chapter 67

Author's POV Flashback Fourteen-year-old Thulir stood before the mirror, clad in her jersey and shorts. Her fingers gripped the fabric of her shirt at the back as she stared at her flat stomach and her not-yet-fully-developed chest. A wave of disappointment washed over her as she let go of the shirt and sighed deeply.Her mind wandered back to the offhand comment made by one of her teammates during practice-it had struck a nerve, stirring insecurities she hadn't known existed. After practice, the girls' volleyball team gathered by the side of the court, watching the boys' team in action. Conversations swirled around her-some of her teammates were critiquing the boys' gameplay, while others giggled over their favorite players. But Thulir remained detached from their chatter. Her thoughts lingered on the mistakes she had made during the match, analyzing where she went wrong. With the inter-zonal matches approaching, she was determined to sharpen her skills and prove herself as a capable captain. She knew that being chosen for the role wasn't merely a result of her family owning the school. It was a position she deserved, and she was ready to put in the hard work to prove it.As she sat lost in thought, she overheard one of her teammates casually joke, "Come on, which boy would even look at Thulir? They're scared of her. She always acts like a boy-look, she even has a boy-cut hairstyle. No boy would find her attractive, so she won't have to deal with the teasing we face." Though the comment was made in jest, and Thulir even chuckled along with the group, the words clung to her. Being a teenager, it wasn't hard for such remarks to unsettle her.Until then, she had never cared about attracting the attention of boys, but that comment triggered a shift in her perspective. Slowly, she began noticing the dynamics around her and realized there was truth in those words. The lingering doubt about being undesirable crept into her mind, sowing seeds of insecurity. For the first time, Thulir found herself scrutinizing her own body-the same body she had always loved and paid little attention to until now-with a sense of disappointment she couldn't shake.She shook her head in disappointment. That's when she felt it-the unsettling sensation of being watched. Not wanting to make it obvious that she had noticed, she casually glanced around as though searching for something. Then, her eyes caught a glimpse of sharp, intent eyes staring at her through the narrow gap in the balcony doors. Startled, she quickly looked away. Her heartbeat quickened, fear creeping into her chest.Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she walked towards the balcony door and pushed it open. But there was nothing. The space was empty. Confusion clouded her mind-was she hallucinating? No, she was certain she had seen those piercing eyes. Still unsettled, she heard her mother calling her to come down for dinner. She reluctantly descended the stairs, her thoughts tangled in the strange encounter.At the dining table, she found Agathiyan and Aadhavan sitting there, still in their school uniforms. It seemed they had just arrived to drop off Thuyavan, who had stayed late at school. The six-year-old often lingered to watch the boys' games, eager to learn hockey from Agathiyan, the team captain. True to his promise, Agathiyan was nurturing Thuyavan's enthusiasm for the sport, letting him observe games and even play with the hockey stick during cool-downs, despite it being taller than him. Aadhavan, a member of the volleyball team, also stayed late during tournament season. The brothers often had their lunch at the Uyir residence, as they were practically family.Thalir, Thulir's sister, would also remain at school to cheer her siblings on. However, she usually returned home earlier with Thulir. Already tired, Thalir was fast asleep upstairs, leaving Thulir to join her father at the dinner table. She served herself and began eating.As she randomly looked up, her eyes locked onto a familiar pair staring intently at her-it was Agathiyan. The shock took her breath away. Her food stuck in her throat, and she began to cough, alarming her father. Gulping down an entire glass of water, she hastily excused herself, claiming she was full. Without finishing her meal, she rushed to her room.The strange incident haunted her throughout the night. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't sleep. Her mind churned with endless thoughts, replaying the moment over and over.The lingering thoughts from the previous day affected Thulir's performance during the game. Her distracted play earned her several pieces of advice from the coach, but she listened with only half a mind, preoccupied and lost. After practice, she moved to sit by the side of the volleyball court, where the hockey court was clearly visible from her spot. Her eyes wandered to the sight of Agathiyan playing hockey, her six-year-old brother enthusiastically cheering for him while running around the sidelines. Thuyavan collected stray balls that rolled out of the court and dutifully tossed them back into play. Watching her little brother's exuberance brought a smile to Thulir's face, but soon, her gaze shifted as she searched for her younger sister."Thalir!" Thulir called out, but there was no response. She started to rise from her seat to look for her sister when she spotted her entering the court area, carrying her water bottle. It seemed she had gone to refill it. Relieved, Thulir sighed, but the momentary peace didn't last. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw a volleyball soaring toward Thalir's direction. The little girl was oblivious, smiling and skipping toward her older sister without noticing the ball's trajectory."Thalir!" Thulir screamed, just as someone intercepted the ball before it hit her sister."Deii! Be careful! If you can't control the ball, leave the court immediately!" Aadhavan, barked at the boy who had missed the ball, directing it toward the walkway. By this time, Thulir had reached Thalir, quickly checking to ensure she was unharmed. Aadhavan turned to face the sisters."Are you okay, Imsa?" he asked, addressing the little girl, who, instead of replying, glared at him. She took a step forward and punched his thigh, twisting her lips in irritation. Aadhavan rolled his eyes at her antics while Thulir couldn't help but chuckle."Thalir, shall we leave?" Thulir asked her sister. Thalir thought for a moment before nodding in agreement. Thulir smiled but felt a pang of guilt seeing her sister's tired face.The girls' volleyball team had left earlier, but Thulir had stayed back, distracted by her own thoughts. While others assumed her mood stemmed from the coach's scolding, her focus was elsewhere. Her attention kept drifting toward the hockey court, where Agathiyan's commanding voice cut through the air as he directed his teammates and juniors during the game. She couldn't explain her fixation to anyone, and staying back meant Thalir had to stay too. Although the young girl hadn't played, her fatigue was evident, understandable for someone her age.Thulir's smile softened. "Shall I give you a piggyback ride?" she offered.Thalir's eyes lit up with excitement, and she nodded vigorously."What? Thulir smells like sweat, and you want a piggyback ride from her?" Aadhavan teased, wrinkling his nose dramatically to rile up the little girl."You smell worse!" Thalir shot back instantly, raising her hands toward her older sister in anticipation. Laughing, Thulir knelt down, allowing Thalir to climb onto her back. The young girl wrapped her arms tightly around Thulir's neck before securing her legs around her sister's front. Once sure her sister was safely perched, Thulir stood up. Thalir turned to stick her tongue out at Aadhavan, who smiled tightly before playfully knocking her head, earning himself a slap on the back from Thulir. Thalir burst out laughing and made faces at him, enjoying the teasing exchange.Shaking her head at their antics, Thulir began walking out of the playground. Her bag had already been placed in the car, so she didn't need to worry about it. On the way, the little girl kept glancing back at the volleyball court, watching Aadhavan join the team to play.Just as Thulir was about to turn back as well, a sudden shout caught her attention."Yeeii Ingaparu!" ("Hey, look here!")Thulir's head snapped toward the hockey court, where Agathiyan was shouting at his teammate for failing to execute a pass correctly. The swift movement caused her neck to crack painfully. Wincing, she adjusted her grip on her sister with one hand while holding her neck with the other, trying to ease the discomfort.That day was far from ideal for Thulir. She was utterly distracted, her mind consumed by the very person who, in her view, didn't even spare her a glance. At least, that's what she believed. Little did she know, Agathiyan was a master of subtlety, effortlessly stealing secret glances her way. He even deliberately shouted toward the end, ensuring she would turn her head in his direction, only to play it off as if he was simply engrossed in the game. The only one privy to the truth was Agathiyan himself, who couldn't help but smile when he saw her head snap toward him.Poor Thulir, oblivious to his intentions, was left more confused than ever. She had almost convinced herself that the strange encounter at the balcony was nothing more than an accident. Why would someone like Agathiyan peek into her room-and that too, secretly? It didn't make sense to her. Perhaps, she thought, it was all just a figment of her imagination.That night, she deliberately took a bath and stepped out wrapped in a towel. With her short hair, she didn't mind taking a head bath daily-it was quick and easy. Glancing back, she noticed her sister fast asleep, clutching a pillow tightly. Sharing a room with her siblings was the norm, though Thuyavan hadn't returned yet, even though it was already 9 PM. She sighed, assuming he'd probably end up sleeping in their parents' room that night. Shaking off the thought, she turned her attention back to herself.Grabbing another towel, she began drying her hair, humming a tune under her breath. The melody soon turned into a full-blown performance as she danced around the room, twirling and kicking her legs with carefree abandon. In her enthusiasm, she misjudged her step and stubbed her toe against the cot. The sharp pain shot through her, and she bit down on her hand to stifle a scream, mindful of her sleeping sister.As she hopped around in pain, trying to shake it off, the towel she was wrapped in slipped.Leaving her naked......and he saw her naked for the first time and That moment etched itself into his memory forever. As he stumbled backwards, his foot collided with something behind him, sending it crashing to the ground with a resounding noise.The sudden crash startled Thulir, making her head snap sharply toward the sound. Pain radiated from her neck again, a sting that reminded her of the strange tension she'd felt since encountering him. Her heart pounded as she glanced down at herself in embarrassment, swiftly grabbing the towel and wrapping it tightly around her. Taking a shaky breath, she moved toward the balcony door, trying to compose herself. As she opened the door, her eyes scanned the space cautiously-it was empty. Yet, the fallen flowerpot caught her attention immediately, sitting like a silent witness to the event. It wasn't her imagination this time. Someone had been there.With growing unease, she stepped out onto the balcony and peered into the dim light surrounding her. She strained her eyes, searching for answers, when a movement caught her attention. Across the yard, a figure was scaling the compound wall. Though the light was faint, the unmistakable silhouette of a school uniform stood out. Thulir froze as recognition struck her-she knew it was him. Agathiyan.Her breath hitched, a mix of disbelief and confusion swirling in her mind. Retreating back into her room, she shut the balcony door behind her and leaned against it, biting her nails nervously. The thoughts churned-why was he here? Why had he been watching her? Her logical mind insisted it had to be a misunderstanding, maybe even a coincidence. After all, why would Agathiyan-the boy who seemed to thrive on quarrelling with her, who couldn't stand her presence-go out of his way to sneak around like this? It didn't add up.... She almost convinced herself she was being paranoid, imagining things that couldn't possibly be true.But the fallen flowerpot and the fleeting figure told her otherwise.As she moved to lock the balcony door, her hand hesitated. It hovered over the latch as her thoughts shifted, and slowly, she exhaled. Making an impulsive decision, she left the door unlocked. A choice born not from reason, but from something deeper-a sense she couldn't quite explain. From that day onward, the balcony door to her room remained unlatched. Thankfully, no thief ever took advantage of it-no thief but him.A thief? Yes, that's what Agathiyan was-a thief of moments, of her guarded thoughts. He stole glimpses with a precision that left no evidence, no trace except for the faint stirring in her heart. And yet, this secret was theirs alone, an unspoken connection wrapped in layers of doubt, curiosity, and something far more intangible.Whenever insecurity crept into her mind, she found herself reminded of a quiet, unspoken truth-there was someone who watched her in secret, someone who always came back to her, time and time again, no matter what. She didn't fully understand what tied them together, but she knew one thing for certain: his presence never made her feel uncomfortable. Instead, it gave her a sense of reassurance, a small but significant anchor that played a crucial role in her journey of self-acceptance.Over time, she began to see her own body through a kinder lens, inspired by his unwavering consistency. Around him, insecurities seemed to melt away. He knew her, every detail and flaw she once fretted over, yet he continued to return. In the moments when she felt disgusted with herself, his silent actions spoke louder than words-building her confidence piece by piece. She found solace, even admiration, in the fact that he chose to come back to her again and again.Perhaps it was the shared intensity of being teenagers, both navigating their curiosities, exploring their evolving desires, and discovering themselves. Whatever it was, his presence became a quiet assurance, a steady reminder of her worth, even when she doubted it the most.Right or wrong, neither of them stopped to question it. All they knew was that they liked it, that they wanted it-and for them, that was enough.Flashback ends