echo of the Heart

It was the first day of the new school year at Starlight High, and the crisp morning air carried a faint hint of autumn. Sunlight streamed through the large windows of the classroom, casting golden patterns on the polished floors, and students chatted excitedly about their summer adventures, yet Anika sat quietly at the back of the room, her notebook open but mostly empty, her fingers nervously tracing the edge of the page as she tried not to draw attention to herself. Her heart skipped a beat as the door creaked open, and in walked a boy with dark hair that caught the sunlight in streaks of brown, wearing a casual uniform that somehow made him look effortlessly perfect, and as he scanned the room with calm, observant eyes, their gazes met for just a fraction of a second before he turned to find his seat, yet in that brief moment, it felt as if the world had shifted, as if the laughter of her classmates and the rustle of papers faded into silence, leaving only the faint hum of her heartbeat and the image of him etched into her mind. She noticed how his presence seemed to command attention without effort; friends waved at him, whispering in admiration, yet he responded with polite nods and a soft smile, a smile that made something flutter deep inside her chest, a feeling she hadn't experienced before. Throughout the morning, her eyes kept drifting toward him, trying not to stare too obviously, yet unable to resist the pull that drew her attention back like a magnet, and when the teacher announced a group activity, fate seemed to conspire, placing them in the same group, forcing her to introduce herself in a voice she hoped didn't tremble too much. "Hi… I'm Anika," she said, and he turned to her with a calm, almost lazy smile that made her knees feel weak. "I'm Reyansh," he replied, his voice smooth but warm, carrying a tone of friendliness that immediately eased some of her nerves, yet her mind raced, wondering if he noticed how her fingers fidgeted with her pen or how her cheeks felt uncomfortably warm. As they worked together on the assignment, she discovered that he was not just handsome, but also clever and thoughtful, asking questions that made her think, yet never making her feel small or awkward, and with every exchanged glance, every shared laugh, she felt her heart beating faster, as if each smile or word from him was a secret message only she could understand. The classroom clock ticked on, but time seemed irrelevant, because in her mind, a new world had opened, a world where his presence mattered more than anything else around her, a world filled with subtle, unspoken connections that made even ordinary moments feel extraordinary. When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of class, she felt a pang of disappointment, wishing for a few more minutes, yet he stood, offering a small wave and a soft, "See you later," and the simple words, the gentle tone, lingered in her thoughts long after he walked out of the classroom, leaving her staring after him, a quiet hope growing in her heart that tomorrow, and the days after, might bring another chance to hear that voice, see that smile, and feel that inexplicable connection once more. The rest of the day passed in a blur, yet every little encounter, every glimpse of him in the hallway, every fleeting smile he shared with others, felt magnified in her mind, and by the time the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple, Anika sat by her window at home, notebook open again, but this time filled with sketches, notes, and fragmented sentences about him, about the flutter in her chest, about the curiosity and longing she couldn't yet name, and as she drifted off to sleep that night, her dreams were filled with soft laughter, warm sunlight, and the image of Reyansh's gentle smile, marking the beginning of something new, something fragile yet intense, something that whispered promises she didn't fully understand but was eager to explore.