Silent Connections

~ Unfinished Goodbye ~

Chapter 8

Harshna's POV :-

The day had finally arrived—the day we’d all been waiting for. The excitement was electric, buzzing through the hallways and classrooms like a current. Today was the annual function, the culmination of all our practice, the day we’d finally get to perform. But something felt off.

From the moment I saw Dev, I knew something was different. He wasn’t his usual self—the playful, flirty guy who’d made the practices so much fun. Instead, he seemed distant, almost as if he was avoiding me. I caught his eye a few times, but he quickly looked away. What’s going on? I wondered, a knot forming in my stomach. I tried to convince myself it was just pre-performance nerves, but the uneasy feeling wouldn’t go away.

As we gathered for the final rehearsal, I couldn’t take it anymore. I walked over to him, hoping to talk, to ask if everything was okay. “Hey, Dev, are you ready for tonight?” I asked, forcing a smile. But he barely looked at me, mumbling something about needing to check on something before walking away.

What just happened? I thought, my heart sinking. This wasn’t like him at all. My mind raced through all the possibilities—had I done something to upset him? Was he just stressed about the performance? But the more I thought about it, the less sense it made. We’d been getting along so well, almost as if something more was brewing between us. Did I imagine all of that? I wondered, feeling more confused than ever.

The day passed in a blur of rehearsals and last-minute preparations. The excitement around me only made the pit in my stomach grow deeper. Every time I tried to catch Dev’s eye or talk to him, he was either busy or simply not there. Why is he doing this? I asked myself, frustration creeping in alongside the confusion. We’ve been so close... what changed?

Finally, it was time for our performance. We lined up backstage, and I could feel the energy of the crowd just beyond the curtains. I tried to focus on the dance, on the steps we’d practiced so many times, but my mind kept drifting to Dev. I glanced over at him, hoping for some sign that everything was okay, but he was staring straight ahead, his expression unreadable.

The music started, and we moved onto the stage, the bright lights momentarily blinding me. I forced myself to concentrate, to remember the steps, the rhythm, the movements we’d perfected. But throughout the dance, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. I caught glimpses of Dev as we danced, but he never looked my way, never gave any hint that he even knew I was there.

When the dance finally ended, I turned to congratulate him, to see if maybe now he’d talk to me, but he was already gone. Where did he go? I thought, panic rising in my chest. I looked around, scanning the crowd, but there was no sign of him. It was as if he’d vanished.

The rest of the evening felt like a haze. People congratulated me on the performance, but all I could think about was Dev. I tried to find him, to ask what was going on, but he was nowhere to be found. Why would he just disappear like that? I wondered, my mind spinning with possibilities.

By the time I got home, the excitement of the day had been replaced with a heavy sense of confusion and hurt. I lay in bed, replaying everything in my mind, trying to make sense of it all. Was it something I said? Something I did? I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed between us, and I had no idea why. Whatever this is, I just hope it’s not the end... I thought, my heart aching with uncertainty as I drifted off to sleep.

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The next day, I walked into school with a sense of dread mixed with hope. I’d hardly slept the night before, my mind replaying every moment of the annual function, trying to make sense of what had happened with Dev. I told myself that today would be different, that I’d see him in the hallway, or in the library, or maybe during lunch. I just needed to talk to him, to find out why he’d been acting so strange.