?" I asked slowly.

"That was F#m, E, A, C#m..." She said grinning, "Nervous?" I was speechless, how had I played the wrong chords?

"Erm...accident..." I stammered which only made her smile brighter.

"Don't worry it'll be our secret..." I just looked up at her, my mouth hanging open. Her smile was contagious, it was the kind of grin that you saw and just couldn't help but be happy that such a bright light like her exists. And in that moment, I couldn't help but smile. So, there we were, just smiling at each other and no words needed to be said.