Say you love me! ✨️

Chapter 7: Unspoken Shifts

The weeks rolled by at Sunshine Academy, and life settled into its usual rhythm. Classes, assignments, and group projects kept everyone busy, and for Ananya, her focus remained firmly on her studies. She was determined to maintain her top spot, driven by both her personal goals and the expectations placed upon her as the daughter of a senior Maths teacher.

Yet, despite her best efforts to stay focused, she couldn’t ignore the subtle changes in her feelings toward Aarav. Their interactions, though still rooted in playful teasing, were beginning to feel different. There was a warmth in her heart whenever he teased her, a lightness that she hadn’t noticed before.

One crisp autumn afternoon, Ananya found herself in the school library, her usual sanctuary of calm. The afternoon sun streamed through the large windows, casting a golden glow across the room. Ananya was seated at her favorite corner table, surrounded by textbooks and notes, deeply engrossed in her studies.

She was so absorbed in solving a complex physics problem that she didn’t notice Aarav and his friends enter the library. Aarav, as usual, was at the center of his group, laughing and joking as they made their way to a table on the opposite side of the room.

Arohi, who had joined Ananya at the table, nudged her gently. “Look who just walked in,” she whispered, nodding toward Aarav’s group.

Ananya glanced up, catching sight of Aarav as he settled into a chair, his back to her. He was talking animatedly with Kabir and Yash, his expression relaxed and carefree. She quickly looked away, trying to push down the flutter in her chest.

“He’s always so loud,” Ananya muttered, half to herself, as she returned to her notes.

Arohi smiled knowingly. “You say that, but you don’t seem as annoyed as you used to be.”

Ananya shrugged, trying to appear indifferent. “I guess I’ve just gotten used to it.”

But even as she said the words, Ananya knew they weren’t entirely true. She had always found Aarav’s teasing a little irritating, but lately, it had started to feel more like a familiar routine, something she almost looked forward to. The thought made her uncomfortable, so she shook it off, forcing herself to concentrate on the equations in front of her.

As the minutes ticked by, the library fell into a quiet lull, with only the soft rustle of pages and the occasional whisper breaking the silence. Ananya’s pencil moved steadily across the page, her brow furrowed in concentration. The world outside of her studies faded away, as it always did when she immersed herself in her work.

But then, a shadow fell across her notebook, and she looked up to see Aarav standing there, his usual playful grin in place.

“Hey, topper,” he greeted her, his voice low to avoid disturbing the quiet atmosphere. “Working hard as always, I see.”

Ananya raised an eyebrow, feigning disinterest. “What do you want, Aarav?”

Aarav leaned down slightly, resting his arms on the edge of the table. “Just passing by. Thought I’d see if you needed any help, since I’m such a math wizard and all.”

Ananya couldn’t help but smirk at that. “Math wizard? You mean the same one who still struggles with calculus?”

Aarav chuckled softly, not missing a beat. “Hey, everyone has their strengths. Mine just happen to be in making you smile.”

Ananya felt a slight flush rise to her cheeks, but she quickly covered it up with a roll of her eyes. “Please, don’t flatter yourself. I’m only smiling because I find your confidence amusing.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” Aarav replied with a wink before straightening up. “Anyway, I’ll leave you to your studying. Don’t work too hard, Ananya.”

With that, he turned and walked back to his table, rejoining his friends who were watching the exchange with interest. Ananya watched him go, her heart inexplicably lighter despite the usual banter. As much as she tried to focus on her work, her thoughts kept drifting back to their brief conversation.

She had always enjoyed teasing Aarav, but now there was something different in the way she responded to him. Her heart seemed to react on its own, betraying the feelings she wasn’t quite ready to acknowledge.

It was strange and unsettling, but Ananya quickly pushed it aside. There was no room for distractions, especially not when it came to her studies. She was determined to keep her priorities straight, to focus on what truly mattered—her academic goals and her future.

But as she returned to her notes, the words on the page seemed to blur slightly, and her mind wandered back to Aarav’s easy smile and the way he had looked at her, not with the teasing annoyance of their younger years, but with something softer, something almost… affectionate.

She shook her head, as if trying to physically dispel the thoughts. This was ridiculous. Aarav was just Aarav—mischievous, charming, and infuriatingly smug. She couldn’t let herself get caught up in silly feelings that didn’t make any sense.

“Ananya?” Arohi’s voice broke through her thoughts, pulling her back to the present. “You okay? You seem a little distracted.”

“I’m fine,” Ananya replied quickly, offering her friend a reassuring smile. “Just… a lot on my mind, I guess.”

Arohi nodded, her expression understanding. “Well, if you need to talk about anything, you know I’m here.”

“Thanks,” Ananya said, genuinely appreciating the support. But for now, she wasn’t ready to talk about what was really on her mind. It was too new, too confusing.

So, she did what she always did when faced with uncertainty—she buried herself in her studies, blocking out everything else. But no matter how hard she tried to concentrate, the feeling lingered, a quiet whisper at the back of her mind that maybe, just maybe, things were starting to change between her and Aarav.

And despite her best efforts, Ananya couldn’t quite shake the thought that, one way or another, she was going to have to face those feelings sooner or later.