Chapter 2

2017.

Lhawang was late for school again. She rushed to the road beneath her home and waited for a taxi. She rushed into the first taxi, Pelkhil School", hardly catching her breath. When she finally reached the school gate. That's when she first saw Kuenga, she found him quite odd because he was late yet he wasn't rushing.

"Hey? You're late." She shouted. However he was cool and didn't respond to her. "To hell with him." she ran towards her class. Late as always and getting scolded from her class teacher Mr. Tenzin. Lhawang almost forgot about him but he suddenly appeared in her class with a note. He handed over the note to Mr. Tenzin and after a while Mr. Tenzin said, "He is a new student, go and take a seat." Kuenga smiled at him and searched for a seat.

Unfortunately, there were no empty seats except for a seat beside Lhawang. He summoned his courage and sat beside her, Lhawang stared at him in awe. He smirked at her and her eyes bulged. During the class, Lhawang occasionally looked at him. After a while she was lost in his eyes. "Are you okay?", he asked but she was still lost. So, Kuenga snapped his fingers at her and she came back to her senses and her face was red and hot.

During the recess, everyone went out of the class except for Kuenga and Lhawang. Kuenga didn't know anyone so he sat quietly and for Lhawang, she didn't talk with any of her classmates. After a while Kuenga faced towards her and said "you were late right?" "Yes I was and you were too." He smirked and said "but I didn't know you were waiting for me". "I was not." She rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, I am Kuenga," he raised his eyebrows. "I am Lhawang," she shake his hand. Kuenga cleared his throat and leaned on the table. "You should really stop staring at me," he laughed. "I was not." She quickly defended herself. Kuenga shrugged and added "well it seemed like you did."

She chuckled a little and she felt kind of shy. It was an embarrassing moment for her. And now Kuenga started to stare at her "What?" she asked. "Nothing," he smiled at her. The recess was over and everyone came back to the class and they got ready for the next period.

The class started and it was almost 30 minutes into the lecture and Kuenga was feeling sleepy. He turned towards Lhawang but she was already fast asleep. After a while, without his notice, he was asleep too. He heard someone calling his name in his dream. He barely opened his eyes and he saw Mrs. Dechen staring at the two of them.

But Lhawang was still asleep and Kuenga whispered "Lhawang?" she wasn't waking up so he pinched her on her shoulders and she finally woke up, annoyed at Kuenga. And she gave a weird smile when she saw Mrs. Dechen staring at them. They were a laughing matter to the whole class.

"Did I disturb you guys?" Mrs. Dechen said smiling at them. They gave a smile to her and Mrs. Dechen told them to get out of the class.

They stood outside the class for a while and Lhawang sighed and said "Are you hungry?" "Not really." "Well I am, let's go to the canteen?" Kuenga stared at her in shock and said "are you crazy, the class is still going on". Lhawang didn't pay any attention to what he said and pulled him.

She took him to the school canteen and she said "You want anything?" "Nope." He replied back. "Come on don't be shy." She laughed. "I'm no hungry". "Well suit yourself." She smiled and ordered food. "It's rare when I offer someone to eat with me, otherwise I don't even talk with anyone."

"Yeah, what's with that? You don't even talk with your classmates." "I don't really like them." She said. He sat quietly for a while and the said seriously "so sooner or later, you won't like me either." "Not going to happen because I like you." She smiled at him and suddenly he found her really cute.

Mrs. Dechen's class was over when they got back and Mrs. Dechen were waiting for them. "I told you to stay outside, not go and roam in the school." Mrs. Dechen said. They gave her a smile and they got 1 hour detention after school. After the classes were over, they stayed back for detention.

Lhawang felt that it was all her fault and said "I'm sorry." "Don't be, I am very much used to detentions and punishments." He gave her the most adorable smile. They got the punishment of arranging the books in the library. They were arranging the books and Kuenga smiled at her all of a sudden.

After a while, he moved closer to her and it was barely a whisper when he said "you are cute." But Lhawang heard him but didn't answer him immediately. Her face was hot. "You heard what I said?" he asked, she nodded and said "yes." And then she added "no one has ever told me that before."

While arranging the books in the shelf, she suddenly said "let's hangout later." Kuenga stood in shock as he never thought she would ask him out. "Is it a date?" he smirked. "Yeah you can say that." She smiled at him finally. Kuenga chuckled and said "Okay."

After arranging the books, they talked about their hobbies, likes and dislikes. They walked towards the school gate and Lhawang waved and said "bye." "Your number?" "Check your notebook," she said and the she ran. Kuenga smiled as he looked at her go.

Later at home, Lhawang took a shower and started to select outfit for the date. She took her black jeans, white T-shirt and a white shoe, her favorite outfit. And then she applied some cream and a little bit of lipstick and when she was drying her hair, she got a call from Kuenga asking about the time and venue.

Kuenga washed his hair and drank a coffee. After that he took out a black torn jeans, white T-shirt and a white shoes and his black baseball jacket. He applied some wax on his hair and some perfume and he was finally ready. So, he called Lhawang again and asked he would wait for her at the clock tower.

Kuenga waited for her and waited at the bench. Lhawang waved at him when she finally saw him. "She looks amazing," he thought to himself. "Did you come to check up on me?" he asked. Lhawang looked confused and asked "what?" "You are wearing the same outfit like me." "Just a coincidence, stupid." She laughed.

"He looks ravishing," she thought to herself and she was glad she asked him out for a date. She wondered if he thought the same thing about her as well. "Her eyes are beautiful," he whispered to himself. And he got lost in her eyes for a second. They both waited for a while before the decide where to go and hangout.

"I guess we should probably go for a coffee?" he asked her and she agreed and said "I thought the same thing." "So which place? It's my treat", he laughed and said. "Great," she smiled at him.

They went to a restaurant and ordered some coffee first and then they thought they would eat some food. After the meal, Lhawang took her to her favorite spot in clock tower. They sat there for a while and talked about their interest and all. Later on, Kuenga took her to Kuensel Phodrang and said it was his favorite place.

He felt like something changed about this place, or maybe it was Lhawang's presence that changed the place. "Could this be love?" he whispered to himself. "It's peaceful here," she told him as she moved closer to him, "I know," he smiled. They enjoyed the view and occasionally gave each other glances.

After a while it was almost 7 in the evening and they decided to head back to town. After reaching in the town, "I had a great day." Kuenga almost left when Lhawang held her hand and asked "let's stay for a while?" He smiled and agreed with her. Lhawang felt like something had changed in her, was it the time when he sat next to her? Or was it the time when he said she was cute? Or was it now?

She couldn't figure out the exact moment but as she let go of his hand, her world felt dreamlike. "Where do you want to go?" He asked. "Anywhere, as______," she paused for a while, took a few steps and completed "as long as I am with you." She wondered if he got what she was trying to say and wondered if he felt the same way.

They went for an ice cream.