Chapter 63

Subhi

The walk back to the school was slower than usual. The air felt a little warmer, the evening sun casting a soft glow around us. But it wasn’t just the weather that made everything feel lighter—it was the weight that had been lifted between me and Abhimanyu.

For the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel like I was walking on eggshells. There had been so many things unsaid between us, and now, I could breathe without that constant tension hanging over me.

I glanced at Abhimanyu, who was walking beside me, his hands shoved into his pockets. He wasn’t saying much, but I could tell by the way he kept glancing at me that the silence didn’t feel as heavy as it used to.

“I’m glad we talked,” I said quietly, breaking the silence as we neared the school gates.

He glanced at me, his lips curling into a small, reassuring smile. “Me too. I didn’t realize how much I needed to say it all out loud.”

I nodded. “I guess we both needed to hear it, didn’t we?”

There was a brief pause, then he let out a soft laugh. “Yeah, guess so.”

I wasn’t sure if it was the quiet confidence that came from finally sharing everything or just the way his presence made me feel, but I couldn’t stop smiling. There was something about the way Abhimanyu looked at me—like he was seeing me for the first time in a way that felt real, that made me feel like I mattered.

As we walked closer to the school, I couldn’t help but steal glances at him. His hair was a bit messy from the wind, and there was still something uncertain in his expression, but it wasn’t the same guarded look he used to wear. There was something softer there, like he was opening up, not just to me, but to himself too.

“So,” I began again, trying to keep the mood light. “What now?”

Abhimanyu shot me a sidelong glance, his eyes brightening. “What do you mean?”

I shrugged. “Well, we’re not just the two confused people who barely talk anymore. So... what’s next for us?”

His smile widened, and for a moment, I saw a glimpse of the Abhimanyu I knew before everything got complicated. “I guess we keep figuring it out. One day at a time, right?”

I smiled back, the knot in my chest finally loosening. “One day at a time sounds perfect.”

We were at the gates now, and I realized we’d reached the point where we would part ways. My heart sank just a little, but I didn’t want to make it awkward. We had made progress today, and I didn’t want to ruin it by overthinking everything.

“Well,” I said, shifting my bag on my shoulder, “I guess this is where we say goodbye... for now.”

Abhimanyu stopped walking and turned to face me. There was something in his eyes—something I couldn’t quite place. He didn’t say anything at first, just stood there, looking at me like he was trying to figure out what to do next.

Then, without warning, he reached out and pulled me into a hug. It wasn’t a quick, awkward hug. It was warm, full of that unspoken comfort we’d both been needing. My heart skipped a beat, and for a second, everything else in the world just faded away.

When he pulled away, his hands lingered on my arms, like he wasn’t quite ready to let go just yet.

“You know,” he said softly, his voice low, “this feels a little like the beginning, doesn’t it?”

I smiled up at him, my fingers still tingling from where his hands had been. “Yeah. A new beginning.”

He nodded. “A new beginning.”

Then he leaned in, just enough to place a quick, soft kiss on my forehead before stepping back. “See you tomorrow, Subhi.”

I stood there for a moment, watching him turn and walk away, his figure disappearing into the crowd of students heading out of the school. I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face.

Maybe this was the beginning of something real. Maybe we didn’t need to have everything figured out all at once.

But we were figuring it out—together.

---