Chapter 5: Unspoken Words

The week following the party passed in a blur of festival preparations, schoolwork, and increasingly awkward interactions with Kunal. Vidushi was trying her best to focus on the festival and her responsibilities as the leader of her group, but somehow, it always seemed to circle back to him.

Every time their paths crossed, her heart would race for reasons she couldn’t quite explain, and that irritated her. She wasn’t the type of person to let emotions mess with her priorities, but Kunal had this uncanny ability to throw her off balance. He’d show up at the festival rehearsals, offering suggestions that, annoyingly, worked. Or he’d linger by the bleachers, watching her, and for some strange reason, that made her skin prickle with awareness.

Today, Vidushi was seated by the table organizing the decorations for the event, carefully lining up materials when she noticed Kunal approaching. Her initial instinct was to ignore him, but that stubborn streak she couldn’t shake took over.

“What is it now?” she asked, looking up at him from where she was seated, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

Kunal had a cup of coffee in his hand and a slightly amused expression on his face. “Still working hard, huh? You must be exhausted by now. I thought the whole school festival thing was supposed to be fun.”

Vidushi shrugged. “Fun? I didn’t sign up for fun. I signed up to make sure it runs smoothly.”

Kunal took a seat beside her, and Vidushi had to admit that the slight proximity of their bodies made her uncomfortable in ways she wasn’t ready to confront. She felt a pang of annoyance but tried to brush it off.

“Well, you seem to have everything under control. Can’t say the same about the other teams,” Kunal commented, gesturing toward some of the other festival groups that were running behind schedule.

Vidushi shot him a side glance. “I’m just doing my job. But you didn’t need to show up to remind me about it.”

Kunal raised his hands, mock-surrendering. “Hey, I’m just here to help. Don’t bite my head off.”

“Helping? Is that what you call it?” she muttered, rolling her eyes. “You’re just here to watch me burn out, aren’t you?”

There it was again—the sharp, unexpected sting in her chest when she looked at him. Why did everything feel like a game with him? Why did he make her second-guess every interaction, every moment?

Kunal didn’t seem to be bothered by her sarcasm. In fact, he seemed amused. “If I were watching you burn out, I’d have a front-row seat. But that’s not what I’m doing, is it?”

Vidushi turned away quickly, trying to hide the fact that she could feel herself growing flustered. She was never this easily rattled. Never.

“What do you want, Kunal?” she asked, changing the subject abruptly. “You’re always here, always offering ‘help,’ but what’s the catch?”

He leaned back, glancing around the room as if considering her question. “No catch. Just thought I could make the process smoother. I’m not as bad as you think.”

Vidushi snorted. “You’re right. You’re worse.”

Kunal smirked. “I’ll take that as a compliment. Anyway, what do you need help with?”

For a moment, Vidushi hesitated. She didn’t want to admit that she was feeling overwhelmed, but a part of her couldn’t help but appreciate his persistence. He was annoying, sure, but he was also efficient.

“You know what? If you’re so eager, help me with the festival decorations,” she said, tossing him a roll of ribbon. “This is the last thing I need to handle today.”

“Done,” Kunal replied instantly, and to her surprise, he didn’t complain or make a show of it. He just started working alongside her.

They spent the next hour in silence, wrapping the ribbon around a large banner. Vidushi kept her focus on the task, trying to ignore the feeling of his presence so close. But with every few minutes, she would catch him glancing at her, and a strange sort of tension filled the air.

She couldn’t help herself. She had to ask.

“Why are you really helping?” she blurted out, not looking at him. “What’s in it for you?”

Kunal paused, his hands stilling on the ribbon, and for the first time, there was a flicker of seriousness in his eyes. “Maybe I just want to get to know you better.”

Vidushi’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly looked up at him, trying to mask the sudden wave of heat rushing to her face. “What?”

He gave her a small smile, but there was something in it—something genuine. “I mean it, Vidushi. You’re not what I expected. You’re a lot more... interesting than I gave you credit for.”

Vidushi wasn’t sure what to make of that. For a split second, she felt like she was about to say something she’d regret. Something that might tip this fragile balance between them, and she didn’t know if she was ready for that.

“Well, that’s your problem, not mine,” she said with a half-smile, trying to cover the uncertainty bubbling inside her. “I’m not here to be ‘interesting.’ I’m here to get this festival done right.”

Kunal chuckled, clearly unfazed. “Right. Just keep telling yourself that.”

The way he said it made her want to snap back at him, but instead, she just shook her head, focusing on the task at hand. The silence between them became more comfortable after that, but Vidushi couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted. She could sense the change in the air, and that made her uneasy. She wasn’t sure whether she wanted to embrace it or fight it. But whatever it was, it was undeniable.

The day passed quickly, and as the bell rang, signaling the end of school, Vidushi grabbed her bag and made for the door.

“Hey, I’ll see you tomorrow, right?” Kunal called out from behind her.

Vidushi turned, catching a glimpse of his face before she answered. His expression was softer than usual, and that unexpected flicker in his eyes made her heart rate spike.

“Sure,” she replied, her voice steady, though the pulse in her ears told her otherwise. “You’ll see me tomorrow.”

As she left the classroom, she couldn’t shake the thought that things were starting to change, and she didn’t know if she was ready for it.

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