Chapter 66

Abhimanyu

The days that followed our time at the café felt different, like there was a subtle shift in the air whenever I saw Subhi. Maybe it was the way she smiled at me, or the quiet moments we shared between classes, or maybe it was the feeling of being seen in a way I hadn’t been in a long time.

I couldn’t deny it anymore—everything had changed between us. The walls I had built around myself were starting to crumble, and it wasn’t as terrifying as I had thought it would be. Instead, it felt freeing, like I was finally allowing myself to breathe again.

Every glance, every conversation, seemed to carry more weight now, and I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I had gotten used to pushing my feelings away, convincing myself that I didn’t need anyone, that being alone was better. But with Subhi, it was different. I didn’t have to pretend, didn’t have to keep up the act. With her, I could just be me.

We had agreed to meet again after school, and as I made my way to the gates, I felt a rush of anticipation flood my chest. It had become a routine now—our little hangouts. But today, it felt different. Today, I wasn’t just excited to see her; I was nervous too. Nervous because I knew I had to admit something to myself. Something that had been growing inside me for weeks, something I couldn’t ignore anymore.

I was falling for her.

I wasn’t sure what it meant yet, but I knew it was real. I could feel it in the way my heart raced when she smiled, the way my thoughts always drifted back to her, and the way I couldn’t shake the warmth that spread through me every time I thought about her.

I spotted her as soon as I reached the gates. She was standing near the steps, talking to some friends, but when she saw me, her face lit up, and suddenly everything around me faded. It was like she was the only thing in the world that mattered in that moment.

“Hey,” I said, walking up to her, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Hey, Abhimanyu,” she replied with a soft smile, and my heart did a little flip. “How’s your day been?”

“Better now that I’m seeing you,” I said before I could stop myself, my words hanging in the air. I could feel my cheeks heat up, and I looked away for a second, not sure what to do with myself. But when I looked back at her, there was a sparkle in her eyes—like she wasn’t surprised by what I’d said, but more like she was waiting for me to say it all along.

“I’m glad,” she said softly, her voice warm. “I feel the same.”

There it was. That small moment of truth. The weight of it settled between us, and for a second, neither of us spoke. It didn’t need to be said out loud, but it was clear—we were on the same page now. Our feelings, the things we had been holding back, were out in the open, and it felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my chest.

I couldn’t help but smile at her. “Do you want to go for a walk?” I asked, already knowing what her answer would be.

“Yeah,” she said, nodding eagerly. “I’d love that.”

We walked side by side, the quiet between us no longer uncomfortable but peaceful, like we were both content to just be in each other’s presence. Every step we took felt like a small affirmation of everything we had shared, everything we were starting to build.

As we walked through the park, the world around us seemed to fade. The noise of the city, the people around us—it all felt distant. The only thing that mattered was the space between us, the connection that was growing with every passing second.

“I’ve been thinking,” she said, breaking the silence. “About us.”

I turned to look at her, my heart skipping a beat. “What about us?”

She stopped walking for a moment, her eyes searching mine, and I could see the sincerity in them. “I just… I feel like we’re finally figuring this out. Whatever this is between us. I don’t want to keep running from it, Abhimanyu. I want to see where it goes.”

My chest tightened, a mix of emotions flooding over me. “Subhi, I…”

Before I could finish, she reached out and gently placed her hand over mine, stopping me in my tracks. “You don’t have to say anything right now. I just want you to know that I’m here. And I want this, whatever it is, with you.”

It was like everything inside me stilled. There was no more doubt, no more fear. I squeezed her hand gently, feeling a warmth spread through me that had nothing to do with the sun overhead and everything to do with her.

“I want this too,” I said, my voice low but steady. “I want to see where this goes, Subhi. I’m not running anymore.”

Her smile widened, and for the first time, I didn’t feel like I had to hide. We stood there for a moment, just looking at each other, the world spinning around us but feeling like it had stopped.

Without saying another word, I pulled her into a hug. It wasn’t anything too dramatic, just a quiet embrace that held everything we had both been afraid to admit. And in that moment, I knew everything would be okay. We were in this together.

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