chapter 8

Part 8: When Eyes Spoke Louder Than WordsThe next week at school wasn’t particularly special—morning assemblies, boring lectures, occasional yawns, and sharing snacks during breaks. But for Riya and Dheerav, every moment spent together had started to feel different.They were no longer just classmates. Not even just best friends. There was something between them—something that didn’t need a label, yet was visible in the tiniest glances, the half-spoken sentences, and the way they remembered every little thing about each other.That Thursday, after lunch break, their class was moved to the science lab for a group activity. Everyone was scattered around, holding lab sheets and whispering answers. Riya and Dheerav were again seated at the same table.As they waited for the teacher to distribute materials, Riya absentmindedly doodled in the corner of her notebook—a small cloud with rain, and a smiling sun.Dheerav watched quietly.Dheerav (softly): “You don’t only just write… you draw beautifully too.”Riya (without looking up): “Just passing time.”Dheerav: “You’re creating something lovely even while passing time.”She smiled, finally turning to look at him. Their eyes met—longer than usual, deeper than before.No one said a word.No one needed to.Something passed in that silence—a mutual understanding, a feeling. Maybe something they weren’t yet ready to name.Just then, the teacher’s voice broke the moment.“Pay attention, everyone! Let’s begin.”They got busy with the activity, but that gaze—it lingered.That evening, Riya sat on her balcony, holding a cup of tea. The sky was filled with golden clouds, like soft pillows floating in a sleepy sky. She took out her phone and clicked a photo.This time, she didn’t post it.She sent it directly to Dhirav.Riya (6:14 PM): “If you were here, you’d have said—‘This gives a photographer kind of vibe.’”A few seconds later, his reply came:Dheerav: “Exactly what I thought… in my heart. You said it first.”Riya (smiling): “So now even our thoughts are matching?”Dheerav: “They always did. I’m just realizing it now.”She stared at his message for a few seconds, then slowly typed:Riya: “When do you get serious?”Dheerav: “When it’s about you.”Her breath caught in her chest. She locked her phone, holding it close—feeling something she hadn’t felt in a long time—a nervous kind of joy.The feeling of being seen.The next morning at school, when Riya walked into the classroom, she was surprised to see a small, neatly folded paper on her desk. She looked around—everyone seemed busy. She picked it up.It read:“Your picture changed my mood yesterday. Today, I need your smile—the real one.”No name. No signature.But she knew.She turned—and there he was, two rows behind, pretending to write something, yet clearly watching her from the corner of his eyes.Riya tried to hold back her smile—for two seconds. Then, blushing and looking down shyly, she gave in.That day, even the strictest teacher’s lecture didn’t feel boring.Even the longest period felt short.Because when someone becomes the reason for your smile, time starts playing sweet tricks.That night, their call was shorter than usual.Just ten minutes.No loud laughter. No silly jokes.Just soft, simple talk.Riya (gently): “That note today… it was cute.”Dheerav: “How cute was it… for you?”Riya: “why do you need to know so much?”There was a pause. Not an awkward one.A real one.Then, softly…Dheerav: “Because you… matter.”Riya didn’t reply. She just smiled with teary eyes, looking up at the sky—whispering a silent thank you from her heart.Not every feeling needs to be spoken aloud.Some grow in silence.Some bloom in a glance.And some… become a habit, slowly, beautifully.Their bond had moved beyond friendship now.But neither of them rushed it.Because when it’s real—it stays.