The Inter-School Cultural Fest was just a week away, and excitement buzzed through the corridors like electricity. Banners were going up, performances were being rehearsed, and Karthik found himself roped into the literary committee—thanks to Ananya.
"You're good with words," she had said, half-smirking as she handed him the volunteer form. "Time to prove it."
Now, as he sat in the library helping design the quiz questions for the fest, he realized something strange.
He was… enjoying it.
He wasn't invisible anymore.
Students came to him for suggestions. He even cracked a few jokes that made people laugh. And all the while, Ananya watched him from across the room, pride flickering behind her usual playful eyes.
During the break, they snuck off to the terrace, their quiet escape.
"You're actually starting to fit in," she teased, leaning against the railing.
Karthik chuckled. "It's weird, isn't it? I used to hate crowds."
She nudged him. "You still do. But now, you know you can handle them."
He nodded. "Because I'm not alone."
She smiled, that rare, real smile she reserved just for him. The one that crinkled her nose slightly and lit up her whole face.
"Thank you," he said suddenly.
"For what?"
"For walking into my life like a cyclone… and somehow making it better."
She laughed. "You're welcome, moody boy."
As the wind tugged at her hair and the sun dipped lower, Karthik felt a warmth grow in his chest that had nothing to do with the weather.
For once, the silence between them wasn't heavy.
It was peaceful.
It was enough.
---
End of Chapter 79