Chapter 64

Abhimanyu

The next day felt different. Not in the way you expect when you’re walking on air, but more like when you’ve been holding your breath for too long and finally get a chance to exhale.

I had woken up with a strange sense of calm, something I hadn’t felt in ages. And the strange thing was, it wasn’t even the usual unease or apprehension that had clouded my mornings before. It was as if everything had shifted, but in the most subtle, unexpected way.

Subhi and I had said so much the day before, things we hadn’t even realized we needed to say. It felt like we had opened up a door that had been sealed shut for too long, and now there was no going back. And honestly? I wasn’t scared. For the first time, I wasn’t afraid of what might happen next.

But as I sat at my desk in my classroom, trying to focus on the lecture that was unfolding in front of me, my thoughts kept drifting back to Subhi. I couldn't help it. Her smile, the way her eyes softened when she looked at me, and the way she felt in my arms—those memories kept replaying in my head.

I glanced at the clock. It was still a few minutes until the bell would ring, signaling the end of class, but I couldn’t help but wonder if she was thinking about me too. I wished we were in the same class—so that maybe we could share some of these little moments. But no, Subhi was in her own class, far across the school.

And it was strange. Normally, I would be counting down the minutes until class ended, just to escape the confines of the classroom. But today, all I could think about was finding a way to see her as soon as I could.

The bell finally rang, and I quickly packed up my things. As much as I wanted to catch a glimpse of her, I knew it wasn’t the right time. She was probably headed straight to her next class. But I couldn’t just go through the day without seeing her, talking to her again.

I grabbed my phone and sent her a quick message, tapping the screen with a kind of urgency I wasn’t used to feeling.

“Hey, Subhi. Got time after school? Want to grab a bite or just hang out?”

I stared at the message for a moment, unsure if I’d overstepped. But I quickly pressed send before I could overthink it. The anxiety of waiting for her reply hit me immediately. What if she was too busy? What if she had other plans?

I didn't have to wait long before my phone buzzed, and I eagerly picked it up.

“Sure, sounds good. See you then!”

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. The relief was instant.

The rest of the day passed by in a blur. I kept checking the clock, counting down the minutes, trying not to let my mind wander too far into the possibilities of what might happen between us. It wasn’t the kind of thing I was used to—looking forward to something so simple, yet so important.

When the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, I practically ran out of the classroom. I needed to find her, to see her again. I quickly made my way across the campus, dodging students who were milling around, heading out for the day. The excitement bubbling in my chest was something I hadn’t felt in a long time. Not since before everything became complicated between us.

When I finally spotted Subhi near the gates, talking to some of her friends, I couldn't help but smile. She looked up and noticed me, her eyes lighting up. There was something about her—about the way she looked at me—that made everything feel right.

“Hey,” I said, walking up to her, trying to keep my voice steady even though my heart was pounding in my chest.

She smiled, her gaze softening as she said, “Hey, Abhimanyu. Ready to go?”

“Yeah, let’s go,” I said, feeling the tension in my body melt away as we started walking together. I didn’t need to say anything more—just the fact that we were here, walking side by side, felt like everything I needed.

The weight of the day’s silence between us seemed to have lifted, and for the first time in a while, I could breathe easy. We didn’t have all the answers yet, but we were starting to figure things out. And that was enough for now.

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