the boy who started to notice

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...

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