The next few days passed like a slow, steady current, neither rushing forward nor holding back. Karthik found himself waking up with a newfound sense of peace, the weight of his past darkness still present but easier to manage now. The heaviness he used to carry was lighter, somehow.
Ananya's presence had become his anchor—steadier than the storm he once fought in his mind. But even with that comfort, he could still feel the quiet hum of unease at the edges of his thoughts.
Was he truly worthy of this peace? This affection? This new chapter with her?
Every time he looked at her, though, his doubts receded a little further. It was the way she laughed at his awkwardness, the way she defended him from the teasing boys in class, the way she just was—genuine and full of life, no pretenses.
But there were still moments, like when they sat together in class, or when their hands brushed ever so lightly, that his heart would stutter in his chest.
And then there was the way her eyes would linger on him, her gaze searching but not demanding, as though she could see right through his walls. The thought of her seeing everything that scared him, everything he was afraid to show, sent shivers down his spine.
One evening after school, as the rain drizzled lightly over the city, Ananya suggested they walk to the nearby park. She was quiet today, the usual spark in her eyes dimmed by something Karthik couldn't quite place.
"Hey," Karthik said, trying to break the silence, "you okay?"
Ananya nodded, but there was something off in the way she did it, like her mind was somewhere else. "Yeah. Just… thinking."
Karthik let it go, deciding not to press. They reached the park, a familiar spot where they often found a little solitude from the world. The rain had stopped, but the air was thick with the scent of wet earth.
They sat on the bench beneath a tree, the sounds of distant chatter from the school kids fading into the background. For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Finally, Ananya broke the silence. "Do you ever wonder if we're… rushing this?"
Karthik looked at her, surprised. "Rushing what?"
"This," she gestured vaguely between them, "us."
The question hung in the air, soft but heavy. Karthik didn't know how to answer right away, the words a little too complicated for him to untangle.
"Sometimes," he admitted, his voice quiet. "I think… maybe I'm not ready for this. Maybe we're moving too fast."
Ananya turned to face him fully now, her eyes steady. "You don't have to have it all figured out, Karthik. Neither of us do."
"But I want to be… enough," he said, his voice cracking just slightly. "Enough for you."
She reached out, gently cupping his cheek with her hand. Her touch was warm, grounding him in a way he couldn't explain. "You already are," she said softly. "You always have been."
Karthik closed his eyes for a brief moment, feeling the weight of her words sink into him, feeling her warmth spread through him. The doubts, the questions that had been swirling in his mind, seemed to quiet in that moment.
They stayed like that for a while, the world around them growing dimmer as the sun dipped below the horizon. The air grew colder, but neither of them moved. They didn't need to.
Ananya shifted closer, her shoulder brushing his. "I think," she began, "that it's okay to take our time. To figure it out together."
Karthik smiled, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. "Together," he echoed. He didn't need to know everything right now. As long as she was by his side, he could face whatever came next.
The shadows of the park seemed to embrace them, wrapping around them like a protective cloak. For the first time in a long time, Karthik felt that maybe—just maybe—he could step into the light without fear.
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End of chapter 108