The morning buzz in the school courtyard was louder than usual. Posters flapped against the wind, students rushed around with paints and brushes, and the stage was being set for the inter-school art competition.
Karthik didn't usually care for such events. But today was different.
Ananya had signed up—much to everyone's surprise.
"I thought you hated competitions," Karthik said as they stood near the registration desk.
"I do," she replied, tying her hair into a bun. "But Ms. Bhavani kind of pushed me into it. Said I should 'show my emotional maturity through art.' Ugh."
He smirked. "You mean like drawing hearts around our names?"
She punched his arm lightly. "Keep teasing and I will draw you bald."
The event began. One hour. One theme. "What Does Home Mean to You?"
Karthik sat in the audience section, arms folded, watching as Ananya took her seat near the easel, brush in hand, expression calm but intense.
He had never seen her like this—focused, graceful, and completely in her own world.
Her strokes were soft at first, then bold. Shapes started to form. A girl on a rooftop. Wind in her hair. Books scattered around. The faint outline of a boy nearby—watching her, not intruding.
When the final whistle blew, the audience erupted in applause for various entries.
But Karthik only had eyes for one canvas.
It wasn't flashy. It wasn't even finished fully.
But it felt like her.
After the show, he found her under the banyan tree, sipping juice.
"You drew us," he said quietly.
She didn't deny it. "I drew what makes me feel at home."
He blinked. "I make you feel like home?"
Ananya looked up at him, her usual sass stripped away. "Yeah. You do."
Karthik's throat tightened, words getting stuck somewhere between panic and joy.
She handed him a folded paper.
"I was going to wait," she said. "But… read it when you're alone."
She walked away before he could respond.
He unfolded the paper slowly. Her handwriting sprawled across it:
> You're not just the boy in the background anymore.
You're part of my story now.
Whether you realize it or not… you already hold a piece of my heart.
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End of Chapter 65