Her legs barely carried her out of the stairwell. By the time Ananya stumbled into the courtyard, the night air felt heavy, pressing on her chest. Her books slipped from her arms, scattering across the stone bench. She didn't even bend to pick them up—her hands were shaking too badly.
"Ananya?"
Her head jerked up. Aarav stood a few feet away, brows furrowed, the glow from his phone screen outlining his face. He looked at her once, really looked, and in an instant the concern in his eyes cut deeper than any rumor.
"You're pale," he said, already closing the space. "What happened?"
"Nothing," she whispered, too quickly.
He crouched to gather her fallen books, stacking them neatly before holding them out. When she didn't take them, he set them gently beside her instead. "Ananya," his voice softened, "you don't have to do the 'I'm fine' routine with me."
Her throat tightened. She wanted to push him away, to guard the storm Riyan had left behind. But Aarav's patience—the quiet way he waited without pushing—broke her defenses.
Her eyes burned. "It's just…too much. The whispers. The looks. Like I'm some…joke everyone's in on."
His jaw clenched, a rare flash of steel in the usually easy-going Aarav. "They don't know you. They don't see what I see."
She blinked. "And what do you see?"
He hesitated, gaze lingering on her face—longer, softer. "Someone who's stronger than she realizes. Someone who doesn't deserve this chaos around her." His voice dropped. "Someone worth protecting."
The words struck her, warm and steady, so different from the blaze Riyan had lit inside her just moments ago. With Aarav, there was no firestorm—just shelter. Safety.
Before she could stop herself, her shoulders slumped, and she let out a shaky breath. "Aarav…"
He didn't wait for her to finish. His hand brushed hers, tentative but sure, fingers curling around her trembling ones. "You don't have to explain. Just…let me be here."
And for the first time that night, she let herself lean. Her head rested against his shoulder, his quiet presence wrapping around her like a shield.
But deep down, beneath the comfort, something twisted painfully. Because even as Aarav steadied her, her pulse betrayed her—still racing for the boy who'd just walked away.