Read Anveshna- The search :: Virona

The Letter continued

"The first one—

Our classes were segregated based on ranks. As expected, I was in the top section, Class A. That was on the second floor. He was in Class C, and Maya and B were in D, both on the first floor. So, we hardly ever crossed paths.

But one morning, he just appeared near our class. Again, for a book, I assume. Déjà vu, right?

I saw him. I don’t know if he saw me. But I smiled because the memory hit so hard.

And then, in the evening, when the first-floor kids were sent out and we were watching the ground from above, I was looking for him. Just trying to see if he’d leave. And that’s when he did something strange.

He turned…

And looked up straight from the ground, to the second floor. To where we stood.

He wasn’t looking at the first floor, no. His eyes scanned our line. And it wasn’t just a glance. It was intentional. I froze. I didn’t know what to think. Could he have been looking… for me?

And later, when we all finally came down, I saw him standing near the boys’ washroom. Breaking the line just to stand there with his friend, watching the girls’ line pass by."

You still think want me to believe it's one-sided, girl - He was literally waiting to see you.

Even I can see it now. Even if you couldn’t back then.

"And another moment—

A girl from D section came rushing in saying Maya and B were fighting. Normally, we weren’t allowed to leave our assigned classes — Virona was still raging, and crossing floors was strictly forbidden. But I broke the rule and went to check.

And the fight, it was all about who I cared more for. I tried my best to calm them down, said both mattered to me.

But it stayed unresolved.

The next day, I went again—to fix things, but also because my benchmate insisted we roam. She wanted to visit B or C sections, and I resisted, knowing he’d be in section C.

Eventually, we gave in and decided to go to section D. When we reached the corridor outside section D, we acted innocent in front of a teacher, pretending I had come to give a book to Maya.

But then… he appeared.

From B section, he walked swiftly toward C. Probably assumed I was coming there(to section C). And while crossing, he gave me such strong eye contact—right in front of the teacher, Maya, and my benchmate.

He then shifted direction, heading toward his section(C).

Maya looked at me as if I had betrayed her. I was stunned. I hadn’t planned this. I didn’t even want the attention of everyone present in that moment. But there he was, walking with purpose… and eyes that searched.

Huh, I already understand him, unlike you.

"The third and final interaction—

Cases of Virona were rising again, and the lockdown had been announced once more. School was shutting down, but for one day, students had to submit their FA books so that final grades could be calculated. Everyone came in civil dress, randomly, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

I went to submit my books too. My Hindi teacher—also my 8th class teacher—stopped me and asked for help collecting other students’ Hindi FA books as they arrived. So I stayed back, moving from student to student, collecting books, making sure everything was in order. Hours passed.

By the time I was done, the rest had already submitted and left—or so I thought.

And there he was.

His gang had arrived earlier, and all their Hindi FA books had been dumped on one of the boys in the group. That boy handed everything to me, so there had been no real interaction with him at all. After that, I assumed the gang had left like everyone else.

But then, to my surprise, they hadn’t. They were standing in my path—on my route out of the school. Not the usual path they took, but here they were. And there he was, amidst them.

My mind blanked. I couldn’t think of a single thing to say or do. Heart hammering, I faked a phone call, told my imaginary caller that I was coming, and walked straight past them, pretending to be busy, avoiding eye contact.

That was the last time I saw him in school.

After that, we didn’t call it school anymore. It became college. Different phase. Different people. Different pain.

School chapter closed.

And maybe it didn’t close the way I wanted it to. But it had all the pieces of a beautiful memory: longing, laughter, missed chances, unexpected glances, and a chappal that broke for no reason."

With this letter completed,

So, He was trying.

And here I was thinking these letters were just vintage soap operas with better handwriting.

But no.

This one? This was different.

He walked toward her. Looked up at her.
Stood out of line just to watch her walk by.
Changed his direction. Made eye contact strong enough to launch a drama arc.

And the girl?
She faked a phone call and ran.
God, she’s me.

I used to think she was being a little extra with all this emotional archaeology.
But now I see it.

She wasn’t exaggerating.
She was just slow at admitting what was right in front of her.

And him?

He practically trampled the school’s rules just to make sure his eyes found you - mainly in first two interactions in this letter,

And she still ends the letter like she’s not sure.
Like, “maybe… maybe not…”

Maybe?!

Hey, do you think he looked up at the second floor without even knowing if you were there?

He was clearly looking for you—at you.
You’re not mysterious. You’re emotionally blind.

This boy — he was not just better than Surya.
He was in a different league.

Surya would’ve stood beside you and still missed the point.
This one?
He caught the point from two floors down.

And you still thought it was one-sided?

hey, come on.
This was not one-sided. Don't make me repeat this point.
This was parallel-sided. Running close, silent, scared of crashing.
But still there.

And now?
Now I’m just sitting here, wondering…

If he ever reads this version of his own history —
Will he remember too?

Will he smile?

Will he say, “So she was looking…”?

Or will he just laugh —
At the two emotionally constipated people who couldn’t say a single word across four years and a hundred stolen glances?

God.
I’m emotionally exhausted on her behalf.

And for the record —
Yeah, Surya’s still at the bottom of the food chain.

This guy didn’t even speak.
But he(my dad) made her feel seen.

And that?

That’s the kind of loud no speaker can ever match.