Unspoken Wounds

As Vansh left the corridor , stopping at the stairs, his thoughts tangled in confusion. Why does she keep choosing me? Over and over again... He clutched his comic book, flipping it open in an attempt to distract himself, but the words blurred. He couldn't focus. His mind circled back to an earlier thought—"Don't read comics in the classroom." It was a simple rule, yet somehow, that small restriction connected to the odd sense of unease lingering in him.

Meanwhile, back in the classroom, Aanya took her seat, her eyes lingering on Vansh's empty chair. Something about his absence felt off. Dhanush, from his seat , noticed her staring and felt strangely uneasy—relieved that she was still trying to befriend Vansh, but disturbed by On the other… that stare . The class went on without issue, but the tension in the air remained.

When the lunch bell rang, students rushed out, filling the hallways with chatter and movement. Vansh, however, returned to the classroom, taking out his lunch as if nothing had happened. He deliberately ignored Aanya, trying to pretend she wasn't even there. But then, from the corner of his eye, he noticed something odd—Aanya wasn't eating. She just sat there, staring at her lunchbox, unmoving.

At first, he tried to brush it off. Not my problem. He continued eating, but as time passed, the sight of her just sitting there started to bother him. It wasn't like she was talking to anyone or waiting for something—she simply wasn't eating. His irritation turned into frustration. He set his spoon down. "Why aren't you eating your lunch?"

She didn't respond.

That ticked him off even more. "Don't ignore me!"

His voice wasn't loud, but it was firm enough to draw brief glances from a few classmates. Yet no one cared enough to interfere, returning to their own conversations. But Vansh wasn't about to let it go.

Srujan, mid-bite of his own food, looked up in surprise. Seeing her gesture for him to come closer, he hesitated, then approached. Without hesitation, she held out her lunchbox. "Take it."

Both Vansh and Srujan blinked in confusion.

Srujan frowned. "What?"

"I'm not interested in these things. You can have it." Her voice was calm, indifferent, as if this was something completely ordinary.

Vansh ran a hand through his hair. He knew what she was doing. She was still being stubborn about her so-called wish. She's really pulling this stunt just to get what she wants?

This girl…

A tight frustration settled in his chest. He exhaled, rubbing his temple. "Fine," he muttered. "I'll… take you around the school."

Aanya tilted her head. "I heard something?"

"You heard me," Vansh repeated, his voice quieter, reluctant.

That was all she needed to hear. A bright smile spread across her face as she casually pulled back her lunchbox and opened it.

Dhanush, who had been watching silently, felt an odd mix of emotions. Why is she making such a big deal out of Vansh? He had been watching her closely, and this wasn't just normal curiosity. She was making Vansh her focus, but why?

Before he could dwell on it further, Aanya finally opened her lunch. What the three of them saw left them momentarily stunned. Inside the box was nothing but a fruit drink and a small pack of jelly. No proper meal, nothing substantial.

She ate—or rather, gulped it down in a few seconds—then took out a water bottle and swallowed a couple of pills.

Vansh stared, speechless.

Something about her actions unsettled him in a way he couldn't explain.

For the first time, Vansh wasn't just annoyed. He was speechless. What the hell is this girl doing?

Vansh wanted to ask about it, but he kept silent. As soon as the bell rang, signalling the end of the lunch break, students returned to their seats. However, no one was taking out their books yet—just chatting and killing time. Srujan went back to his seat, while Dhanush, still observing everything with sharp eyes, remained focused. Then, Aanya turned to Vansh and spoke with casual confidence, "Let's go."

Vansh blinked, taken aback. "Class is about to start."

Aanya tilted her head slightly, her lips curling into a small smile. "Not for another hour. It's basically free time. So, let's go."

Something about her words made Vansh feel as if this was all planned by her from the beginning. He exhaled, feeling an odd mix of reluctance and inevitability. He couldn't deny her—not right now. Pushing aside his hesitation, he stood up, walked toward the door, and stepped out, Aanya following right behind him.

As soon as they left, Dhanush stood abruptly, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. Meanwhile, Srujan, who had been lazily watching them leave, muttered under his breath, "No way… Is she actually—?" Before he could complete his ridiculous thought, Dhanush grabbed his collar and yanked him up.

"We're following them."

"O-Oi! First, let go of my collar!" Srujan coughed, struggling. "And second, why are we even—"

"Shut up. We're spies now. Isn't this fun?" Dhanush said, dragging him along with an unusual level of determination.

Srujan, initially confused, gave him a long stare. But then, realization dawned, and his expression lit up with excitement. "Wait… This actually is kinda fun."

Up ahead, Vansh walked in silence, his hands in his pockets, with Aanya just a step behind him. Despite the lack of conversation, she seemed unbothered, as if waiting for him to speak first. The tension between them was subtle but unmistakable.

Behind them, their two self-appointed "spies" crouched behind a pillar attached to the wall, peeking out like characters straight out of a detective manga. Srujan even mimicked holding an imaginary walkie-talkie, whispering into it, "Target in sight. Mission ongoing."

Srujan whispered, "Why exactly are we following them again?"

Dhanush sighed. "If I don't keep an eye on you, you'll say something stupid later."

"Hey! I'm perfectly capable of being subtle—"

"You literally just gasped out loud two minutes ago."

Srujan pouted but then refocused on their mission. Watching Vansh and Aanya from a distance, he leaned closer and whispered excitedly, "So… what do you think is going on between them? Aanya's totally got some kind of plan, right?"

Dhanush just shook his head. He didn't have an answer—only one thought lingering in his mind: Just what is she up to?

Vansh, still quiet, was about to speak when Aanya suddenly broke the silence. "Why aren't you saying anything? You should be showing me around and explaining things."

He glanced at her and let out a small sigh of irritation. He wanted to say something, but he kept silent. Aanya puffed up her cheeks in protest.

"Fine," Vansh said, exasperated. He pointed lazily. "You see that door? Those windows? That ceiling? That pillar?"

As he turned slightly to continue, his gaze flickered to the side—just in time to catch a glimpse of Dhanush and Srujan peeking at them from behind the pillar. In a split second, they ducked out of sight, Srujan dramatically clutching his chest as if caught in enemy territory.

Suspicious, Vansh took a step toward them, but Aanya tugged on his sleeve. "Don't mess around. You said you'd show me around!"

He sighed again. She was the one who requested this in the first place, yet now she was scolding him? It was pointless to argue.

As they stepped forward, a small group of students walked toward them. Vansh, keeping his pace, glanced at Aanya. The moment they brushed past the crowd, he instinctively reached for her hand, making sure she didn't get separated from him.

Aanya felt the warmth of his touch, her heart skipping a beat. The crowd passed, but Vansh still held her hand. Realizing it a second too late, he quickly let go. "Alright, let's go. I'll show you around properly."

Aanya barely responded. Her attention was elsewhere—on her own hand, which still held the lingering warmth of Vansh's grip. A tiny smile played on her lips before she quickly masked it, pretending as if nothing had happened.

Meanwhile, behind them, Dhanush and Srujan found themselves in the same predicament. As the group of students passed, they, too, had gotten separated—only for Dhanush to realize he was now holding hands with Srujan.

Srujan's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Oh my, Dhanush, is this your way of confessing?"

Dhanush immediately let go, stepping back in horror. "Shut up!"

Srujan dramatically clutched his chest. "No! You held my hand first! I won't let go that easily!" He reached out again, wiggling his fingers in a teasing manner.

Dhanush groaned, rubbing his temples. "I regret everything right now."

Srujan grinned. "No regrets. You made a commitment."

Dhanush, fed up, simply started walking faster. "I swear if you don't stop—"

Srujan chased after him, still giggling. "Darling, wait for me!"

Vansh, meanwhile, had forgotten about the two suspicious spies tailing them. He absentmindedly started explaining as he led Aanya through the school. He pointed out classrooms, the art and craft rooms, a small music room, and the AV room, as well as the teachers' cabins assigned to each grade. He also explained how the school was structured, with nursery and first grade on the ground floor, second and third grade on the first floor, and the seniors—fourth and fifth graders—occupying the top floor. Of course, he saved his favourite part for last—the rooftop.

Aanya listened with interest, though her attention frequently drifted toward her own hand. Even though Vansh had let go, she could still feel the lingering sensation of warmth. Meanwhile, Vansh was completely immersed in his explanation, unaware of the small smile forming on her lips.

Behind them, Dhanush and Srujan were still tailing them. Srujan, growing bored, finally groaned, "Now what? They're just walking and talking. We have nothing to do."

Dhanush, amused by how easily Srujan lost patience, stopped in his tracks. "Let's leave."

Srujan, surprisingly, objected. "Huh? Why in the middle?"

Dhanush, however, had noticed something. Vansh—who rarely ever looked anything but serious—had a small, almost invisible sense of peace around him. A genuine, subtle moment of happiness. Dhanush smirked. "Vansh's having a good time. Let him be."

Srujan, staring at Vansh and Aanya together, sighed in relief. "Fine, fine. Let's go." Then, with a mischievous grin, he added, "Unless you want to hold hands again?"

Dhanush glared. "Shut up."

And with that, they walked off, leaving Vansh and Aanya to their little tour.

Vansh noticed her voice was still cracked as she spoke. He also remembered the pills she took during lunch. He wanted to ask, but the past held him back. His mind drifted to memories he wished would stay buried.

He recalled the cruel words scribbled across his books and desk. The way they pushed him into a bucket of white paint, laughing, mocking—"Now your whiteness will return!" The humiliation still clung to him, even now. He clenched his fists slightly, trying to push the thoughts away.

A sudden tap on his shoulder snapped him back. Aanya was waving a hand in front of his face, her expression puzzled. "Are you even listening?"

Vansh blinked, realizing she was watching him, concern flickering in her eyes. She smiled, breaking the tension. "Thanks for the tour. You explained everything really well!" Then, tilting her head playfully, she added, "But you know, it'd be much better if you smiled a little while talking. It might lighten the mood."

Vansh glanced at her and sighed. "Stay in your limits. Taking you around was my first mistake. Now that I'm done, I'm leaving you back."

Aanya only giggled at his grumpiness as they both made their way back to the classroom, finding their seats. But something felt different—off.

A few lingering stares fixed themselves on Vansh. Whispers floated around the room.

"She's getting close to Vansh..."

"He's going to bring her down with him."

Soft murmurs, but sharp enough to cut through the air. Vansh kept his head down, gripping the edge of his desk, pretending not to hear. His jaw tensed, but he forced himself to stay indifferent.

Srujan, however, caught every word. His gaze met Dhanush's, and he clicked his tongue in frustration. He didn't like this. Not one bit.

Aanya, oblivious for now, was still smiling from their earlier walk. But Srujan knew—if this kept up, she wouldn't stay unaware for long.

The peaceful time Vansh and Aanya had shared was coming to an end. And trouble was just around the corner.