Chapter 2 — Glimpses and Moments.
Sakshi kept her head down as she walked toward the hall for the competition. Her left side throbbed faintly, a dull reminder that she wasn’t entirely comfortable in the bustling crowd. She clutched her books tighter, weaving carefully through groups of students laughing, talking, and showing off their confidence.
She caught sight of him again — Vivaan, leaning casually near the entrance, laughing with a few seniors. He was taller, older, and somehow completely at ease in the chaos. For a brief moment, she froze, her eyes flicking toward him, then she looked away, forcing herself to keep moving.
He noticed her, of course. His eyes followed her small, awkward steps, the way she moved with careful precision, head lowered, arms slightly folded over her chest. There was something delicate about her, something that made him pause. He wanted to say hello — just something small — but she walked past before he could speak.
The competition began. Students crowded into the hall, arranging themselves in groups, checking their materials, whispering strategies to teammates. Sakshi tried to blend into the corner, staying silent, cautious, keeping herself small.
Yet, every now and then, she felt it: his gaze. A quick glance in her direction. A subtle tilt of his head, acknowledging her presence. Not demanding conversation, just noticing. It made her heart race, though she kept her expression neutral, focusing on her own tasks.
At one point, their group was called for a paired activity. Vivaan’s group was just beside hers. He leaned slightly toward her, speaking softly so only she could hear. “Hey… you’re in 9th, right?”
Sakshi froze. Her heart skipped. She didn’t respond immediately, just shifted her weight and murmured her name, barely audible.
“Nice to meet you,” he added gently, giving her a small, encouraging smile. He didn’t try to crowd her, didn’t push. He simply waited, giving her space while still acknowledging her.
Sakshi felt a strange warmth, a fluttering she didn’t understand. Her cheeks burned, and she looked down, trying to hide the way her heart was beating faster than it should. She wanted to retreat, to become invisible again, but something about the softness in his voice and the gentleness of his attention made her pause — just slightly — longer than usual.
Vivaan noticed. He didn’t comment, didn’t tease. He simply smiled, as if to say, it’s okay, no rush. And for Sakshi, that unspoken understanding was… strange, comforting, and new.
Even as she moved through the tasks of the competition, keeping to herself, she kept stealing small glances at him, and he subtly noticed back. Neither spoke much, but a quiet connection had begun — like two threads slowly weaving together, delicate, tentative, and fragile.
By the end of the first round, Sakshi had not said a single word to him, yet her heart felt heavier and lighter at the same time. Nervousness, curiosity, and something tender she didn’t yet understand fluttered inside her.
Vivaan, on the other hand, made a silent promise to himself: he would get to know her, slowly, gently, without breaking her walls. She was distant, quiet, careful — yet he couldn’t let her remain invisible to him.
And that was the beginning — the quiet, unspoken start of something neither of them yet had words for.
