The school auditorium echoed with the sharp beat of the thavil and the shimmer of film songs remixed into classical rhythms. Culturals were only two days away, and everyone was buzzing with energy—or stress. Or both.
Ananya stood at the center of the stage, giving directions with precision and poise.
"No, no, the spin comes after the beat drops! And Arjun, please stop looking at your feet like they're going to betray you!"
Karthik sat in the first row of seats, holding her water bottle like some unpaid assistant. He wasn't sure why he was there—he didn't even like crowds—but something about watching her in her element calmed him.
And maybe, just maybe, he liked the way she'd smile at him between routines, like he was her secret anchor.
"You've been here since morning," she said, finally hopping down from the stage. Her cheeks were flushed, and wisps of hair clung to her forehead.
"Voluntary suffering," he said with a straight face.
"You're dramatic."
"You make me dramatic."
She laughed, then took a swig of water. "Hey… I've been meaning to ask. Do you want to… maybe… join our final group performance?"
Karthik nearly choked. "What?"
"It's a fusion dance. We're adding a storytelling bit through body language. You don't have to actually dance-dance. Just act. You're a good actor. You do that broody face all the time."
He raised an eyebrow. "You want me… on stage… in front of people?"
"You'll be with me," she said, and that one line did something strange to his stomach.
He stared at her, then nodded slowly. "If I embarrass myself, I'm blaming you forever."
"Deal," she said, grinning.
Later that evening, as they walked down the corridor side by side, Karthik glanced at her and murmured, "You know, I never imagined myself doing this. Any of this. Being here. With you."
Ananya looked up, eyes soft. "Neither did I. But here we are."
And for a fleeting second, the noise of the school melted into the background.
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End of Chapter 73