let's start.....

...The rain had become her favorite companion....

Whenever the sky cried, she didn't have to hide her own tears.

At college, everyone knew her as the cheerful girl who laughed the loudest, made silly jokes, and somehow managed to brighten every room she walked into.

"How do you stay so happy all the time?" her classmates often asked.

She would simply smile.

"If I stop smiling... people will start asking questions."

No one knew that every night she returned to a house where silence felt heavier than words. A place where she was barely noticed unless someone needed something. A home where birthdays were forgotten, achievements ignored, and love felt like a reward she never earned.

So she learned something very young—

If no one chooses you... choose yourself.

Even if it hurts. You have to stay strong because no one will come to hold u at your worst and hard time.

She always smiles like everything is fine

One Monday morning, she rushed into class five minutes late.

"I'm alive!" she announced dramatically, breathing heavily.

The entire class laughed.

Her best friend, Riya, shook her head.

"You'll be late even to your own wedding."

Aanya grinned.

"Only if the groom isn't worth running for."

More laughter.

But someone in the last row didn't laugh.

He simply watched her.

Aarav *the boy who is going to be someone special for her...the boy who is going to change something in her life*

The quiet topper.

The boy who rarely spoke unless a teacher called his name.

He wasn't cold.

He just preferred silence over meaningless conversations.

And somehow...

His eyes always found Aanya.

Not because she was the prettiest girl.

Not because she was popular.

But because every time she laughed...

He noticed the sadness that disappeared a second too quickly.

Days passed.

One afternoon, while everyone was busy in the cafeteria, Aanya quietly slipped behind the library.

She finally allowed herself to cry.

Just for five minutes.

Only five.

Then she'd smile again.

She wiped her tears and whispered,

"You'll be okay... just survive one more day."

She didn't realize someone had heard her.

Aarav.

He stood a few steps away, frozen.

He had never imagined the happiest girl in college was carrying so much pain.

He wanted to say something.

Anything.

But before he could move...

Aanya turned around.

Their eyes met.

For a long moment, neither spoke.

Then she smiled.

The same perfect smile everyone believed.

"Please..."

she said softly,

"Forget you saw this."

Before he could answer...

She walked away.

Leaving behind only the sound of rain...

And a silent promise forming inside Aarav's heart.

"I don't know what you're hiding... but one day, I'll be the reason you smile for real."

He didn't know that loving Aanya would change not only his life...

...but also uncover a secret that had been buried for eighteen years.

To be continued..

Wait for the next part* smile*

The next morning, Aanya walked into college wearing the same bright smile as always.

"Good morning, people!" she shouted dramatically.

"Did everyone survive Monday?"

The class burst into laughter.

"Only because you're entertaining," Riya replied.

"See? I'm providing free therapy," Aanya joked, placing a hand on her chest.

Everyone laughed again.

Everyone...

Except Aarav.

He watched her carefully.

Yesterday's image of Aanya crying behind the library refused to leave his mind.

How could someone who smiled so brightly look so broken when no one was watching?

During the lecture, the professor asked a difficult question.

The classroom fell silent.

Aanya slowly raised her hand.

She answered perfectly.

The professor smiled proudly.

"Excellent, Aanya."

The class applauded.

For a brief second, happiness flickered across her face.

But when she instinctively reached for her phone, hoping someone from home had messaged to congratulate her...

The screen was empty.

No calls.

No texts.

No "We're proud of you."

She quietly locked her phone and smiled again, pretending it didn't matter.

Only Aarav noticed the tiny change in her expression.

At lunch, Aanya accidentally dropped her tray.

Food scattered across the floor.

The entire cafeteria went silent before a few students started laughing.

"Oh no," Aanya sighed dramatically. "I wanted to eat the food, not feed the floor."

The room filled with laughter again.

Even the staff smiled.

She bowed playfully as if it had all been part of a performance.

But while everyone laughed...

Aarav silently picked up another tray, bought the same meal, and placed it in front of her.

"I think... the floor already had lunch," he said quietly.

Aanya blinked.

It was the first time she had ever heard him make a joke.

She smiled—a real one this time.

"So... the silent boy can talk?"

"Sometimes."

"And make jokes?"

"Rarely."

She laughed.

"I like rare things."

For the first time in years, Aarav found himself smiling without forcing it.

That evening, Aanya returned home.

The front door was open.

Inside, her parents were arguing.

No one noticed she had come back.

She quietly walked to her room.

A small certificate from college peeked out of her bag.

She had ranked first in the class.

She stared at it for a long time before placing it inside a drawer with dozens of other certificates that no one had ever looked at.

"Maybe one day..." she whispered.

"...someone will be proud of me."

A tear slipped down her cheek.

She wiped it away before anyone could see.

Meanwhile, Aarav sat on the terrace of his house, unable to stop thinking about her.

His younger sister, Meera, walked over with two cups of tea.

"You're thinking about someone."

"No."

"You've been staring at the same cloud for ten minutes."

"I like clouds."

"You've never liked clouds."

Aarav sighed.

"I met someone who smiles even when she's hurting."

Meera looked at him carefully.

"Then don't try to fix her."

He frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Some people don't need a hero."

"They need someone who stays... even after discovering the truth."

Her words stayed with him.

He looked up at the evening sky.

For the first time in his life...

He wasn't afraid of falling in love.

He was afraid of what had made Aanya believe she had to hide her pain behind a smile.

And somewhere in another part of the city...

Someone was watching Aanya's house from inside a parked black car.

The mysterious stranger looked at an old photograph of a little girl wearing a silver pendant.

The same pendant Aanya still wore every day.

He whispered,

"I've finally found you."

To be continued...

The college campus was louder than usual.

The annual cultural festival was just a week away, and every corridor was filled with excited students discussing performances, decorations, and competitions.

"Aanya!" Riya shouted, running toward her. "You better sign up for the dance performance."

Aanya gasped dramatically. "Do you want the judges to cancel the entire festival?"

"Oh, please."

"I'm serious! Last time I danced, my own reflection looked disappointed."

The girls burst into laughter, and even a few nearby students couldn't help smiling.

From the classroom doorway, Aarav watched the scene quietly. Aanya looked exactly like the cheerful girl everyone adored. She laughed loudly, teased everyone, and made ordinary moments feel special.

But now that he knew the truth, he noticed the tiny details no one else did.

The smile that faded for a second when no one was looking.

The tiredness hidden beneath her bright eyes.

The way she absentmindedly held the silver pendant around her neck whenever she felt anxious.

Classes ended earlier than expected.

Aanya waved goodbye to Riya and started walking toward the bus stop alone.

As she reached the main road, a sleek black car pulled over a few feet ahead of her.

The driver's door opened.

A man in his early forties stepped out. His clothes were elegant, but his eyes carried a sadness that seemed far older than him.

He looked at Aanya as if he had been searching for her for years.

Then his gaze dropped to the silver pendant hanging around her neck.

His hands trembled.

"...Aanya?" he whispered.

She frowned.

"I'm sorry... do I know you?"

Instead of answering, he carefully pulled an old photograph from his wallet.

It showed a little girl with bright eyes, hugging a stuffed rabbit while wearing the exact same silver pendant.

Aanya's breathing slowed.

The little girl looked exactly like her.

"W-Where did you get this?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The man's eyes filled with emotion.

"I've been looking for you for eighteen years..."

Before he could say another word, another black SUV suddenly stopped nearby.

The man's expression changed instantly.

Fear replaced relief.

"It's not safe," he said urgently, slipping the photograph back into his pocket. "Not yet."

He hurried into his car and drove away before Aanya could stop him.

She stood frozen on the roadside, her heart pounding.

Who was he?

And why did he know her name?

That night, sleep refused to come.

She pulled out an old wooden box hidden beneath her bed.

Inside were the few memories she had of her childhood—a tiny sweater, a broken toy rabbit, and a faded family photograph.

Her fingers trembled as she looked closer.

Standing beside little Aanya was an adult whose face had been carefully torn away.

Only a hand resting gently on her shoulder remained.

Someone had deliberately erased that person.

Aanya hugged the photograph to her chest.

"What happened before I could remember?"

The next morning, Aarav immediately noticed the dark circles beneath her eyes.

Without saying a word, he placed a warm cup of coffee and her favorite chocolate on her desk.

"You looked like you needed these," he said softly.

Aanya looked at him, surprised.

"You always know when I'm pretending to be okay, don't you?"

Aarav met her eyes and smiled gently.

"You don't have to smile all the time."

For the first time in years...

Someone had noticed the pain she had spent a lifetime hiding.

And somewhere far away, the mysterious man stared at another photograph.

"This time," he whispered, "I'll protect you... no matter who comes after us."

To be continued...