After the hilarious banter with his heart, Rahul found himself smiling like an idiot. He picked up his phone, debating whether to text Ananya.
Rahul (to himself): "Okay, Rahul, it’s just a text. No big deal. Just say something casual… not too clingy… or weird."
He opened Instagram, scrolled to Ananya’s profile, and saw her latest post—a picture of her smiling with her friends at a college event. She looked radiant in a simple pink kurta, her hair tied back loosely, with that same playful sparkle in her eyes.
Rahul (smiling): "How does she manage to look this perfect without even trying?!"
His finger hovered over the message icon, but before he could type anything, a notification popped up.
Message from Ananya: "Good evening, Sir! How was your day? 😊"
Rahul’s heart skipped a beat.
Rahul (thinking): "Why does she always message me first? And why does she still call me ‘Sir? I should tell her to stop that."
He typed back:
"Hey, Ananya! My day was hectic, as usual. Meetings, meetings, and more meetings. What about you? How was your day?"
Within seconds, the typing indicator appeared, and then her reply:
"Oh, the usual college stuff, Sir! Lectures and assignments. But guess what? I finally aced my project presentation! 🎉"
Rahul smiled.
"That’s amazing, Ananya! I’m proud of you. 👏"
Ananya replied with a flurry of emojis: "Thank you, Sir! 😇🙈💖"
Rahul shook his head, amused.
"You don’t need to call me ‘Sir’ all the time, you know. Just Rahul is fine."
Ananya took a moment to reply this time.
"Oh....okay....Ra..hu...l 🙈 But it feels weird. You’re, like, such a big personality!"
Rahul chuckled, feeling a strange warmth in his chest.
"And you're my favorite fan.Doesn't that make us equals?"
Ananya’s typing bubble appeared and disappeared a few times before her response finally came through:
"Really ? Your favorite? 😳💖"
Rahul grinned.
"Really."
On the other side of the city, Ananya’s cheeks turned crimson as she read his message. She immediately flopped onto her bed, clutching her phone like it was her lifeline.
Ananya (muttering to herself): "God , is this real? Did Rahul Khanna just say I’m his favorite fan?! 😭💖 Please let me not wake up from this dream!"
Meanwhile, Rahul leaned back, staring at the city lights from his window.
Rahul (thinking): "Why do I feel so....light after talking to her? She has this way of making everything seem simpler. Is this what it feels like to have someone who genuinely cares?"
That night, Rahul slept with a faint smile on his face, while Ananya couldn’t sleep at all, replaying their conversation in her head over and over again.
The next day, Rahul woke up to a bright, sunny morning, but his mind was filled with thoughts of Ananya. He had never felt this way before—like there was something more than just admiration in the air. He quickly shook his head, telling himself that it was probably just the novelty of a new friendship. After all, he had always been surrounded by people, but this felt... different.
He got ready and headed to his office, but the entire time, his thoughts kept drifting back to her messages, her smile, and the way she made him feel.
Rahul (to himself): "Alright, Rahul, focus. You have work to do. You can’t let this distract you."
But no matter how hard he tried to concentrate, his phone kept buzzing with messages from her.
Message from Ananya: "Good morning, Rahul! How’s your day shaping up? 🌞"
He couldn’t help but smile at her energy. It was like a burst of sunshine in his otherwise hectic life. He replied quickly:
"Good morning, Ananya! Busy as always, but trying to make it a productive day. How about you?"
Ananya: "Same here! But I’m hoping to catch a break later. Maybe we could chat then? 🥺"
Rahul’s heart did a little flip. It wasn’t a huge deal, but he liked the idea of talking to her more.
"Sure, let’s do that. Just let me know when you’re free."
As the day wore on, Rahul found himself checking his phone more than usual. Every ping from Ananya’s messages made his heart skip a beat. There was something about the way she was—so carefree, yet thoughtful; funny, yet serious when needed. It was all the things he missed in his life since Radha.
Later that evening, after work
Rahul finally got some downtime. He was sprawled out on the sofa, scrolling through his phone when a message popped up from Ananya.
Ananya: "Hey, Rahul, I was thinking... Would you like to grab coffee sometime soon? ☕😊"
A smile crept across Rahul’s face. He had been thinking about meeting her too, but he didn’t want to seem too eager. Still, the idea of spending time with her in person felt... right.
"Coffee sounds perfect. I’m free this weekend. What do you think?"
He sent the message and immediately felt a little nervous. Was he coming on too strong? But before he could second-guess himself, Ananya replied.
Ananya: "I’d love that! Let’s meet at the café by the park, around 3 pm?"
Rahul quickly agreed, and after confirming the details, he sat back and thought about how everything seemed to be falling into place.
Rahul (to himself): "I can’t believe I’m actually looking forward to this."
That night, as he lay in bed, his thoughts were consumed by Ananya. He wondered what she’d be like in person—what it would feel like to finally sit down and have a real conversation without any barriers. The idea of meeting her was more than just excitement; it was a feeling of connection, something he hadn’t felt in a long time.
And as for Ananya, she couldn’t stop smiling either. She had been dreaming about this moment for so long, and now it was finally happening. She was about to meet Rahul in person. The thought made her heart race with excitement.
Ananya (to herself): "Is this real? I can't believe I’m actually going to meet him!"
The anticipation was killing her, but she was also excited. She had no idea where this would lead, but for now, the thought of spending time with Rahul was all that mattered.
