The Observer's POV:
I watched her before she even knew I existed. The way she moved-graceful but unassuming-made her stand out even in a crowded room. There was something in the way her eyes caught the light, how her smile seemed to appear at the perfect moment, like the world itself paused for a second just to watch it.
It wasn't just her beauty-though yes, she was striking-it was everything else. The subtle gestures, the small habits no one noticed: the way she twisted a lock of hair when thinking, the slight tilt of her head when she laughed, the way she kept adjusting her kurta as if making herself comfortable while still holding herself together. Details others overlooked screamed volumes to me.
When Ananya introduced me to her friends, I studied them all briefly-the chatter, the laughter, the tiny inside jokes-but my attention inevitably returned to her. She didn't even notice me at first, which was perfect. She was immersed in her world, yet somehow, every little thing she did drew my gaze back like gravity.
And last night... I couldn't stop thinking about it. About her. About the way she seemed unaware of my eyes on her, yet carried herself with that quiet charm. I didn't want to frighten her, just let her know... in a small, playful way... that someone noticed. That someone saw the little things that made her who she was.
It was never about crossing boundaries. She didn't even know me, and that was perfect. Pure. Untouched by expectations, by assumptions, by anyone trying to define her. I had to be careful-words mattered. Tone mattered. Every message I sent had to feel like a whisper, like a tiny hint of curiosity, not intrusion.
And so I typed. I told her about her smile, about noticing little things, about chocolate-ridiculous, yes-but it made her pause, didn't it? That was enough for me tonight. A small spark. Maybe tomorrow, I'd notice something else. Something only she would recognize.
I leaned back, watching her from a distance she'd never see. Somehow, just observing her made the world feel sharper, alive, more... possible. Whoever she was-Gunnu, as she was called-she was unforgettable. And I wasn't going to let this chance slip by, even if it started with a few mysterious messages at midnight.
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Falguni's POV:
[After all the confusion, I finally replies at night]
Falguni:
"So... who exactly are you?"
The unknown:
"Good question. Who do you want me to be? 👀"
Falguni:
"Haha, very funny. I asked first."
The reply came quicker than I expected.
The unknown:
"Alright, alright.Someone who notices more than you think."
My brows furrowed. Notices?
Falguni: "Notices what?"
The unknown: "Little things. Like how you fidget when you're nervous. Or how you force a laugh when people ask questions you don't want to answer."
My pulse raced. That was too specific.
Falguni:
"Wait, WHAT!!!? How would you even...? 👀"
The unknown:
"Relax. I don't stalk. Just... observe."
Falguni:
"That still sounds creepy 😅"
The unknown:
"Then block me."
Falguni:
"...Maybe I will."
The unknown:
"But you won't. Because you want to know why I noticed."
Falguni:
"🙄 You're too confident."
The unknown:
"No. Just honest."
Falguni:
"How do you even know that?"
The unknown:
"Let's just say I was around last night."
My stomach dropped.
Falguni:
"The farewell party?"
The unknown:
"Maybe. Maybe not."
I blinked at the screen, torn between shock and a strange flutter in my chest.
Falguni:
"I'm just trying to figure out if you're creepy or not. 😅"
The unknown:
"Ouch. That's harsh. But fair. If it helps-creeps don't usually compare smiles to secret weapons."
Falguni:
"Secret weapons?"
The unknown:
"Yeah. Yours disarms people before you even know it."
Falguni:
"...You sound too smooth. I don't trust smooth."
The unknown:
"Good. Don't. The world's safer that way. But maybe... just maybe, I'm not here to be trusted. Just heard."
Falguni:
"Okay, So you were watching me?"
Aarush:
"Not watching. Just... noticing. There's a difference."
I bit my lip, unsure if I should feel uneasy or oddly... seen.
Falguni:
"Why are you even telling me this?"
The unknown:
"Because sometimes the things you overlook about yourself are the ones that matter most. And maybe... you should know that."
I stared at the message, heart unsteady. A stranger, yet not entirely. Comforting, yet unsettling. And suddenly, my own reflection in the dark phone screen felt unfamiliar.
Falguni:
"Okay, mystery guy, tell me one thing about yourself. Something real."
The unknown:
"Hm. Real? I notice things. People, moments. The kind of things everyone else misses."
Falguni:
"Like what?"
The unknown:
"Little things. Like how you tilt your head slightly when you're curious. Or how you pause for a second before replying, as if weighing your words."
Falguni:
"Ohhh god...You really notice too much"
"So... are you finally going to tell me who you are?"
The unknown:
"I thought you liked puzzles. If I give you all the answers now, won't it get boring?"
Falguni:
"Puzzles are fine. But when a stranger knows things that others can't see in me, it feels less like a puzzle and more like stalking."
The unknown:
"Fair enough. Then let me be a little less stranger. My name's Aarush. I'm studying agriculture at the University."
Finally, he told me his name.
Falguni:
"Agriculture? That's interesting. Not many people I know choose that."
Aarush:
"Yeah, people usually imagine me in a business suit. Instead, I spend half my time in fields and labs, learning about soil and seeds. I live with some friends near campus, it's chaotic, but fun."
Falguni:
"Hmm... that doesn't sound so bad. At least you're not boring."
Aarush:
"I'll take that as a compliment. What about you, Miss Champagne Dress?"
Falguni:
"(laughs) Don't call me that. My name's Falguni. I'm still figuring things out, studying, and... well, you know how life is. Too many expectations at once."
Aarush:
"I get that. You seemed quiet at the party, like your mind was somewhere else."
Falguni:
"Maybe because of this engagement thing... it's in two days .Even though I agreed, I keep wondering if it's normal to feel so confused."
Aarush: (typing... stops... typing again)
"Engagement...? As in... really? .
...Wow. I wasn't expecting that."
Falguni:
"(shrug emoji) Neither was I, honestly. Life doesn't always give you time to think."
Aarush:
"So yesterday, at the party, when you looked lost... it wasn't just my imagination."
Falguni:
"(smiles faintly) Maybe you notice too much."
Aarush:
"Or maybe I just notice you."
Falguni:
"You really know how to say things that make people second-guess."
Aarush:
"No second-guessing- just honest words. But... if you're going to be engaged, why are you still talking to me?"
Falguni:
"Because... you don't feel like just a stranger anymore."
I can't figure out what I thought, why I typed this, it came from inside and I was so comfortable to talk to him that I was not thinking about anything twice and just typing whatever comes in my brain.
Aarush: (quiet for a while)
"That's dangerous, you know. But maybe some risks are worth it."
Falguni:
"Let's see"
Aarush:
" So why are you confused "
Falguni:
"It's with my consent... but I don't know. I'm terrified, confused. Maybe that's normal? Maybe it happens with everyone."
Aarush:
"No. Not everyone feels like that. And if you do, it means you're questioning. Which is good. Blind "yes" is scarier than doubt."
Falguni:
"You make it sound so simple."
Aarush:
"It is normal. A big step should make you feel something. If it didn't, you wouldn't be human"
Falguni:
"You talk like a philosopher again."
Aarush:
"Maybe I'm just observant. Or maybe I notice you more than others do."
Falguni:
"You really do make it hard to trust you."
Aarush:
"And yet, you're still here, still texting. That says something, doesn't it?"
Falguni:(silently staring at the screen, half-annoyed, half-curious)
"Maybe."
Aarush:
"Okay, tell me, if no one was watching, if your family wasn't waiting, if nothing depended on it, would you still say yes?"
Falguni:
"... I don't know."
Aarush:
"Then maybe that's your answer."
Now I am more terrified, but he is right, maybe it's the pressure of my family that I agreed. I have never thought about getting engaged to a total stranger and spend my whole life with him. Never...
God!!! Save me...
Falguni:
''Let's just keep this engagement thing aside for now.''
I am too tired of thinking about it now. It sucks...
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