Ananya had always considered herself someone who understood people.
She could tell when someone was lying.
She could sense when her friends were upset.
She could always figure people out.
But now, she felt completely lost.
Because Karthik—her Karthik—was acting in a way she had never seen before.
And for the first time, she wasn't sure why.
---
The Way He Looks at Her
At first, she tried not to overthink it. Karthik was just being weird.
But as the days passed, she started noticing things.
The way he looked at her when he thought she wasn't paying attention.
The way he hesitated before speaking, like he was holding something back.
The way his laughter sounded different—not fake, but not completely real either.
And worst of all…
The way she had started noticing everything about him.
---
A New Kind of Awareness
Ananya had always been comfortable with Karthik.
They fought, they teased each other, they shared food without a second thought.
But now, every little thing felt different.
When their hands brushed, she felt a strange jolt in her chest.
When he leaned closer to whisper a joke, her heartbeat stupidly sped up.
When he smiled at her—really smiled—she felt…
What was she even feeling?
She didn't know. And that scared her.
---
The Dream That Changed Everything
That night, Ananya had a dream.
She was walking down an empty school corridor. The lights were dim, the air was still.
And then, she heard a voice.
"Ananya."
She turned—and saw Karthik standing there.
But something was different.
He wasn't teasing her. He wasn't smirking.
He was just looking at her, his eyes soft and serious.
"I have to tell you something," he said.
Her heart pounded. "What?"
Karthik stepped closer. Close enough that she could see every detail of his face.
"I—"
Before he could finish, Ananya woke up.
Her heart was racing.
Her face was burning.
And the realization hit her all at once—
She was falling for Karthik.
---
End of Chapter 19