The feeling didn't go away.
Anna tried to ignore it at first. She told herself it was nothing. Just work pressure. Just overthinking. But the small changes kept adding up.
Sid was still kind. Still calm. Still the same person.
But he was not as present.
One evening, Anna decided not to wait.
She walked to his department again. This time, she didn't turn back.
Sid was there, sitting with Riya, discussing something on the laptop. They both looked up when Anna entered.
"Oh, hey," Sid said. "You're here."
Anna gave a small smile. "Yeah, I needed to talk to you."
Riya stood up politely. "I'll see you later," she said to Sid and left.
Anna watched her go, then looked back at him.
"You've been busy," she said.
Sid nodded. "Yeah, this project is taking a lot of time."
She stayed quiet for a moment, then asked, "Are we okay?"
The question surprised him.
"Of course we are," he said. "Why would you ask that?"
Anna didn't sit down. She stayed standing, holding her bag.
"I don't know," she said honestly. "It just feels like you're not really here anymore."
Sid frowned slightly. "I'm right here."
"That's not what I mean," she replied softly. "You're here, but… not with me the way you used to be."
He didn't answer immediately.
"I told you things would get busy," he said after a pause.
"I know," Anna said. "And I understand that. I'm busy too. But this feels different."
Sid looked tired. "Anna, it's just work. You're thinking too much."
That hurt more than she expected.
"Maybe I am," she said quietly. "But that doesn't mean I'm wrong."
He sighed. "What do you want me to say?"
She shook her head. "I don't want you to say anything just to fix this. I just want you to understand what I'm feeling."
Sid looked away for a second.
"I don't have the energy for this right now," he said.
The words were simple.
But they felt heavy.
Anna nodded slowly. "Okay."
She didn't argue. She didn't raise her voice.
She just turned and walked out.
Sid stayed where he was, staring at the empty space she left behind.
That night, Anna didn't call him.
She sat at home, her sketchbook open but untouched. Her mind kept repeating his words.
I don't have the energy for this right now.
She wasn't asking for a solution.
She was asking to be heard.
Sid, on the other hand, sat in his room, his phone in his hand. He thought about calling her. He thought about explaining.
But he didn't know where to start.
Everything felt messy.
And for the first time, he realized something clearly.
Silence had come back again.
Not the comfortable one.
The kind that slowly builds distance.