The next morning, Karthik was convinced he could act normal. Ignore the stupid thoughts. Ignore the weird tightness in his chest. Just be himself.
But the moment he saw Ananya, all of that confidence crumbled.
She was laughing with her friends, her smile as bright as ever. It was a sight he had seen a hundred times before. And yet, why did it feel different today?
---
Acting Weird
"Oi, why are you standing like a lost puppy?"
Karthik blinked. Ananya was suddenly in front of him, waving a hand in his face.
"Huh? I was just—"
"Spacing out?" she teased. "Thinking about something deep?"
Karthik quickly shook his head. "No, just… tired."
Ananya narrowed her eyes. "Liar. Something's up."
Karthik forced a chuckle. "I'm fine."
But the way she kept looking at him—like she could see right through him—made him incredibly nervous.
Does she know?
---
Avoidance is Not a Strategy
For the rest of the day, Karthik tried to avoid eye contact.
Which only made it more obvious that something was wrong.
During lunch, Ananya practically threw a piece of her dosa at him. "Okay, what's your problem today?"
Karthik flinched. "What? Nothing!"
"Lies." She crossed her arms. "You're acting all awkward and weird. What happened? Did Vikram say something again?"
Karthik shook his head. "No, it's not that."
"Then what?"
Karthik hesitated.
He couldn't just say, "I think I might have feelings for you, and it's messing with my head."
So instead, he muttered, "Just overthinking stuff."
Ananya stared at him for a moment before sighing. "Fine. Be mysterious. But don't expect me to let it go."
She then reached over and stole a piece of his food.
Karthik blinked. "Oi!"
Ananya grinned. "See? You're acting normal now."
Karthik shook his head, unable to stop a small smile.
But deep inside, he knew the feeling wasn't going away.
---
The Problem with Realization
That night, Karthik sat at his desk, staring at his reflection in the window.
He had spent years thinking romance in school was pointless. He had never thought about dating, about feelings, about anything like this.
But now?
Now, every little thing Ananya did felt different.
Her teasing, her laughter, the way she always looked out for him.
It wasn't just friendship anymore.
And that scared him.
Because if this was what he thought it was…
Then what happens if she doesn't feel the same?
---
End of Chapter 16