Crush and more: The new feelings

Naina’s overthinking one conversation, Ishaan is stuck in a “what are we” situation, and Tara is just not feeling it at all. Wherever you are in this chaos, their stories might feel a little too real and a lot reassuring.

It started in the school corridor. Everyone speed-walking because the Math teacher had already entered class.

Naina turned the corner too fast. Her books went flying.

“Wow. That was dramatic,” someone said.

She looked up. Kabir.

He picked up her notebook, handed it over.
“You okay or should I call for backup?”

She laughed. “I’m fine. Just academically struggling.”

They walked to class together. Sat at the back. Whispered through half the period. Nothing big happened. But also… something definitely happened.

That evening, Naina was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling.

Why was she smiling randomly?
Why was she replaying that conversation like it was a core memory?

And why was she suddenly stressed about what she said?

“Okay this is weird,” she muttered.

Naina’s moment: “Why am I like this?”

Next day at lunch, she said it. “I think I have a crush.”

Zoya nearly dropped her juice. “Finally. Canon event!!”

Naina rolled her eyes. “Shut up. But seriously, why does it feel like this? One minute I’m happy, next minute I’m overthinking everything.”

Naina’s confusion: “Is this love??”

Later, Naina whispered, “But like…is this love? It feels different from normal friendship.”

Reyansh leaned back. “Relax. This is not a Netflix series.”

Naina frowned. “So it’s not love?”

Zoya shrugged. “Crush is usually fast and chaotic. Love is slower. Less ‘why did they say hmm instead of hey’ energy.”

Ishaan added, “Crush equals excitement plus confusion. Love equals understanding plus consistency.”

Naina blinked. “Okay…if you say so Mr. love guru.”

Ishaan’s story: “So…what are we?”

Ishaan was staring at his phone now.

“Okay but real question,” he said. “What even counts as dating?”

Naina leaned over. “What happened?”

“I’ve been talking to someone,” he said. “We text every day, send reels, even say goodnight… but in school we act like strangers.”

Zoya didn’t even look up. “Classic.”

“What does that even mean?” Ishaan said. “Are we friends? More than friends? Just bored?”

Reyansh laughed. “Welcome to confusion 2.0.”

“And don’t even start on replies,” Ishaan added. “If they take too long, I overthink. If they say ‘k’, I overthink. Basically I just overthink.”

Naina nodded. “One ‘hmm’ can ruin your entire mood.”

“Exactly!” Ishaan said. “Why does one message have this much power?”

Aanya shrugged. “Because we read into everything like detectives.”

Handling the confusion

• Don’t overanalyse every message (your brain will spiral)
• It’s okay to ask, “What are we?” when you feel ready
• Take things at your own pace
• Notice how it makes you feel, comfortable or stressed

Zoya’s moment: “Wait…this is different”

Zoya had been quiet for a bit.

“Okay don’t make it weird,” she said, “but I think I might have a crush too.”

“On who?” Ishaan asked.

Zoya hesitated. “On…Rhea.”

There was a pause.

Then Naina said, “Okay, and?”

Zoya blinked. “That’s it?”

Reyansh shrugged. “It’s a crush, not a crime.”

Zoya smiled, a little relieved. “Good. Because my brain is still panicking.”

Reyansh’s situation: “Why are they acting different now?”

Reyansh frowned. “I used to talk to Aditi every day. Now she’s suddenly busy all the time. Did I mess up?”

Naina winced. “That feeling is actually the worst.”

Zoya nodded. “Yeah…been there.”

Tara’s moment: “Maybe I just don’t feel this?”

Tara had been quietly listening.

“Okay but…what if I’ve never felt this?” she said. “Like, no crush, no butterflies…nothing.”

Everyone looked at her.

“And honestly,” she added, “I don’t even think I want a relationship right now.”

There was a pause.

Then Ishaan said, “That sounds peaceful, not weird.”

Zoya nodded. “Yeah. Not everyone feels things at the same time.”

Naina added, “Or even in the same way.”

Tara smiled. “Good. Because I thought I was behind or something.”

Aanya’s advice: “Don’t deal with this alone”

Aanya said, “When my brain starts overthinking, I talk to someone. Otherwise I create fake scenarios and believe them.”

Naina nodded. “Same. My imagination is not trustworthy.”

Naina’s realisation: “Okay…this makes sense now”

That night, Naina wasn’t spiralling anymore. The feelings were still there, the butterflies, the overthinking, the random smiles, but now they didn’t feel scary. Just new.

“Okay,” she said. “So this is a crush.”

Her phone buzzed.

Kabir: “Math homework samajh aaya?”

Naina smiled. “Yeah,” she whispered. “Some things are finally making sense.”

Quick recap

• Crush = attraction + excitement + confusion
• Totally normal during adolescence
• Can be towards any gender
• Caused by body and brain changes
• Can be short-term or grow stronger
• You don’t have to act on it
• Dating today can feel confusing (texts, mixed signals, no labels)
• It’s okay if feelings aren’t returned
• It’s okay if you haven’t felt this yet
• It’s okay if you don’t want a relationship
• Talking to someone you trust really helps

You’re not overthinking. You’re just feeling things for the first time. Or not yet. Either way, you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.

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