Chapter 2: Eyes That Never Blinked

Avni didn't sleep well that night.

The message replayed in her mind like a whisper in a tunnel—faint, unsettling, but impossible to ignore.

"Don't walk in the rain. You might catch a cold."

It wasn't romantic.

It wasn't threatening.

It was... unnaturally personal.

She had looked around after reading it. Checked if anyone was watching. Nothing. Just her ceiling fan spinning lazily and her shadow flickering on the wall.

But something felt off.

---

The next day at college, Avni scanned the faces more carefully.

She didn't know who she was searching for. But her eyes halted for a second longer when they passed over him—the boy from the rain.

Same place. Same quiet presence. Same unreadable eyes.

He wasn't looking at her today.

Or maybe... that's what it was supposed to look like.

"Avni, are you okay?" Tanya asked, biting into her sandwich.

"You've been spacing out."

"Yeah. Just didn't sleep well," she lied.

Should she mention the message?

Would it sound paranoid?

---

Meanwhile...

Aarav sat on the bench near the garden, half-hidden behind a newspaper.

He didn't need to see her face to know her mood.

He could sense it.

She was confused.

She was curious.

And that was perfect.

He had read enough about emotional triggers, human behavior, and how the mind reacted when it's slightly shaken. Avni was entering that phase now.

The space between them wasn't distance anymore.

It was pull.

---

That evening, Avni went to the library alone.

Her friends were attending a workshop, and she needed some peace. Her footsteps echoed as she walked to the second row, her usual seat.

But the seat wasn't empty.

He was already there.

Aarav.

Reading a thick book on criminal psychology.

He looked up slowly, as if surprised.

Their eyes met for the second time.

This time, longer.

This time, something shifted.

"Hi," Avni said, surprising even herself.

He blinked once. "Hi."

His voice was deeper than she imagined. Calm. Like still water hiding a storm underneath.

"You come here often?" she asked.

Aarav closed the book gently. "Only when I need silence."

Avni smiled lightly. "Then today's your unlucky day. I talk a lot."

He didn't smile back.

Instead, he just said, "I know."

Her eyebrows rose. "You… know?"

He paused. Just for a breath too long. "You always sit here. Second row. Window side. You hum when you read."

Avni's smile faded. Her throat tightened.

It wasn't the words. It was how he said them—like he'd memorized her.

"Have we met before?" she asked, voice careful.

Aarav tilted his head. "Not really. But I notice things. People don't see what they don't look for."

A beat of silence.

Avni picked up her book and sat on the opposite chair. Half part of her screamed to leave. The other half… stayed.

"That's a little creepy, you know," she said softly.

He finally smiled.

But it wasn't warm.

It was quiet. Controlled.

"I don't mean to be," he said. "I just… observe what matters."

---

Avni didn't remember what she read that evening.

She felt eyes on her—not constantly, but enough to keep her heart unsettled. When she finally got up to leave, Aarav remained seated.

"Goodnight," she said politely.

He looked up. "Take care."

She walked away quickly.

Her hands shook as she clutched her bag strap.

She didn't know why.

---

Later that night...

Aarav stared at the empty chair she had occupied.

He had finally spoken to her.

It wasn't how he'd imagined it.

It was better.

Because now… she had heard him.

Now she would remember his voice.

His face.

His presence.

That was the beginning.

Now came the middle.

---

Three Days Later

Avni received another message.

This time, it wasn't from an unknown number.

It was a hand-written note inside her notebook.

Tucked between pages. Carefully.

It read:

> You looked tired today. Did you not sleep again? I hope the world is being kind to you. If not, let me know. I'll fix it.

No name.

No signature.

Just... knowing words.

Avni's fingers trembled as she read it again.

She looked around the library. Everyone was busy.

Who was doing this?

She could guess. But she didn't want to.

She folded the note and shoved it deep into her bag.

Her heart beat faster than usual.

This wasn't a game.

Someone was watching her far more closely than they should.

---

That night, Avni double-locked her room.

She didn't sleep.

She couldn't.

And somewhere across the city, in a room lit only by dim yellow light and shadows, Aarav sat staring at her picture on the wall.

A soft smile on his lips.

He whispered:

"You noticed me. You read my words. You smiled again."

He closed his eyes.

She was one step closer.

And soon… she wouldn't take a step without him.

---

To Be Continued...