Lunch break had arrived, and the classroom buzzed with energy—some students dashing out to the canteen, others pulling open lunchboxes with noisy enthusiasm. But for Karthik, the noise faded into the background.
He sat at his desk, watching Ananya from across the room.
She was laughing at something Shruti said, one hand covering her mouth, the other resting on her notebook. That laugh—it was warm, contagious, unforced. It brought light into even the most mundane classroom days.
And yet… there was something different.
It wasn't obvious. Not to the others. But Karthik had started noticing these little shifts. How her smile lingered a second too long as if masking something else. How she sometimes looked away when she caught him staring.
And how she hadn't messaged him much this week.
The closeness they'd shared at the festival still clung to his memory like a dream that faded the moment he woke. Her hand in his. The way she'd whispered that she wasn't sure about tomorrow—but today, she wanted to be beside him.
But ever since then, things had shifted.
Not dramatically. Just enough for him to question if he'd imagined the whole thing.
"Karthik," a voice interrupted his thoughts. It was Rajeev, holding two mango juice boxes from the canteen. "Dai, snap out of it. Want one?"
Karthik shook his head with a small smile. "Nah. Thanks."
Rajeev plopped into the seat next to him, slurping loudly. "You're thinking about her again, aren't you?"
"What? No," Karthik said, far too quickly.
Rajeev gave him a look. "You're literally looking at her like she's a philosophical problem."
Karthik exhaled, fingers tapping the table. "I just… don't know where we stand anymore."
Rajeev sipped. "Sounds like it's time to ask her."
Ask her. The words echoed in Karthik's mind like a challenge. As if it were that easy. But maybe Rajeev was right. Maybe the worst thing wasn't rejection—it was this uncertainty.
He stood up slowly.
Across the room, Ananya had just closed her lunchbox. She glanced up and caught his eye. For a moment, neither of them looked away.
Karthik walked over.
"Can we talk?" he asked quietly.
Ananya blinked, surprised. "Yeah. Sure."
They stepped out to the corridor, where the hum of the classroom gave way to a quieter space. The sky was overcast again, and a gentle breeze stirred Ananya's hair.
Karthik leaned against the railing, heart racing. "I've been thinking… about us."
Ananya stayed silent, eyes on him.
"I know we haven't talked much since the festival," he continued. "And maybe I'm overthinking it, but—"
"You're not," she cut in.
He looked at her.
She sighed, brushing her hair back. "I've been distant. I know. It's just… I got scared."
"Scared?" he echoed.
Ananya nodded. "Of what it might mean. Of what you might expect. And of what I might feel."
Karthik's throat felt dry. "And what do you feel?"
She hesitated.
"I feel safe with you," she said. "Seen. Not as Ananya the model student or the girl with perfect grades—but just… me."
He swallowed the lump in his throat. "That's all I've ever wanted. To see the real you."
A small smile touched her lips. "But I need time, Karthik. To figure out what this is. Not because I don't care—but because I do."
He nodded slowly. "Then I'll wait. No pressure. Just… don't shut me out, okay?"
"I won't," she said softly.
They stood there for a few seconds more, side by side, the silence now filled with something tender and uncertain—something real.
As the bell rang in the distance, Ananya looked at him and said, "Thanks for not giving up."
Karthik smiled. "Never even crossed my mind."
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Chapter 92