Episode 7 – "Unfiltered Moments"
The next morning was slow.
Tanishka woke up with puffy eyes and a lazy smile. She scrolled through her chats and re-read Hemant's late-night messages. Something about him just hit differently. He didn't even have to try — he just made her feel seen.
Meanwhile, Hemant was already online.
Not posting.
Not stalking.
Just waiting.
"Good morning, sleepyhead ☀️"
The notification popped up on her screen.
She replied instantly:
"Already trying to make me smile first thing in the morning, huh?"
Hemant:
"It's either that or I post your 2018 filtered selfie on my story 👀"
Tanishka gasped.
The filter selfie — the one with the sparkles, fake lashes, and pink lips — the one she thought no one saved.
"YOU STILL HAVE THAT?!" she typed furiously.
"Delete it. Right now."
Hemant laughed from his side of the screen.
"Never. It's a treasure."
Tanishka:
"You're a menace. I swear. Give me one reason why I shouldn't block you right now."
Hemant:
"Because deep down, you like that I have it."
She didn't respond.
Because, honestly?
He was right.
There was something about Hemant — the way he remembered the little things. The way he never crossed the line, but always danced close to it.
And the teasing? It wasn't just flirting. It was comfort. It was home.
A few hours later, they were on a video call — half faces showing, the other half buried in blankets.
"Okay," Hemant said, adjusting his hoodie, "today, we reveal real faces. No filters. No angles. No excuses."
"Excuse me, I just woke up!" Tanishka protested.
"Exactly the point. Let's normalize messy hair and sleepy eyes," he said with a smug smile.
She groaned but turned on her camera.
And there she was.
No filters.
No edits.
Just real.
Hemant stared. Then smiled.
"You look... human," he said playfully.
"Thanks. You look like a raccoon that didn't sleep."
"True. But I stayed up talking to you, so worth it."
The moment froze for a second.
That subtle silence. That unspoken thing again.
She didn't blush. But she smiled. And that was enough.
Later that day, they sent each other their most embarrassing pictures. No context. No shame.
A pic of Hemant crying in 5th grade over a broken toy.
A pic of Tanishka dressed as a mango in a school play.
A ridiculous Snapchat screenshot where they both looked like aliens.
Each photo was a layer removed.
Each laugh, a wall torn down.
It wasn't just friendship.
It wasn't love yet.
But it was raw, goofy, and real.
Unfiltered — in every way.
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