The next morning, Karthik stood outside his classroom, his fingers gripping the strap of his bag. He wasn't sure why he felt nervous. It was just another school day. Just another lunch break. Just another moment where Ananya would probably pull him into something he wasn't ready for.
But despite himself, he hadn't deleted her last message.
"Then sit with us again tomorrow."
His thumb had hovered over the keyboard last night, debating a response, but in the end, he hadn't sent anything. Even so, Ananya's words had stayed with him, lingering in the back of his mind like an unanswered question.
Why did she care so much?
Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside the classroom.
Morning in Class – A Persistent Presence
Karthik had barely taken his seat when Ananya appeared beside him, dropping her bag onto her desk with a bright grin.
"Good morning, Karthik!"
He looked up, slightly startled by her energy. "Morning."
"Sooo…" She dragged the word out playfully. "Are you sitting with us again today?"
He hesitated. He didn't want to say yes too easily—didn't want to give her the satisfaction of knowing she had gotten to him. But at the same time, saying no felt… wrong.
Instead of answering, he pulled out his notebook and flipped to a random page.
Ananya sighed dramatically. "That's not a no!" she teased.
Shruthi, who had just entered, smirked as she sat down. "I think that's his way of saying yes."
Karthik sighed, closing his notebook. "Fine. I'll sit with you."
Ananya beamed, her eyes lighting up. "Good! I was going to drag you there anyway."
Lunch Break – A Change in Atmosphere
Unlike yesterday, Karthik didn't hesitate when Ananya pulled him toward her group. He wasn't completely comfortable yet, but something about her confidence made it easier.
As they sat down, he noticed something new—Ananya's friends weren't just ignoring him this time. They were actually… including him.
"Hey, Karthik, you watch cricket?" one of the boys, Aravind, asked.
Karthik blinked. "Uh… a little."
Aravind nodded. "We were arguing about who's the better finisher—Dhoni or Kohli. What do you think?"
Karthik hesitated. He wasn't used to being asked for his opinion. But after a moment, he cleared his throat. "Dhoni. He's got better instincts under pressure."
Aravind grinned. "Thank you! Finally, someone with sense."
To Karthik's surprise, the conversation flowed from there. It wasn't overwhelming, and he found himself nodding along, occasionally adding a comment.
Ananya nudged him. "See? Not so bad, right?"
Karthik gave her a small, reluctant smile. "Yeah… not so bad."
After School – An Unexpected Offer
As the final bell rang, students began filing out of the classroom, eager to head home. Karthik was packing his bag when Ananya suddenly leaned over his desk.
"Hey, Karthik."
He looked up. "What?"
"Walk home with me."
He blinked, completely caught off guard. "What?"
"You heard me." She grinned. "We take the same route anyway, right?"
Karthik opened his mouth to protest, but before he could, Shruthi waved at them from the doorway. "Ananya, you're not gonna let him say no, are you?"
"Nope!" Ananya said cheerfully, turning back to Karthik. "So, let's go!"
Karthik sighed, realizing he had lost this battle before it even began. "Fine."
As they stepped out of the school together, Karthik found himself walking beside Ananya, their footsteps in sync.
And for the first time in a long time, he didn't feel like disappearing.
End of Chapter 8