Undecided

Chapter 2

As the last remnants of sunset faded, Sarah rose from the stage, stretching her legs as she stood. Atharav hadn't said anything more after his last words, and Sarah found herself grateful for the silence. She wasn't used to feeling understood, especially not by someone like him. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing to change, after all.

She turned to walk back, her mind swirling with thoughts and emotions that she wasn't sure how to handle. As she descended the rough steps leading back to the town, her footsteps were slow, deliberate. The air felt cool now, and the familiar path was comforting in its quiet simplicity. Yet, as she neared the street where her family's home sat, a familiar figure caught her eye.

Dhruv.

He was standing at the corner, looking almost out of place on the edge of the street, as if waiting for something or someone. Sarah felt a sudden, inexplicable tension building in her chest. They had known each other in school, but their interactions had always been minimal at best-just passing glances or the occasional shared space in the hallway, where they'd deliberately ignored one another, as if acknowledging each other would break some unspoken rule.

Dhruv wasn't someone she ever really talked to, and yet, there was something about him now that felt different. Maybe it was the way he was standing, his posture relaxed but eyes trained on her as she walked toward him. Maybe it was the way he smiled-a small, almost tentative smile-as if he wasn't sure how to approach her.

Sarah's heart skipped a beat. She didn't know why, but there was an undeniable pull between them now, something that had never existed before. It wasn't like their old encounters, the silent stares and awkward looks. This felt... more. Charged, almost.

She tried to keep her composure, but it was hard with him standing there, as if waiting for her to say something. Her mind raced for an excuse to keep walking, to keep avoiding him. But then he moved, stepping toward her just as she reached the sidewalk.

"Hey," Dhruv said casually, his voice low, but there was something different in it now-something warmer.

"Hey," Sarah replied, her own voice almost quieter than usual. It was strange, the way this simple exchange felt like the beginning of something new.

Neither of them said anything for a few moments. It was as if the air itself had thickened with something neither of them could name. The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable; it was loaded, electric, like they were both waiting for the other to make the first move.

Sarah shifted her weight from one foot to the other, trying to find the right words. "Been a while," she finally said, unsure if she was trying to make conversation or avoid it.

Dhruv chuckled softly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah. Every time I see you, it's like we both pretend we've never crossed paths."

There was a hint of humor in his voice, but also something more, something that Sarah couldn't quite place. She found herself smiling, despite the awkwardness. It was strange how easily it seemed to come now.

"Yeah, guess we were never really in the same circles," she said, her voice lighter now, a little teasing even. It wasn't like her to engage this easily, but there was something about Dhruv's presence that made her want to.

He tilted his head slightly, as if considering her words. Then, without warning, he took a step closer, brushing his shoulder lightly against hers as he passed her. It was such a small, casual gesture, but it sent a ripple through Sarah. She blinked, unsure if she imagined the spark of something more in that touch.

"Careful, I might start to think you actually want to talk now," he said, his tone playful, but his smile had a certain softness to it.

Sarah's breath caught for a second, her heart racing as her cheeks flushed slightly. There it was again-the tension. It was like they had crossed some invisible line. There had always been something there between them, something unspoken, but now it felt as though they were both acknowledging it.

"You'd be wrong," she shot back, her words laced with teasing defiance, though her voice wavered ever so slightly.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Oh, I don't know. Feels like we're talking pretty well now, don't you think?"

Sarah couldn't help but laugh at that, the sound escaping before she could stop it. The unexpected lightness in the air felt like a weight lifted, even if just for a moment.

They continued to walk in step together, the conversation flowing with ease now, as if a dam had finally broken. There was a strange sense of familiarity in their shared silences, the comfortable space between them filled with unspoken understanding. It was like they were both tiptoeing around something new, unsure of where it would lead but unwilling to pull away.

As they neared her house, Sarah couldn't help but feel a strange pull, like she didn't want the moment to end. And just as she reached her front gate, Dhruv stopped, glancing over at her. There was an unreadable look in his eyes now, one that seemed to say he wanted to say something more, but wasn't sure how.

"Well, I guess this is where we part ways," Sarah said, her voice softer than before.

Dhruv didn't move right away. Instead, he looked at her, almost as if he were weighing something in his mind. Then, with a small smirk, he reached out, giving her a gentle pat on the shoulder, a gesture so unexpected yet somehow intimate.

"See you around, Sarah," he said, his voice low, and for the first time, it didn't feel like just a casual goodbye. It felt like a promise.

She blinked, caught off guard by the sudden closeness of it all. "Yeah... see you," she muttered, feeling a flutter in her chest.

As he walked away, Sarah stood still for a moment, her heart pounding in her chest, the warmth of his touch still lingering on her shoulder. It was as if something had shifted, a new chapter unfolding before her eyes.

She watched him disappear down the street, the weight of the encounter settling in her mind. There was tension, yes, but also something else-a possibility, something she couldn't ignore.

Maybe it wasn't just the town that felt suffocating. Maybe it was the fact that she had been ignoring what had been right in front of her all along.

And maybe, just maybe, things were starting to change.