"In that one glance, my heart chose him before I could think."

*************************************

While Avnita was talking with Saanvika and Meher, someone else was listening to their conversation. Behind a door, there stood a person-someone Avnita had been extremely excited to meet, yet somewhere deep inside, she was also nervous.

But what will happen when that person finally stands in front of her? What will their reactions be when they meet for the second time? Did Avnita feel something... or was it that person who felt something-the one she had been waiting for all these days?

Then, as the conversation continued casually, that person quietly left from there and went to his room.

After a while, Avnita, Saanvika, and Meher came downstairs to the hall and sat on the sofa. The three of them were talking so normally, as if they had known each other for a long time, when Rani Sah Tarabai suddenly spoke, "Wow, the three of you have become such good friends."

Just then, Karnavati Rani Sah added, "Exactly... in such a short time, their bond has grown so strong." But there was a slight tone in her voice that hinted she wasn't entirely pleased with their friendship.

Rani Sah Tarabai then said, "You've all become very close-that's a good thing. Stay well together. And Avnita, Saanvika, you both should enjoy yourselves. If you face any problem, you can tell Meher or any of the staff here."

But somewhere deep down, Rani Sah Karnavati didn't seem to like how quickly Avnita had blended in with Meher. What kind of magic had Avnita worked on him that in such a short time, they had grown so close-so close that they had already become inseparable friends... even sharing cigarettes with each other?

As Avnita rose from her seat and made her way toward the dining hall to get some water, her steps slowed without her realizing it. A quiet thought lingered in her mind-what if, just maybe, she caught a glimpse of the person she had come here for? It was only a feeling, a fragile hope. She had no real reason to believe he would actually be there.

With each step she took, her heartbeat quickened, growing louder in her chest. It raced so fast that it felt as though it might betray her at any moment-anyone close enough could have sensed the storm within her.

And then... as she stepped further into the dining hall, her gaze lifted-and froze.

There he was.

The very person she had been waiting for.

The moment Avnita saw him, she froze.

She just... kept looking.

There was no expression on her face-none at all. It was as if she had seen something unreal, something that left her completely still. And yet, her eyes didn't move. She kept staring at him, continuously, as if the world around her had faded away.

Minutes passed like that.

Only after what felt like five long minutes did reality return to her. A sudden awareness struck-what was she even doing? Quickly, she gathered herself, her gaze shifting away as she forced herself back to her senses.

But by then, he hadn't looked at her even once.

He had no idea who she was... or that someone had been watching him for those long, silent minutes.

Completely unaware, he remained busy with his own world.

When he finally stepped out of his own world, his gaze lifted-and landed on Avnita.

They had met before. There was a past between them. But at that moment, Avnita was looking elsewhere, unaware of his eyes on her.

And then she turned.

Their eyes met.

In that single moment, everything was there-the emotions, the unspoken words, the quiet pull of something deeper... even a hint of love. It was as if their eyes spoke a language only they could understand.

They were lost in each other.

The world around them seemed to fade, losing its color, its presence-until it felt like only the two of them existed, standing in that moment, bound by nothing but a gaze they couldn't break.

The intensity of their eye contact was undeniable, almost overwhelming-something no words could truly capture.

But as the moment stretched on, as their eyes remained locked... something shifted.

Avnita noticed it first.

There was something strange in his gaze now-something distant, something guarded. As if, despite everything, he was trying to push her away.

As if he didn't want to let her come any closer.

The moment Avnita looked into his eyes, she didn't feel what she had come here hoping to feel. The very emotion she had carried with her-the quiet hope that had brought her here-shattered in an instant.

There was something different in his eyes now. Something unfamiliar. Was it anger? It was hard to tell... but his expression made one thing clear-seeing her had changed something in him.

His face had hardened, his gaze no longer soft but distant, almost cold.

What had happened so suddenly... that his entire expression changed the moment he saw her?

I don't know why... but the moment I saw her, something inside me ignited on its own-like a fire I couldn't control.

I don't understand what's happening to me.

This isn't what I felt the first time we met. Not even close.

What has she done to me... that I can't seem to exist without hating her? Why does just the sight of her make this anger rise so sharply within me?

We've never even talked. We've only met once.

Then how is it possible... to feel this much hatred for someone I don't even know?

She's never done anything wrong to me. Not once.

So why... why does it feel like this?

Could it be because of her father? But even then-why would I direct all this anger toward her?

Mahadev... show me a way.

Save me from this storm of thoughts consuming me from within.

And then... something shifted.

The anger didn't disappear-but it wavered.

For a fleeting second, as our eyes remained locked, that fire inside me flickered... as if something beneath it was trying to surface.

Something familiar.

Something I didn't want to recognize.

My gaze hardened again, almost instinctively, as if pushing that feeling back where it belonged. I couldn't let it take over. Not again.

But why did it feel like I was fighting myself?

Why did it feel like, no matter how much I tried to hold on to this anger... it kept slipping?

Her eyes-there was something in them.

Not fear. Not anger.

Something else.

Something that made my chest feel... heavy.

I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to look away for a second, breaking that unbearable connection. But even then, I could still feel it-her presence, her gaze, like it had wrapped itself around me.

This wasn't normal.

None of this was.

I took a slow breath, trying to steady the chaos inside me, but it only made things worse. Because now, along with the anger... there was something else creeping in.

Something I refused to name.

I looked at her again-just for a second.

And that second was enough to shake everything all over again.

I didn't understand what was happening to me...

But the moment I saw that spark in her eyes-that strange sense of warmth, of belonging-it did something to me.

Something I couldn't explain.

For a second... it felt like I didn't want to hate her.

And yet, at the same time, there were these thoughts-uninvited, persistent-filling my mind, pushing me back into that same cold expression. Telling me to hate her. To stay away. To feel nothing but distance.

I kept slipping back into it again and again.

As if I was forcing myself to hold onto a feeling that didn't even come naturally anymore.

But I couldn't.

I couldn't hate her the way I thought I should.

The conflict inside me grew louder, heavier-so overwhelming that I couldn't stand there any longer. Staying there felt impossible.

Leaving felt like the only option.

So without another thought, I picked up my breakfast, turned away... and walked back toward my room-

ignoring her.

***************************************

When I finally came back to my senses, all I could do was watch him walk away.

I just stood there... looking at him leave.

I couldn't say a word. It felt like my voice had disappeared, like something was stuck in my throat, refusing to let even a single sound escape. There were no words-only the emotions in my eyes... the same emotions I had carried with me for so many days, the ones that had brought me here.

And in just one moment... everything shattered.

Everything fell apart.

It felt like he would never be mine... like there was no "us" waiting somewhere in the future. As if whatever I had hoped for was never meant to exist.

These thoughts... they came so suddenly, taking over my mind completely. I didn't want to think like this-I really didn't-but somehow, they still found their way in.

Am I even worthy of love?

Will anyone ever love me?

I hated these questions. I didn't want them... but they wouldn't leave.

I was wrong.

The person I had waited for all this time... when we met again, he didn't even truly see me. And even when he did, the way he looked at me-

That wasn't the look I wanted.

I had imagined something else...something softer. I thought maybe, this time, we would talk a little more than before. That maybe, this meeting would be better than the first.

But I never thought... it would end like this.

With my heart breaking all over again.

And those same thoughts returning-

Do I deserve love?

Will anyone ever choose me?

I closed my eyes for a second, trying to steady myself... but the ache didn't fade.

It stayed. Heavy. Unfamiliar. Unwanted.

No.

I can't keep thinking like this.

I took a slow breath, forcing those thoughts down, even though they refused to leave completely. Wiping the faint moisture from my eyes before it could fall, I straightened myself.

This wasn't me.

I wasn't this weak.

Or at least... I didn't want to be.

One meeting-just one moment-couldn't define everything. It couldn't decide my worth. It couldn't decide whether I deserved love or not.

...Right?

But then why did it hurt so much?

Why did his one look feel heavier than a thousand words?

I swallowed hard, my fingers curling slightly as I tried to regain control over myself.

Maybe... maybe I expected too much.

Maybe I built something in my mind that never even existed.

And now, I was the one breaking under it.

I let out a quiet breath and finally looked away from the direction he had gone, forcing my feet to move.

One step.

Then another.

Each step felt heavier than the last, but I didn't stop.

Because if I stayed there any longer...

I knew I would fall apart completely.

I didn't know where I was going.

My feet were moving on their own, carrying me somewhere-anywhere-away from that moment.

The voices around me blurred into noise. The world kept moving, people kept talking, life went on as if nothing had happened...

But inside me, everything had gone quiet.

Too quiet.

I stopped near the window, my fingers lightly gripping its edge as I stared outside without really seeing anything.

Why does it hurt this much...?

It was just a look.

Just a moment.

Then why did it feel like I had lost something I never even had?

I let out a shaky breath, blinking rapidly as I tried to hold myself together.

No... I won't cry.

Not here.

Not for this.

I refused to let myself break over something so uncertain, so undefined.

And yet... my chest still felt tight, like something was pressing against it, refusing to let me breathe properly.

Maybe this is what expectations do.

They build something so beautiful in your mind... and then destroy you when reality doesn't match it.

I slowly pulled my hand away from the window, straightening myself again.

Enough.

I can't let one person, one moment, have this much control over me.

I won't.

Even if it hurts... even if it lingers...

I'll learn to ignore it.

Just like he ignored me.

And with that thought, I turned away-forcing myself to walk forward...

even when a part of me still wanted to look back.

I didn't look back.

Even when every part of me wanted to.

Even when something deep inside whispered his name, urging me to turn around just once... I didn't.

Because I knew-if I did... I wouldn't be able to walk away again.

So I kept moving.

Step after step, pretending like I was fine, like nothing had happened... like my heart wasn't quietly breaking inside my chest.

By the time I reached my room, my hands felt cold, almost numb. I closed the door behind me, the soft click echoing louder than it should have.

And that was it.

The moment I was alone... the strength I was holding onto slipped.

I leaned back against the door, closing my eyes tightly, as if that could stop everything I was feeling.

But it didn't.

His eyes...

That look...

It kept replaying in my mind, again and again, refusing to fade.

Why did it feel like he was pushing me away... even when I never came close?

Why did it hurt like I lost something... that was never mine to begin with?

I let out a slow, unsteady breath, sliding down until I was sitting on the floor, my arms wrapping around myself as if that could hold me together.

Maybe this is how it ends.

Not with words.

Not with answers.

Just... silence.

And feelings left unfinished.

I buried my face in my hands for a moment, trying to gather the scattered pieces of myself.

I can't stay like this.

I won't.

Slowly, I lifted my head, forcing myself to breathe normally again.

If he can walk away like it meant nothing...

Then I'll learn to do the same.

Even if it takes everything in me.

Because I refuse to be the only one holding onto something that was never real.

stayed there for a while, sitting on the floor with my back pressed against the door, letting the silence settle around me.

The room felt strangely still, as if it too was waiting for me to make sense of everything that had just happened.

But how was I supposed to?

Nothing about this made sense.

I came here with hope.

With dreams I never dared to say out loud.

And now... all I had was this emptiness.

I slowly stood up, my legs feeling weak beneath me. Walking to the mirror, I stopped in front of it and looked at myself.

My eyes looked tired.

Not from tears... but from the weight of everything I was carrying inside.

I touched my reflection lightly, almost as if I was trying to ask the girl in the mirror the same question that had been haunting me all day.

What went wrong?

Was it me?

Did I imagine everything?

Did I read too much into that first meeting?

I closed my eyes for a second, taking a deep breath.

No.

I can't let myself drown in these thoughts again.

Maybe there's something I don't know.

Maybe there's a reason behind the way he looked at me.

People don't change like that without a reason... do they?

That thought made me pause.

For the first time since morning, the pain inside me shifted into something else.

Questions.

Confusion.

And a strange need to know the truth.

Why did his expression change the moment he saw me?

Why did his eyes feel so distant... yet hold something so intense?

I looked out the window, the evening light falling softly across the room.

No matter how much it hurt... I needed answers.

Because this wasn't just about him anymore.

It was about my peace.

And until I knew the reason behind that look... I knew this moment would keep living in my mind.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow, I'll find out.

Even if it means facing him again.

Avnita sat there, caught between silence and the storm within her, while somewhere else in the same house... he wasn't as unaffected as he pretended to be.

The moment he entered his room, he shut the door a little harder than necessary.

The plate in his hand rested untouched on the table as he ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in every movement.

Her eyes.

Why did they look like that?

Why did they affect him like that?

He clenched his jaw, trying to push the thought away-but it stayed, lingering, refusing to leave.

He had walked away.

He had ignored her.

So why did it not feel like a victory?

Instead, it felt... wrong.

Back in her room, Avnita stood near the window, staring out, but her mind was still stuck in that one moment. That one look that changed everything.

Two people.

Same moment.

Same silence.

Yet completely different storms raging inside them.

Neither of them understood what they were feeling.

Neither of them had the answers.

But one thing was certain-

That one moment of eye contact had already started changing everything between them.

And neither of them was ready for what was coming next.

The silence between them didn't end in that moment.

It followed them.

Clung to them.

Stayed... even when they were far from each other.

In his room, he finally picked up the glass of water, only to set it back down untouched. His mind wasn't there. It kept drifting back-to her.

That look in her eyes.

It didn't match the anger he was trying so hard to hold onto.

And that's what disturbed him the most.

Because anger is easy.

It gives you a reason.

A shield.

But what he felt around her... didn't come with reasons.

It came with questions he wasn't ready to answer.

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