Chapter 6
639 Words
The next morning felt… different.
Aanya woke up earlier than usual, sunlight barely grazing the edges of her curtains. Her phone buzzed with notifications, but she ignored them, staring at the ceiling instead.
Last night’s walk replayed over and over in her head . Atharv’s shy voice, his quiet laugh, the softness in his eyes.
She sat up suddenly, pressing a hand over her racing heart.
“Stop it, Aanya,” she muttered to herself. “Don’t make this bigger than it is.”
But she already knew it was too late.
School – Midday
Classes blurred together, words from teachers floating in and out like static noise. Aanya sat at her desk, twirling her pen aimlessly.
And then, as if on cue, she felt it.
That familiar pull.
She looked up.
Across the room, Atharv sat by the window again, sketchbook open, head bent slightly as his pencil danced across the page. But this time, he didn’t look up.
Not once.
Aanya frowned, leaning back in her chair.
Was he… ignoring her?
Her chest tightened with an unfamiliar ache.
Lunch Break 🍃
She spotted him outside, sitting beneath the big banyan tree near the sports ground the one where hardly anyone went. His headphones were on, sketchbook balanced on his knees, expression unreadable.
For a second, she thought about walking up to him. Maybe teasing him for ditching the cafeteria. Maybe just… talking.
But before she could take a step, Kiara’s voice rang out behind her.
“Aanya.”
She turned, startled. “Oh… hey.”
Kiara folded her arms, her sharp gaze following where Aanya had been looking.
“You’re thinking about going to him, aren’t you?”
Aanya hesitated. “…No.”
Kiara stepped closer, lowering her voice. “Stay away from Atharv, Aanya. I’m serious.”
Her brows knitted. “Why?”
Kiara’s jaw tightened. “Because people aren’t who they seem to be. And Atharv… he’s not who you think he is.”
Before Aanya could ask what she meant, Kiara walked away, leaving a trail of tension behind.
Back home, Aanya sat on her bed scrolling through reels, but nothing held her attention. Her thoughts kept circling back to Atharv — his smile, his silence, Kiara’s cryptic warning.
Her phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
She hesitated but picked up.
“Hello?”
Silence for a moment. Then
“…Aanya?”
Her breath caught. “Atharv?”
“Yeah…” His voice was soft, almost hesitant. “I… got your number from Arjun. Hope that’s okay.”
Her lips curved into a smile she couldn’t hide. “It’s fine.”
“I just…” A pause. “…wanted to say sorry. For ignoring you today.”
Aanya blinked. “Wait… you were ignoring me?”
“I… yeah. I thought maybe… I made you uncomfortable yesterday. I didn’t want to push things.”
Her chest warmed, and she whispered, “…You didn’t.”
The silence that followed wasn’t awkward. It was full- like something unspoken was quietly stretching between them.
“Aanya?” he murmured after a while.
“Hmm?”
“I want to show you something. Tomorrow. After school.”
“What is it?” she asked, curiosity sparking.
“You’ll see,” he said softly. “Just… trust me.”
Before she could respond, the call ended, leaving her staring at her phone, heart pounding in her chest.
Later that night, as Atharv sat by his window again, his phone buzzed. A message lit up the screen.
Kiara:
“I warned her. If she doesn’t listen, don’t blame me for what happens next.”
Atharv’s jaw clenched, his fingers tightening around the sketch pencil until it snapped in half.
He whispered to himself, “No one’s hurting her. Not again.”
But somewhere deep down… he knew this was just the beginning.
- Writer
