The next day, Karthik arrived at school with a strange mix of emotions. Ananya's words from last night still lingered in his mind.
"I choose who I spend time with. And I've chosen you too, haven't I?"
He wanted to believe that.
But when he entered the classroom, his stomach twisted.
Ananya was sitting next to Vikram, laughing at something he said.
Karthik clenched his fists. He turned away and took his seat, pretending not to notice.
---
A Lunch That Felt Different
During lunch, Ananya came over and sat beside him as usual. But before they could start talking, Vikram pulled up a chair and joined them.
"So, Karthik," Vikram said casually, opening his lunch box. "What do you do for fun?"
Karthik frowned at the question. "What?"
"You know," Vikram grinned. "Hobbies. Passions. Things that make life exciting."
Karthik hesitated. "I read books."
Vikram smirked. "Books, huh? That's cool. Any action-packed ones, or just boring philosophy?"
Ananya groaned. "Vikram, stop interrogating him like he's in a police station."
Vikram laughed. "I'm just curious, that's all. I mean, you and I never really talked before, right, Karthik?"
Karthik gave a short nod. "Yeah. We haven't."
Vikram leaned back. "Guess we should change that."
Something about the way he said it made Karthik feel uneasy.
---
A Challenge in the Air
Later that evening, as school ended, Ananya caught up with Karthik at the gate.
"Tea stall. Now," she ordered, grabbing his wrist before he could refuse.
They found a quiet spot at their usual roadside stall. The tea was hot, the air thick with the scent of fried snacks.
Ananya stirred her tea, glancing at him. "So? What's with the mood swings lately?"
Karthik exhaled. "Nothing."
Ananya rolled her eyes. "You're lying."
He looked away. "It's just… Vikram. He acts like he's testing me."
Ananya raised an eyebrow. "Testing you?"
"Yeah. Like he's trying to figure out if I'm good enough to be your friend or something."
Ananya was quiet for a moment. Then she sighed. "Vikram's protective. He's always been like that."
Karthik frowned. "Protective of what?"
She hesitated, then smiled slightly. "Of me."
Karthik's grip on his tea cup tightened.
"Don't let him get to you," she said, nudging his shoulder. "You're my friend, Karthik. That's not changing."
Karthik wanted to believe that.
But as he sipped his tea, the doubt still lingered.
Because deep down, he knew—Vikram wasn't done testing him yet.
---
End of Chapter 12