Say you love me! ✨️

Chapter 22: The Tipping Point

The air at Sunshine Academy grew colder as the winter season deepened. The once vibrant trees around the school were now bare, and the chilly winds swept through the corridors, forcing students to wrap themselves in thick scarves and coats. Ananya, however, was as focused as ever. Even though the world around her seemed to be slowing down for the season, her academic drive remained unwavering.

The teasing between her and Aarav had become an expected part of her day, like the cold weather outside. Each day, they exchanged playful banter, but something felt different—like there was a thread pulling them closer, even though neither of them dared to acknowledge it.

One afternoon, during the break, Ananya sat by herself in the library, absorbed in her work. Her pen moved swiftly across the page as she jotted down notes for her upcoming exams. The quiet of the library was a stark contrast to the noisy courtyard, and she found comfort in the silence. It allowed her to think—about school, about her future, and inevitably, about Aarav.

Despite her best efforts, he crept into her thoughts more and more often lately. She couldn't deny that something had shifted between them, but the thought of admitting it—either to herself or to him—was still too daunting. She didn’t want to lose control of the one thing she was good at: maintaining her focus, no matter what.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching her table. She looked up, half-expecting to see Arohi or Simran, but her heart skipped a beat when she saw Aarav instead.

He stopped beside her table, a familiar smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Studying as always, I see," he said, his tone light.

Ananya rolled her eyes, though there was no annoyance behind it. "And you're not? Shocking."

Aarav chuckled, leaning against the table. "I do my best work outside of books, you know that."

She raised an eyebrow, feigning disbelief. "Oh, of course. You're a genius without trying."

He shrugged playfully. "If you say so." He paused, glancing at her notebook. "So, what are you working on now?"

"Math," she replied without looking up, scribbling down another equation. "Just preparing for the next test."

Aarav nodded but didn’t say anything else. He didn’t try to tease her this time, nor did he make one of his usual remarks about how hard she worked. Instead, he stood there for a moment longer, watching her in silence.

The silence between them was almost comfortable. Almost.

Finally, Aarav broke the silence. "You know," he said slowly, "it wouldn't hurt to take a break every now and then."

Ananya looked up at him, slightly surprised. "A break?"

"Yeah." He shrugged, his tone casual. "You’re always working so hard. Maybe you should relax a bit. Do something fun."

She laughed softly, shaking her head. "Fun? And what exactly do you suggest? Playing pranks like you do?"

Aarav grinned. "Maybe. Or just hanging out with friends, you know. There’s more to life than studying."

Ananya blinked, momentarily caught off guard by his words. It wasn’t the first time someone had told her to loosen up, but hearing it from Aarav felt different. It wasn’t just a throwaway comment. There was something in the way he said it that made her feel like he was genuinely concerned.

But before she could respond, Aarav straightened up, his smirk returning. "Anyway, I’ll leave you to your math. I just came to say hi."

He started to walk away, but not before throwing one last remark over his shoulder. "Don't get too lost in the equations, topper."

Ananya watched him leave, her heart fluttering in a way she wasn’t quite used to. Aarav’s words lingered in her mind, but she quickly pushed them aside. There was no time to dwell on him right now. The exams were approaching, and she needed to stay focused.

As the days passed, Ananya continued to study diligently, but the tension between her and Aarav seemed to grow stronger with each passing interaction. He still teased her in his usual way, but there was a new undercurrent to their banter, a feeling that neither of them wanted to address.

Arohi and Simran, of course, were quick to notice.

"You’ve been acting weird lately," Arohi remarked one day as they sat together in the cafeteria. "It’s like you’re in another world half the time."

Simran nodded in agreement. "And don’t even try to deny it. We know you too well."

Ananya sighed, stirring her drink absentmindedly. "I’m fine. Just focused on the exams."

"Yeah, right," Simran scoffed. "It’s not just the exams. It’s Aarav."

At the mention of his name, Ananya felt a flicker of something—whether it was irritation or nervousness, she couldn’t tell. "What about Aarav?"

"You two have been acting strange around each other," Arohi said, giving her a knowing look. "Like, more than usual."

Ananya shook her head, trying to dismiss the idea. "It’s nothing. He’s just the same as always."

"Maybe," Simran said thoughtfully. "Or maybe something’s changed, and you’re just not ready to admit it."

Ananya didn’t respond. She couldn’t, because deep down, she knew they were right. Something had changed. And no matter how much she tried to ignore it, that change was slowly creeping into her heart.

For now, though, she stayed silent, focusing on her studies once again, hoping that the growing confusion would somehow sort itself out. But as she glanced across the cafeteria, her eyes landing on Aarav laughing with his friends, she knew that wasn’t going to happen any time soon.