Two years had passed since the sunlit corridors of Ahana's school first echoed with innocent giggles and stolen glances. Now, in 9th standard, she had grown—not just in height or grades, but in ways that couldn't be measured by report cards. Her hair was longer, her laughter softer, her eyes a little more hesitant—like she was always holding back something she didn't yet know how to say.

Anirudh, now in 10th, had also changed. The once lanky boy who'd nervously wait across the street after school was taller now, more confident around others, but quieter when it came to Ahana. The way he looked at the world had shifted. Somewhere between his chemistry practicals and cricket matches, he'd become something else—someone distant yet deeply familiar.

But here's what didn't change: Ahana's heart.

If anything, it had only become more tangled in his presence. She now behaves around kriti like don't have any feelings for Anirudh and Kriti belives it. She wore her feelings like invisible bracelets—always on her, always hidden. She had accepted that he'd never see her that way, not when Kriti was around. Beautiful, charming Kriti, who had a voice like springtime and a presence that made people gravitate toward her without trying.

Anirudh noticed her—of course, he did.

But it was Kriti he watched during lunch breaks, while pretending to focus on his book. It was Kriti whose Instagram stories he never missed. And it was Kriti who unknowingly occupied the space in his chest Ahana had once hoped to slip into quietly.

He didn't tell Kriti, though. He couldn't. It wasn't just fear—it was shame. What if she laughed? What if she pulled away? So he stayed silent, tucked his feelings into pockets of awkward jokes and group study sessions, always beside her but never too close.

Devansh, meanwhile, noticed everything.

He was in 11th grade now he had chance to get colleges he wants because of his money,family connections and most importantly he was clever. A quiet, brooding boy who didn't say much but always seemed to be there—in the background, watching. He wasn't part of the trio. Ahana, Anirudh, and Kriti were a unit. But Devansh had found a way to orbit Ahana's world without being noticed.

It had started innocently. A glance here. A smirk there. But slowly, Devansh had grown obsessed. He didn't understand what it meant yet, only that whenever Anirudh walked beside Ahana or made her laugh, something burned in his chest. A low, gnawing heat that twisted into jealousy.

He began to keep track.

Of where Anirudh went after class. Of how often he waited near Kriti's block. Of the way Ahana looked at Anirudh when she thought no one was watching.

Devansh watched everything.

He never meant to turn into a shadow. But soon, it became a part of his routine. He'd take the longer corridor if it meant seeing Ahana at her locker. He joined the art club because Ahana and Kriti were in it. He started sketching, not because he loved it, but because it meant sitting two benches behind Ahana during the activity period. His notebooks slowly filled with half-drawn faces, mostly hers.

Ahana, in her bright, distracted world, never noticed.

She was caught between her growing friendship with Anirudh and her quiet longing. She had become the kind of girl who gave advice to the boy she liked about the girl he liked. It hurt—but in a way she had gotten used to.

Sometimes, when they were alone, she would catch Anirudh staring at Kriti and laugh it off.

"Just tell her," she'd say, forcing a playful smile.

"I'm not that brave," he'd reply, not looking her in the eye.

"You're brave enough to argue with the principal about late attendance."

"That's different. That's survival."

Ahana would laugh, but deep down, a part of her chipped away each time. Still, she stood by him. If being his best friend was the closest she could be, she'd take it.

One evening, as the trio walked home from school, the sun cast long shadows across the pavement. Kriti was talking animatedly about her upcoming dance performance, and Anirudh was listening with a smile that Ahana wished was hers.

Devansh watched from across the street, blending into the crowd. He clenched his fists as he noticed how Anirudh's gaze lingered on Kriti. Not Ahana. Never Ahana.

Later that night, Ahana sat on her bed, scrolling through pictures of the three of them. She paused on one—taken during a school fest. Anirudh had his arm slung lazily around her shoulder, Kriti beside them flashing a victory sign. Ahana's eyes had been on Anirudh then too. And even in the photo, the truth was visible: she was looking at him, and he was looking at someone else.

That night, she cried silently into her pillow, not because she had been rejected, but because she hadn't even been considered.

Meanwhile, Anirudh lay in his room, staring at the ceiling. He wanted to tell Kriti, but every time he tried, something pulled him back. Maybe it was fear. Or maybe it was that his bond with Ahana was so strong, he didn't want to change it. He didn't even realize the small things he did—the way he always walked beside Kriti but texted Ahana first. The way he let Ahana into the vulnerable corners of his mind, while trying to impress Kriti with surface-level jokes.

And Devansh, awake in the stillness of the night, stared at Ahana's Instagram profile picture.Her account was private. He had memorized her profile picture and her other dump  account profile picture as well.

One day, he promised himself, Anirudh would disappear from her world. And when he did, Devansh would be there—waiting.And he will do it by himself.

The next week brought the school's inter-house competitions. Ahana and Kriti were on the same team. Anirudh volunteered to help organize the event. Devansh signed up too—just to stay close.

The field was buzzing with energy, but the emotional undercurrents were electric.

Anirudh tried to gather courage to talk to Kriti alone.

Ahana was cheering too loud, hoping her voice would drown her ache.

Devansh stood at the edge, watching them all. Watching Anirudh more closely than anyone.

And all the while, Ahana remained in the dark.

Before Anirudh and Ahana could tell Kriti about Anirudh's feeling Devansh did something which made everyone shock.

He proposed Kriti in front of everyone.