Monday mornings were always slow, but this one felt different. As Karthik stepped into school, he sensed eyes on him—more than usual. Whispers followed him down the hallway, some hushed, some giggling.
He caught snatches:
"Did you see them at the art competition?"
"I heard she gave him a love letter!"
"They're definitely dating."
He kept his head down, jaw tight, heart pounding.
At break, he found refuge in the corner of the library, flipping through a random history textbook just to look busy.
But it didn't take long.
Ananya slid into the seat across from him, a calm smile on her lips. "So… we're the talk of the school now."
He groaned. "They're calling it a love letter."
"Well, it was kind of a love letter," she teased.
Karthik looked up, eyes wide. "Wait, was it?"
She laughed. "Relax. I said kind of."
"But you wrote—"
"I know what I wrote," she interrupted, eyes warm. "But it's not a confession. It's just… honesty. From me to you. No pressure."
He looked away, unsure how to respond. The idea of being seen like that made him nervous.
"You okay?" she asked gently.
"I'm not used to this much attention."
She nodded. "You'll get used to it. Or you won't. Either way, I'll still be around."
That settled him. A little.
But the rumors didn't fade. In the next class, their names were written on the board by pranksters. Heart doodles, "K+A" scribbles on notebooks, and whispers wherever they went.
By lunch, it got worse.
Some seniors cornered Karthik near the canteen.
"Oye, poet boy," one jeered. "Scoring the school queen, huh?"
He didn't answer.
Another one leaned in. "You think you're better than us now, walking around with Ananya?"
Just when it was about to turn ugly, Ananya showed up.
"Back off," she said sharply, stepping between them and Karthik.
The boys backed away, laughing it off, but not before muttering more nonsense under their breath.
Karthik stood frozen.
She turned to him, face stern. "You need to speak up for yourself."
"I didn't know what to say," he admitted.
"You don't have to be loud, Karthik," she said. "Just clear. You deserve respect."
He looked at her, something shifting inside.
For the first time, he didn't feel like just the quiet boy with a dark mind.
He felt like someone worth standing up for.
---
End of Chapter 66