13. Baby steps

Happy Saturday♡

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"Hey Amul baby!" Ananya tapped Amrita's shoulder.

Amrita glared at her. "Seriously, Anu? 'Amul baby'?"

"Yes, my Amul baby!!" Ananya grinned, pinching Amrita's cheeks.

"Anyways, I came here to tell you something!" Ananya's smile grew wider.

"And what is it?" Amrita raised an eyebrow at her grin.

"You know, my brother is struggling a lot to talk to you. He's just standing there, completely lost in your world!" Ananya pointed at Aaryansh.

Amrita's gaze fell on Aaryansh, who froze the moment their eyes met. Amrita couldn't help but laugh inwardly at his reaction, but she kept her usual casual expression on her face.

"Maybe you should talk to him," Ananya suggested, leaning in a little closer.

"Maybe you should tell your brother to come and talk to me himself," Amrita replied in a voice just above a whisper.

"Oh, come on, Ritu! If you keep putting up that stoic, cold face, how will he talk to you?" Ananya teased.

Amrita paused for a moment, then softened slightly. Her eyes glanced at Aaryansh again before turning back to Ananya.

"Better?" Amrita asked, managing a faint smile.

"Yep!" Ananya chirped, before walking back to Aaryansh, who was still lost in his thoughts, completely unaware of his surroundings.

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Aaryansh stood frozen, staring at Amrita as she turned her head slightly to the side, seemingly lost in thought. His heart pounded in his chest.

He could feel his palms sweating, the overwhelming urge to do something, anything, but not knowing what exactly to say.

Ananya returned to his side with a grin plastered on her face. "She's not as cold as she looks, you know?"

Aaryansh barely processed her words, his gaze still locked on Amrita. "She is... something," he muttered.

"she is, is giving you a chance, bhaiya!" Ananya teased. "Now go before she changes her mood!"

Ishika and Divya stood close by, exchanging amused glances. "She softened a little, didn't she?" Divya asked. "Guess you've got to work with that now."

Aaryansh nodded absently, his mind racing.

Was she really giving him a chance, or was it just her usual cold demeanor hiding something deeper?

Finally, he gathered the courage and walked toward Amrita, taking slow, deliberate steps. He was still unsure of himself, but this was a chance he couldn't let slip away.

When he reached her, Amrita looked up, her eyes briefly meeting his. She didn't smile, but there was a slight acknowledgment in her gaze.

"Hi," Aaryansh said, his voice calm but carrying a hint of nervousness.

Amrita tilted her head, looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "So, you decided to join the world of the living, huh?"

Aaryansh chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. "I... I didn't know how to start, but Ananya made me do this." He gestured toward Ananya, who was smirking from a distance.

Amrita's lips quirked up just slightly, but it was enough for Aaryansh to notice. She didn't say anything at first, just letting the silence settle.

He decided to take a chance. "I've been watching you from a distance, and... I guess I'm a little shy when it comes to people who don't smile much." He smiled nervously, trying to keep his words light.

Amrita's expression remained cool, but there was something softer in her eyes now. "It's not that I don't smile," she said quietly. "I just choose when it's worth it."

Aaryansh's heart raced at her response.

"Maybe we should talk more," Amrita suggested, her tone still calm but with a hint of openness.

Aaryansh smiled, feeling a little relieved. "Yeah," he replied.

Amrita hesitated a bit, her gaze drifting slightly before she looked back at him. "Maybe we should exchange numbers."

Aaryansh's heart skipped a beat when he heard her words. "Of course!" he said, his excitement getting the better of him. His response made Amrita smile ever so slightly.

Aaryansh couldn't help but get lost in the small but genuine smile she gave him. Without thinking, he blurted out, "You... have a beautiful smile..."

Amrita's smile faded a little, but her expression became more soft. There was a brief pause before she spoke, "Um...Thankyou..."

Aaryansh's face flushed with embarrassment. "I... I didn't mean to-" he stammered, scrambling for the right words. "I just... you're really beautiful."

Amrita raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. Instead, she gently reached into her bag, taking out her phone. "Here, let's just exchange numbers."

Aaryansh, still flustered but eager, quickly entered his number into her phone. Once done, he handed it back to her, and she added her number to his phone as well.

"There," she said, tucking her phone back into her bag. "Now we can talk more... whenever."

Aaryansh's heart swelled with the thought. "I look forward to it," he said with a smile, the nerves still evident but now accompanied by a sense of hope.

Amrita gave him a brief nod, her usual stoic expression returning, but Aaryansh noticed a slight softness in her eyes. "We'll see how it goes, Aaryansh," she said quietly, before turning and walking away, leaving him standing there with a mix of excitement and uncertainty.

Behind him, Ananya, Divya, and Ishika were watching the entire exchange, their smiles widening as they caught the end of the conversation.

"That went well," Ananya said, nudging the others playfully.

"Better than I expected," Divya added, still grinning.

Ishika laughed softly. "Looks like things are moving forward."

Aaryansh stood there for a moment, replaying the conversation in his mind. It wasn't perfect, but it was a start. A real start.

After the dinner, the guests and family members were casually talking and Ananya was hearing the talks of some relatives, leaning on a pillar.

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