11 Confession
Niyati’s POV
I told Diya I had some work after school.
She had narrowed her eyes at me for a second, clearly suspicious, but didn’t push much—just muttered something about me becoming “secretive these days” before heading off in the opposite direction. I laughed it off, waving her goodbye, but the moment she disappeared from sight, my pace changed.
Because I knew exactly where I was going.
The park wasn’t far from school, just a short walk past the main road and into a quieter lane where hardly anyone from our area came during weekdays. It wasn’t anything special—just a few benches, a walking path, and trees that offered enough shade to hide a hundred little secrets.
Somehow, it had become ours.
A place where I didn’t have to be careful with my expressions, where I didn’t have to hide the way my heart reacted every time I thought of him.
Two months.
It had been two whole months since my birthday. Since that night.
And yet, nothing inside me had gone back to normal.
If anything, it had only gotten worse.
Or better.
I still didn’t know which.
We met whenever we could steal time like this—between classes, after school, sometimes just for a few minutes. Sometimes we talked like nothing had changed. And sometimes…
We didn’t just talk.
As I stepped into the park, my eyes instinctively searched the far corner where we usually sat.
And there he was.
Ansh sat on one of the benches beneath a tree, his laptop open on his lap, his attention completely absorbed in whatever he was working on. The sunlight filtered through the leaves above him, falling in soft patches across his face and shoulders.
For a moment, I didn’t move.
I just stood there, watching him.
A small, uncontrollable smile crept onto my lips.
As if sensing it, he suddenly looked up.
And the moment his eyes met mine, everything about his expression changed. The focus faded instantly, replaced by something warmer, something softer—something that was just for me.
He smiled.
And just like that, my heart gave in.
I walked toward him, trying to keep my steps steady, but the moment I reached him, all that composure disappeared. He didn’t even give me a chance to say anything. He simply shut his laptop, placed it aside, and pulled me toward him.
A soft laugh escaped me as I stumbled slightly into his arms, my hands naturally finding their place around his shoulders.
“Missed me?” he murmured against my hair.
“Maybe,” I replied lightly, though the truth was written all over me.
He didn’t respond with words. Instead, he leaned in, his face dipping toward my neck, his breath warm against my skin. The light brush of his nose sent a shiver down my spine before his lips followed, soft and unhurried.
My grip on his shirt tightened instinctively.
“Ansh…” I whispered, my voice already betraying me.
He didn’t stop.
His lips lingered just enough to make my breath hitch, a quiet sound escaping me before I could control it. But the moment I felt him pause like he might go further, I pulled back slightly, placing my hand against his chest.
“Don’t,” I said, trying to steady my voice.
He looked up, confused. “What?”
“Marks,” I muttered, pouting slightly. “I can’t keep hiding them all the time.”
For a second, he just stared at me.
Then a quiet chuckle escaped him.
“Fine,” he said, leaning forward to press a light kiss on the tip of my nose instead. “No marks.”
I huffed softly, but couldn’t stop the smile that followed.
He reached beside him and picked up a small packet.
“For you.”
The moment I saw it, my entire mood lit up.
“Pav bhaji?” I almost squealed, snatching it from his hand.
“Your favorite,” he said, watching me with amusement.
“Thank you, baby,” I grinned, leaning in to peck his lips quickly before opening it.
And just like that, everything else disappeared.
Food had always had that effect on me, and Ansh knew it well. I focused entirely on eating, barely aware of the way he was looking at me.
“You’re unbelievable,” he said after a moment.
I glanced at him, mouth full. “What?”
“You switch personalities so fast,” he laughed. “One minute like this… next minute—”
“Shut up,” I mumbled, nudging him lightly.
He only laughed more.
The moment softened after that, settling into something comfortable. We talked about random things—college, school, Diya’s endless drama, upcoming exams. It felt easy. Natural.
Like this was how it was always meant to be.
Somewhere in between, the conversation drifted.
“What about you?” I asked, wiping my hands. “What are you going to do after college?”
He leaned back slightly, thinking.
“I’ll finish my architecture degree by the end of this year,” he said. “Then apply for jobs. Start working.”
I nodded, listening carefully.
“And after that?” I asked.
He shrugged.
“Settle down eventually. Maybe marry by twenty-eight.”
My fingers stilled slightly at his words.
He continued, completely unaware—or maybe very aware—of what he was doing to me.
“First kid by thirty. Second by thirty-two. Third by—”
“Arrey bas!” I interrupted, eyes widening. “How many kids do you want?”
He grinned.
“If possible, as many as I can.”
I stared at him in disbelief.
Then he laughed.
“I’m joking,” he said, softer now. “Honestly… I’m okay with whatever my wife wants.”
Something about the way he said wife made my cheeks warm.
“She’s the one carrying the baby,” he added. “It’s her body. Her choice. I’ll just support.”
I watched him quietly, something in my chest softening.
“What if she doesn’t want kids?” I asked.
“Then we don’t,” he said simply. “We can adopt. Kids are kids, Niyati. Doesn’t matter how they come into your life.”
A small smile formed on my lips.
Before I could stop myself, I teased, “So, wifey should decide everything?”
He turned to me immediately, eyes glinting.
“Of course,” he said. “Speaking of… wifey, tell me your plan.”
“Wifey?” I repeated, trying to sound annoyed, though my heart skipped.
He smirked. “Better to know from now.”
I rolled my eyes but played along.
“After my 12th, I want to go into designing,” I said. “Then work.”
“And?”
“Marriage by twenty-five,” I added, glancing at him.
“Hmm.”
“First kid by twenty-seven… second by twenty-nine… third by thirty-two…”
His eyes narrowed.
“You’re mocking me.”
“I’m not,” I said innocently. “Just coordinating with my future husband.”
Before I could react, he suddenly pulled me closer.
“Oh, so now you’re getting smart, huh?” he murmured.
I laughed, trying to pull away, but his hold didn’t loosen completely.
Instead, something changed.
The teasing faded.
His expression turned serious.
“Niyati,” he said quietly.
The shift in his tone made me stop.
I looked at him properly.
For a moment, he didn’t say anything. Just watched me, as if trying to gather his thoughts.
Then he exhaled softly.
“I didn’t think this would happen.”
My heart skipped.
“What?”
“Us,” he said.
The air between us shifted.
“I thought it was just attraction,” he continued. “A phase.”
My fingers tightened slightly in my lap.
“But it’s not.”
Something inside me stilled.
“It’s not just that with you,” he said, his voice softer now. “I think about you… even when you’re not around.”
My breath caught.
“I wait for you. I look for excuses to see you. I…” he paused, shaking his head slightly. “This isn’t just physical for me anymore.”
My chest felt tight.
“Niyati,” he said again, his gaze holding mine, “I really like you.”
The words landed softly.
But the impact was anything but.
Everything inside me felt overwhelming all at once—my heart racing, my thoughts tangled, my emotions spilling over in ways I couldn’t control.
Because this…
This wasn’t just stolen moments anymore.
This was real.
And I didn’t know what scared me more—
How much it meant…
Or how much I didn’t want to lose it.
For a moment, I just stared at him.
Because this… this was everything I had wanted to hear.
And yet, it didn’t feel like enough.
Not when my heart had already crossed that line long ago.
Not when every part of me had already chosen him without even asking for permission.
My throat felt dry. My fingers trembled slightly where they rested in my lap.
He was still watching me, waiting.
“Say something,” he murmured, softer now.
I swallowed.
“You… like me?” I repeated, my voice quieter than I expected.
A faint crease formed between his brows, like he realized something in my tone.
“Yes,” he said, slower this time. “I do.”
The words were careful.
Measured.
But my heart wasn’t.
Something inside me pushed forward before I could stop it. All the nights, all the stolen moments, all the feelings I had buried and ignored—they rushed up at once, refusing to stay hidden anymore.
I shook my head slightly, almost frustrated.
“Ansh…” I breathed.
He straightened a little, sensing the shift.
“That’s not what I feel.”
Silence fell between us.
His eyes searched mine, confusion flickering.
“What do you mean?”
My heart was pounding so loudly I was sure he could hear it.
But I didn’t stop.
I couldn’t.
“I don’t just like you,” I said, my voice trembling despite my effort to steady it. “I tried to tell myself it was just a crush… or just because you’re Diya’s brother… or because we spend so much time together…”
I let out a small, shaky laugh.
“But it’s not.”
His expression changed—subtly, but enough for me to notice.
“I think about you all the time,” I admitted. “Every little thing reminds me of you. When I wake up… when I go to sleep… even when I’m trying to study, it’s always you.”
My fingers clenched together.
“And that night…” I paused, heat creeping up my neck, but I forced myself to continue. “After my birthday… nothing felt the same anymore.”
His gaze darkened slightly, but he didn’t interrupt.
“I wasn’t scared of what happened,” I whispered. “I was scared of how much I wanted it… how much I wanted you.”
The words hung heavy between us.
My chest rose and fell unevenly.
“I don’t know when it happened,” I said, softer now. “Maybe it was always there. Maybe I was just too scared to see it.”
He was completely still.
Listening.
Waiting.
And then, finally—
I looked straight into his eyes.
“I love you.”
The moment the words left my lips, everything went quiet.
Too quiet.
Like the world itself had paused just to hear what he would say next.
For a second, he didn’t react.
Didn’t move.
Didn’t even blink.
And that scared me more than anything.
My heart dropped slightly.
“Say something,” I whispered, suddenly unsure.
But then—
He exhaled.
A slow, almost disbelieving breath, like he was trying to process what I had just said.
His hand came up, gently holding my face, his thumb brushing against my cheek in a way that instantly steadied me.
“You…” he started, then stopped, a faint smile breaking through.
“You always do this.”
“What?” I asked, confused.
“Go a step ahead of me,” he said softly.
My brows furrowed slightly.
And then, before I could think too much—
He leaned in.
Not rushed.
Not overwhelming.
Just… certain.
His forehead rested lightly against mine, his voice barely above a whisper.
“I think I’m already there too.”
My breath hitched.
“But you said—”
“I know what I said,” he interrupted gently. “I said ‘like’ because I was trying to take it slow.”
His fingers tightened slightly against my cheek.
“But what I feel for you?” he murmured. “It’s not small enough to call it that anymore.”
My heart swelled.
“And I don’t want to pretend it is.”
Tears stung unexpectedly at my eyes, but I blinked them away, laughing softly instead.
“You’re so confusing,” I whispered.
He smiled.
“Only for you.”
Before I could respond, his lips brushed mine—soft, slow, nothing like the urgency we usually carried.
This felt different.
Deeper.
Like a promise instead of a moment.
And for the first time since all of this began…
I wasn’t just overwhelmed.
I felt… certain.
His words lingered between us, soft yet powerful, wrapping around my heart in a way that made everything else fade.
I think I’m already there too.
I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until it left me in a shaky exhale.
He didn’t give me time to overthink it.
His hand was still cupping my cheek, warm and steady, grounding me as his forehead rested against mine. For a moment, we just stayed like that—close, quiet, letting everything settle.
But nothing inside me was calm.
My heart was racing, my chest rising and falling too fast, my fingers unconsciously clutching onto his shirt like I needed something to hold onto.
And then… his gaze dropped.
To my lips.
That one small shift sent a wave of heat through me.
I didn’t pull away.
I couldn’t.
Slowly, almost like he was giving me time to stop him, he leaned in.
But I didn’t stop him.
Not this time.
The moment his lips touched mine, it felt… different.
Not rushed.
Not desperate.
Just soft.
Gentle.
A quiet kind of intensity that made my heart ache in the best way.
I melted into it without even realizing, my eyes slipping shut as my hand moved from his shirt to his shoulder, holding onto him a little tighter.
He kissed me like he meant it.
Like this wasn’t just about the moment.
Like this was something he wanted to remember.
My lips moved against his slowly, uncertain at first, then more sure as I leaned into him, letting myself feel everything I had been holding back.
His hand shifted from my cheek to the back of my neck, pulling me just a little closer—not forcefully, just enough to deepen the kiss.
A soft sigh escaped me.
And I felt him smile against my lips.
That small, almost invisible reaction made something flutter wildly inside me.
I responded without thinking, pressing closer, my fingers curling slightly against him.
The kiss deepened—not hurried, not overwhelming—but fuller, warmer.
It wasn’t like before.
This wasn’t about teasing touches or stolen heat.
This felt… real.
Like every second carried meaning.
Like every small movement mattered.
When he finally pulled back, it wasn’t abrupt.
It was slow.
Reluctant.
His forehead rested against mine again, both of us breathing unevenly, still caught in whatever had just passed between us.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
We didn’t need to.
Because everything had already been said.
His thumb brushed lightly against my cheek again, softer this time.
“Now I’m sure,” he murmured.
I blinked, still dazed. “About what?”
A faint smile played on his lips.
“That I’m completely gone for you.”
My cheeks warmed instantly, but I didn’t look away this time.
Instead, I smiled back.
Because for once…
I wasn’t scared of it anymore.
For a while after that kiss, I couldn’t quite return to myself.
Everything felt softer, warmer… heavier in a way that made my chest feel full. My lips still tingled, my heartbeat refused to slow down, and the way he was looking at me—like I meant something more now—only made it worse.
Or better.
I didn’t know anymore.
Before I could get lost in it again, Ansh suddenly pulled back slightly, exhaling as if he had made up his mind about something.
“Okay,” he said.
I blinked at him, still dazed. “Okay… what?”
He ran a hand through his hair, a habit I had come to recognize whenever he was thinking too much. There was a shift in him again—subtle, but there. The softness from moments ago settled into something more composed, more deliberate.
“I’ve been planning something,” he said.
That immediately caught my attention.
There was something about his tone—serious, grounded—that made me straighten without even realizing it.
“Planning what?” I asked.
“For us,” he replied.
My heart skipped.
But before I could read too much into it, he continued, “Your boards are coming up in two months.”
And just like that, the warmth inside me dipped slightly.
“I don’t want to interfere with that,” he said calmly. “This is important, Niyati. You’ve worked too hard for it.”
It took a second for his words to fully sink in.
And when they did, my expression fell without permission.
“Oh.”
That was all I managed.
Because what he was really saying was—
No distractions.
No meetings like this.
No stolen moments.
For two whole months.
I looked at him again, hoping I had misunderstood, but the steadiness in his expression confirmed everything.
“So… what does that mean?” I asked, quieter now. “We don’t meet?”
He didn’t answer immediately.
Which was answer enough.
A small, frustrated breath escaped me as I leaned back slightly, crossing my arms.
“Great,” I muttered. “That’s just great.”
There was a flicker of amusement in his eyes, but it didn’t last long.
“This is serious,” he said gently. “You need to focus.”
“And what about you?” I shot back, unable to hide the disappointment in my voice. “You’ll just… be fine? Like nothing’s changed?”
His gaze softened instantly.
“I didn’t say that.”
“Then what?” I pressed.
A quiet pause followed before he spoke again, slower this time.
“I can wait,” he said.
That should have comforted me.
But it didn’t.
Because waiting meant distance.
And distance felt impossible after everything that had already happened between us.
He must have seen it on my face, because the next moment, he reached for his laptop again.
“Which is why I planned something,” he added.
I frowned slightly, curiosity cutting through my irritation.
“What are you talking about?”
“Come here.”
I leaned closer as he turned the screen toward me.
At first, I didn’t understand what I was looking at.
Then slowly… it clicked.
Different tabs were open—pictures of quiet resorts, private stays surrounded by greenery, cozy interiors with soft lighting, places that looked peaceful… secluded.
Intimate.
My breath caught.
“Ansh…” I whispered.
“I was checking these earlier,” he said, watching my reaction carefully. “For after your boards.”
I looked at him, then back at the screen.
“For… after?”
“Two days,” he said simply. “Forty-eight hours.”
My heart started beating faster again, but this time it wasn’t just warmth—it was something else too.
Something deeper.
“Just us,” he added.
The words settled slowly.
No Diya.
No family.
No sneaking around.
No interruptions.
Just us.
Completely alone.
A strange mix of excitement and nervousness rushed through me so suddenly that I didn’t know how to react. My fingers tightened unconsciously in my lap as my mind tried—and failed—to fully grasp what that meant.
“And in those two days,” he continued, his voice lowering just slightly, “you don’t have to think about anything else. No studies. No pressure.”
I swallowed.
“Just me… and you.”
That did it.
My world tilted.
Because this wasn’t just a casual plan.
This was intentional.
Thought through.
Something he had been considering seriously.
And the weight of it hit me all at once.
Forty-eight hours with him.
After everything we had already shared… after the way even a few minutes together felt overwhelming…
I couldn’t even begin to imagine what that would feel like.
A soft, nervous laugh escaped me as I shook my head.
“You’re insane,” I murmured.
He leaned a little closer, his eyes searching mine.
“Still coming?”
I looked at him properly then.
At the quiet confidence in his expression.
At the way he wasn’t forcing me, wasn’t rushing me… just offering something that felt both thrilling and terrifying at the same time.
My heart pounded harder.
Because despite the nervousness curling in my stomach… despite the way this felt like stepping into something much bigger than I had ever imagined—
I didn’t want to say no.
I couldn’t.
Slowly, I nodded.
“Yes.”
The moment the word left my lips, something shifted again.
Not around us.
But inside me.
Because now it was real.
The waiting.
The anticipation.
The promise of something that would belong only to us.
And as I sat there beside him, still trying to steady my breathing, one thought kept repeating in my mind—
Those forty-eight hours weren’t just going to be intense.
They were going to change everything.