He wasn't just watching her… he was smiling."
Aanya didn't sleep.
Not even for a second.
Her eyes stayed fixed on the ceiling.
Her mind replaying one thing again and again—
That silhouette.
That face.
That smile.
"A boy…" she whispered.
Not old.
Not scary-looking.
Not what she expected.
"That's even worse," she groaned, pulling the blanket over her face.
"Why is he smiling like that?? This is not a romantic movie 😭"
Her phone buzzed.
She instantly grabbed it.
📩 Unknown Number:
"Good morning."
Aanya narrowed her eyes.
"YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY??"
💬 "You didn't sleep, did you?"
Seen.
Typing…
📩
"Neither did you."
She froze.
"…how does he know?"
💬 "Stop acting like you can see everything."
📩
"I don't need to see everything."
Pause.
📩
"Just you."
Aanya blinked.
"…okay what??"
Her cheeks warmed slightly.
"NO. Not blushing. Control 😭"
💬 "You're creepy."
📩 "You're still replying."
💬 "Because I need answers."
📩 "You'll get them."
She sat up.
Serious now.
💬 "Who was that boy?"
Long pause.
Too long.
Typing…
Stopped.
Her patience snapped.
💬 "The one in the window."
Seen.
📩
"You'll meet him today."
Her heart dropped.
"…no."
💬 "I'm not meeting anyone."
📩
"You already are."
Before she could reply—
Her doorbell rang.
Aanya froze.
Completely still.
"No way."
📩
"Open the door."
Her breath stopped.
"…you're joking."
📩
"Am I?"
The bell rang again.
Louder this time.
More impatient.
"AANYA! Door!" her mom shouted from downstairs.
Her heart raced.
"This can't be happening."
Slowly…
very slowly…
she walked toward the door.
Each step heavier than the last.
Her hand reached the handle.
Paused.
"What if it's him?"
"What if it's not?"
"What if—"
📩
"Don't think so much."
She inhaled sharply.
"How does he—"
"AANYA!!" her mom yelled again.
"COMING!" she shouted back.
And opened the door.
Standing there—
Was him.
The boy from the window.
Same face.
Same eyes.
Same annoying, confident smile.
"Hi," he said casually.
"Finally met you in daylight."
Aanya stared.
Speechless.
"You're—"
"Alive? Real? Handsome?" he grinned.
"—INSANE," she snapped.
He laughed.
Actually laughed.
"Okay wow, first impression = strong."
She stepped back.
"Why are you here??"
He leaned slightly on the doorframe.
Relaxed.
Like he owned the moment.
"You were going to meet me anyway."
Her eyes widened.
"You—"
"You saw me last night," he added.
Silence.
"You were the one watching me??"
"Watching is a strong word," he shrugged.
"Observing sounds better."
"GET OUT," she pointed outside.
He raised his hands.
"Okay okay, calm down. I'm not here to kidnap you 😭"
She blinked.
"…you better not."
"I wouldn't. Too much effort."
"EXCUSE ME??"
He smirked.
"You'd probably talk non-stop and ruin the plan."
Aanya gasped.
"RUDE."
He laughed again.
God, that laugh.
Why was it… nice?
"Anyway," he said, straightening.
"I'm Vivaan."
She folded her arms.
"I didn't ask."
"I know. I still told you."
She rolled her eyes.
"Of course you did."
Awkward silence.
Then—
📩 Phone buzz.
Both of them looked at her phone.
Aanya slowly picked it up.
Opened the message.
📩 Unknown Number:
"See? I told you."
Her stomach dropped.
She looked up at Vivaan.
Slowly.
Carefully.
"…are you texting me?"
Vivaan frowned.
"What?"
She held up the phone.
"Don't act dumb."
He stepped closer.
Looked at the screen.
His expression changed.
Confusion.
Real confusion.
"That's not me."
Aanya's heart skipped.
"…don't lie."
"I'm not."
Silence.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
📩
"Ask him."
Her fingers trembled.
💬 "Are you the one texting me?"
She showed him.
Vivaan read it.
Then looked at her.
"Tell them—no."
Aanya swallowed.
💬 "He says no."
Seen.
Long pause.
📩
"He lies."
Aanya's breath caught.
She looked at Vivaan.
He looked… serious now.
No smirk.
No teasing.
"Okay," he said quietly.
"Now I'm interested."
"…in what?" she asked.
He looked at her.
Directly.
"In finding out who's playing this game."
Aanya felt something shift.
Fear was still there.
But now—
There was something else.
Curiosity.
And something she didn't want to admit yet—
Excitement.
📩 Phone buzzed again.
She opened it.
📩
"Trust me."
Pause.
📩
"Not him."
Aanya looked up slowly.
Vivaan was already looking at her.
And for the first time—
He didn't look confident.
He looked… worried