Over the next few days, their evening calls became a routine. What usually began around six or seven would stretch on for hours without any of them noticing. True to his promise, Arnav never spoke a word about their conversation to anyone at school.
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As the days passed, Anvi discovered a different side of Rishan—his love for music, his singing, and the way he could turn an ordinary evening into something enjoyable. She began looking forward to those calls. Before she realized it, he had become one of her closest friends.
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Arnav, on the other hand, was different.
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He had never crossed a line or made her uncomfortable, yet she couldn't shake the feeling that being too friendly might give him the wrong idea. The thought alone made her second-guess her words. She didn't dislike him—far from it—but she wanted to make sure he never mistook her kindness for something more.
_________________________________________________
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Anvi had slowly started enjoying the JEE classes. More than the lessons, it was the time she spent talking and laughing with her friends that made every evening memorable.
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Yet, something felt different.
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More than once, she had the strange feeling that someone was watching her. Every time she turned around, nothing seemed unusual. Her intuition had rarely been wrong, but she chose to keep the feeling to herself. There was no point in worrying her friends without knowing the reason.
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The girls from 11A often exchanged knowing smirks whenever she walked by. Jay's constant presence only added to her discomfort. Although their fathers had known each other for years, Anvi had never spoken to him. There was something about the way he carried himself that she simply didn't like, so she kept her distance.
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A few of her 10th-grade batchmates approached her on Jay's behalf. They began with casual conversations, but before long, they asked for her phone number.
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Anvi smiled politely.
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"If there's anything to talk about, we can talk at school. There's nothing to discuss over the phone."
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Her answer was firm but respectful. The conversation ended there, yet the uneasy feeling refused to leave her.
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A few days later...
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That evening, Anvi sat with her parents and sister, laughing as she shared the funny incidents from school. At home, they were more like friends than strict parents, making it easy for her to speak openly.
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She giggled while describing how Jay and his friend would wait near the school gate every evening until either her father or sister arrived to pick her up. Her sister dramatically acted out the way Jay reacted whenever she gave him a fierce look, making everyone burst into laughter.
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Once the laughter faded, Anvi's father looked at her seriously.
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"If he ever makes you feel uncomfortable, tell me immediately. I'll speak to his father and make sure he understands."
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Anvi nodded with a smile.
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Her mother gently interrupted, "Alright, enough talking for today. Everyone, go to bed."
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The family exchanged a few final smiles before calling it a night.
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The next day...
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As always, Anvi struggled to stay awake during Physics and Chemistry classes.
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As her Physics teacher explained the lesson, Anvi rested her chin on her hand, desperately trying to keep her eyes open.
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"Why does Physics always make me so sleepy?" she thought.
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Unable to bear it any longer, she asked her teacher for permission to step outside for a short break.
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As she walked along the corridor, her eyes landed on one of the senior boys.
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Without thinking, she smiled brightly.
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He smiled back.
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Anvi paused for a moment.
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"Was that... a crush?"
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She shrugged to herself.
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"Maybe. That's all."
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Feeling oddly cheerful, she returned to her classroom.
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The moment she entered, she hurried towards Nila, Ishita , and Mishra .
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"I think I have a crush on a senior," she announced excitedly.
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Ishita 's eyes widened.
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"What? Which senior? Which section?"
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Anvi blinked.
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"Wait... you have a crush on a senior too?"
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Ishita nodded shyly.
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"Aww, that's okay," Anvi teased with a smile. "Show me your crush. Don't worry... maybe he won't reject you."
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A few moments later, Ishita quietly pointed him out.
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After the period ended, Anvi shook her head.
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"No... that's not him."
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She tried to describe the senior she had seen.
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"He wears glasses with a red frame. He's not very tall... and he has a moustache."
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The girls immediately became curious, trying to guess who he was.
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Soon, it was time for the next period.
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As usual, the entire class headed to XI-A for their combined class.
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This time, however, the seating arrangement was much more cramped than usual. There was barely enough space to walk between the benches.
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Ishita quickly found seats for Nila and Anvi beside Jay.
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Anvi wasn't happy about it.
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In fact, she hated the idea.
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Still, she quietly took her seat.
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Nila noticed the uncomfortable expression on her face.
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"Are you okay?" she asked softly as they began solving the problems.
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Anvi simply shook her head.
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"No."
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As the class continued, Jay tried several times to start a conversation with her.
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Anvi politely ignored him and kept her attention on the notebook in front of her.
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A few minutes later, she turned to Nila.
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"Do you have an eraser?"
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Nila searched her bag before shaking her head.
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"No."
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Hearing the conversation, Jay silently passed his eraser to Anvi.
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"Thanks," Anvi said with a grateful smile.
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She quietly prayed,
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"Please... let this class end soon."
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To her relief, the bell finally rang.
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Everyone quickly gathered their belongings and returned to their own classroom.
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As they settled into their seats, Anvi let out a dramatic sigh.
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"We still have one more period before we can finally go home."
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The others nodded in agreement.
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"Let's survive this last class."
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and then Add to home screen.