Say you love me! ✨️

Chapter 29: Just the topper?

The week after the playful banter with Aarav felt different. It was subtle—nothing too obvious or dramatic—but Ananya could feel the shift in her own heart. She was becoming more aware of her feelings toward Aarav, but she wasn’t ready to face them yet. She buried herself in her studies, acing every test and assignment, as if focusing on academics could shield her from the emotional whirlwind that was slowly growing within her.

At school, the atmosphere was as lively as ever. The winter break was now a distant memory, and everyone was back into the grind of classes and extracurricular activities. Aarav and his group continued to hang out as usual, and while they teased Ananya from time to time, nothing out of the ordinary happened. Yet, there was an unspoken tension between her and Aarav that neither of them acknowledged.

One afternoon, as Ananya sat in the school library with Simran and Arohi, working on an upcoming project, the quiet murmur of students around them created a peaceful atmosphere. Ananya had always loved the library—it was her sanctuary, the one place where she could escape the chaos of life.

Simran was typing up a section of their project when she suddenly looked up at Ananya, a curious glint in her eyes. "So, have you thought any more about Aarav?"

Ananya, who had been scribbling notes into her notebook, paused mid-sentence. "What do you mean?" she asked, feigning ignorance.

Arohi smirked from across the table. "You know exactly what she means. We’ve noticed that you’ve been a little… off lately. And we think it has something to do with him."

Ananya’s heart skipped a beat, but she quickly shook her head. "You’re imagining things. Aarav and I are the same as always—just a little teasing, nothing else."

Simran raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Because we’ve been watching you two, and there’s something… different."

Ananya felt her cheeks heat up. She wanted to brush off their observations, to tell them they were wrong, but she knew better. She couldn’t fool her friends—they knew her too well.

"I just… I don’t know," Ananya said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "It’s complicated."

"Complicated how?" Arohi pressed.

Ananya sighed, setting her pen down and running a hand through her hair. She hadn’t expected to have this conversation so soon, but maybe it was time to admit that things were changing, even if she wasn’t ready to deal with the full extent of it.

"I’ve been thinking about him more than I should," Ananya confessed, her eyes downcast. "It’s not like before. I used to find his teasing annoying, but now… I don’t know. I can’t stop thinking about him. But I’m not sure if it’s real or if it’s just in my head."

Arohi and Simran exchanged knowing looks, their expressions softening.

"You’ve always been good at burying your feelings," Simran said gently. "But maybe it’s time to stop fighting them."

Ananya shook her head, feeling a pang of frustration. "It’s not that simple. Aarav doesn’t think of me like that. To him, I’m just the ‘topper’—the girl he likes to mess with."

"Are you sure about that?" Arohi asked, her voice calm and measured. "Because from where I’m standing, it seems like he’s been paying more attention to you lately."

Ananya frowned, her mind racing. She hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary, at least not from Aarav’s side. But maybe she was so wrapped up in her own emotions that she hadn’t seen things clearly.

"I don’t know," she admitted, her voice small. "I guess I’ve been too focused on school to really notice."

Simran smiled. "That’s the Ananya we know—always putting studies first. But maybe it’s time to let yourself feel something more."

Ananya was about to respond when a familiar voice interrupted them.

"Hey, you three look like you’re plotting something."

They turned to see Aarav standing at the entrance of the library, his usual charming grin plastered across his face. He strolled over to their table, looking down at the open books and papers scattered around.

"Doing some secret planning?" he asked, his tone lighthearted.

Ananya quickly masked her emotions, forcing a neutral expression. "Just working on our project. Not everything is a conspiracy, Aarav."

Aarav smirked, leaning casually against the table. "Oh, I don’t know about that. With you, anything’s possible."

Simran and Arohi exchanged glances, amusement flickering in their eyes as they watched the interaction unfold.

"Anyway," Aarav continued, "I just came to grab a book for class. I’ll leave you to your ‘non-conspiracy’ project."

As he turned to leave, he threw one last teasing remark over his shoulder. "And, Ananya, don’t forget to have a little fun. All work and no play, right?"

Ananya clenched her jaw, trying to keep her composure. "I’ll keep that in mind."

Once Aarav was out of earshot, Simran burst out laughing. "He really does know how to get under your skin, doesn’t he?"

Ananya rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "He always has."

Arohi leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "So, what’s the plan now? Are you going to keep pretending nothing’s changed, or are you finally going to admit that Aarav is more than just a playful enemy?"

Ananya didn’t respond right away. She wasn’t sure how to answer that question—was she ready to admit that things were changing? Or was she still too scared to face the truth?

"I don’t know," she said softly. "But I think I need more time."

Simran nodded, her expression understanding. "Take all the time you need. But don’t wait too long, or you might miss out on something great."

As Ananya sat there in the quiet of the library, surrounded by her friends and her books, she couldn’t help but wonder what the future held. She had always been in control of her life, her studies, her goals. But now, with Aarav slowly breaking through her defenses, she wasn’t sure if she could maintain that control for much longer.

And maybe, just maybe, she didn’t want to.