Sunday brought with it a cloudy sky and a strange quietness that settled over Karthik's home. He sat at his study table, textbooks open but untouched, his thoughts elsewhere—somewhere in the pauses between Ananya's laughter and her silences.
He hadn't told her everything. Not yet.
That night at the cultural fest prep, something had changed. There was warmth between them now, an invisible thread pulling them closer. And yet, Karthik couldn't shake the feeling that it was all fragile. Like it could disappear the moment he got too comfortable.
His phone buzzed.
Ananya: Hey. Busy?
Karthik: No. Thinking of pretending to study. You?
Ananya: Same. Wanna walk? I need air.
Ten minutes later, they were walking through the narrow streets of their neighborhood. The scent of jasmine and filter coffee lingered in the air, mixing with the promise of rain.
"I feel like we're always walking these days," Ananya said, swinging her bag slightly.
"It's the only exercise I get," he joked.
She glanced at him. "You've been quiet since yesterday."
He shrugged. "Just… a lot in my head."
"Want to talk about it?"
He stopped walking. She turned to face him.
"I'm scared, Ananya," he admitted, voice barely above a whisper.
"Of what?"
"Of feeling too much. Of depending on someone again."
Her expression softened, and she took a step closer. "You can depend on me, Karthik. I'm not going anywhere."
"But what if I mess it up? What if I become the version of me I hate again?"
"You won't," she said firmly. "You've already come so far. You're not who you were months ago."
He looked down. "You say that like it's easy."
"I say that because I see it. Every day," she replied. "I see you showing up. For yourself. For me. That matters."
The wind picked up. A few drops of rain fell.
"I'm not perfect, Ananya," he said.
"I don't want perfect," she replied, reaching out to take his hand. "I want you."
His breath caught.
"I want the version of you that overthinks, who gets awkward, who takes forever to open up. Because that Karthik?" She smiled gently. "He's real."
The rain came faster now, light but steady. They didn't move.
"I like you," he said suddenly, the words spilling out before he could overthink them. "More than I understand."
Ananya looked up at him, eyes wide.
Then, slowly, she squeezed his hand. "I know."
They stood there in the rain, the world around them blurring into soft grays and gentle warmth. Karthik's heart, once heavy with shadows, now beat with something quieter, but stronger.
Hope.
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End of Chapter 55