Shreya

The moment we arrived at the hotel in Goa, I was genuinely excited. Excited to finally meet her-Alisha. The girl Jayant always spoke of with a certain softness in his voice, the one who clearly held a special place in his life. I was curious, maybe even hopeful... that I'd understand a little more about this piece of Jayant's world.

As we entered the hotel lobby, they were already there-Rishi, Rahim and Alisha.

Their eyes widened the second they saw us, as if we were the last people they had expected to walk in. I smiled instinctively, about to say hello, but before I could even open my mouth, Rishi muttered something about something urgent and led Alisha away.

She didn't even glance at me.

No greeting.
No smile.
Not even a polite nod.

She looked only at Jayant. Straight into his eyes-and then walked away.

I stood there, stunned for a second.
What just happened?
Who behaves like that?

If they were truly close, if they were such good friends, the least she could've done was acknowledge me-or even speak properly to him. But she didn't.

Something about that exchange didn't sit right with me. A tight, quiet discomfort settled in my chest.

Thankfully, Rahim was there. He welcomed us warmly, trying to keep the air light. But it didn't take long for another awkward moment to arrive.

Turned out, our room wasn't pre-booked.

Jayant had apparently told them earlier that he wouldn't be coming. And now, here we were-he had shown up, dragging me along on this trip without informing anyone.
And worse? After
He had booked just one room.

I paused. Looked at him.
And I said it clearly-"I want a separate room."

There was a flicker in his eyes. Disappointment, maybe. Or something close to hurt. But I didn't care in that moment.

This wasn't about emotions.

I didn't want to be the girl who created tension on his friends' trip. And I certainly didn't want to share a room just because he had made a sudden decision without thinking it through.

So, I got a separate room.

No drama. No accusations.
Just quiet space between us.

But even as I unpacked, I couldn't shake the look in Alisha's eyes. Or the way she looked at Jayant-like she still belonged to a part of him I hadn't yet reached.
______________________________________________________________

Evening had begun to set in. The sky wore a soft orange hue, and the ocean breeze started to carry that familiar scent of salt and stories. But instead of soaking in the beauty of Goa, Jayant was pacing restlessly in the lobby.

I watched him from a distance-his eyes flickering again and again toward the hotel entrance, his fingers fidgeting with the hem of his shirt, and every few minutes, he turned to Rahim with the same question masked in different words, "They're not here yet?"

I had never seen him like this-so unsettled. And though he didn't say her name, I could tell exactly who he was waiting for.

Alisha.

There was something about the way he carried that anxiety-silent, heavy-that told me he wasn't just waiting. He was worried. Deeply. But what struck me more was how he chose to suffer that worry in silence.

He hadn't called her. Not once. Not even a message.

It made no sense.

So, I walked up to him and softly said, "Jayant, call her. If you're this worried... just ask if they're okay."

He glanced at me for a second and then quickly looked away. "I'm worrying for no reason," he muttered. "Rishi is with her. They're okay."

I looked at him-really looked at him.

He wasn't okay.

"Even so," I said gently, "a call might give you some peace of mind."

But he shook his head. "I'm fine."

He wasn't. And I wasn't sure why, but something in me whispered that something had happened between Jayant and Alisha-something they both weren't talking about. And now, they were just... dancing around the silence.

Watching him pace like that, standing under the warm lights of the lobby but drowning in his own thoughts-it felt wrong. So I walked over and, without saying another word, took his hand in mine.

He looked surprised, but didn't resist.

I turned to Rahim and said, "If they arrive, let us know. Or just send her to the beach."

Rahim nodded, and I led Jayant out-away from the suffocating wait, away from the revolving door he kept staring at like a lifeline.

We walked toward the beach, just the two of us, footsteps soft against the cooling sand. The waves whispered, and the wind felt kinder there. I didn't ask him to talk. I didn't ask him what happened.

Sometimes, being beside someone in silence speaks more than questions ever could.

And for now, I could be that silence for Jayant.
______________________________________

As we walked along the beachside, I noticed Jayant had grown quieter again. His shoulders had relaxed a bit, but his eyes still carried the weight of something unspoken. I wanted to lift that weight-even if only for a few moments.

So I started talking, gently, playfully.
"Thank you," I said, nudging him slightly with my elbow.

"For what?" he asked, brows raised in confusion.

"For making me talk to Maya again," I replied, smiling.

His eyes widened slightly, the surprise visible in the way he paused mid-step. "So... you two made up? Like, back to being best friends?"

"Not quite," I admitted with a soft laugh. "But... I've stopped avoiding her. I've started replying when she speaks. That counts, right?"

"That's progress," he said, his tone lighter now. "When's the wedding?"

"Functions start next week," I said, watching his expression change as the words sank in.

"So... you'll be going to Bangalore?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I'll have to. It's Maya's wedding after all."

His face shifted-just subtly-but enough for me to catch the faint shadow of sadness in his eyes. He didn't say anything, just looked out toward the waves for a moment too long.

I bumped my shoulder into his, softly.
"Well, I'm taking you with me," I said with a grin.

He turned, and for the first time that evening, I saw a full smile light up his face. A real one. "Oh really?" he chuckled. "You're taking me with you now?"

"Obviously," I teased. "What if I get bored there without you?"

He laughed again-this time it reached his eyes.

And just like that, the heaviness between us melted away for a little while.

We kept walking, side by side, lost in each other's presence. The world around us blurred-the sounds of distant conversations, the laughter of strangers on the beach. It all faded.

Just me, him, and the quiet comfort of knowing... we were still choosing each other.

It was almost eleven when Jayant finally checked the time and suddenly stiffened. "We should head back inside," he said, urgency in his tone. "Alisha must be here by now."

I simply nodded, even though a part of me sank hearing her name again. Still, we returned to the hotel and made our way straight to Rishi and Rahim's room. The door was locked from the inside, and Jayant knocked a few times before Rahim opened it.

We stepped in.

And there she was-Alisha. Curled up on the bed, fast asleep, Jayant paused beside her, silent for a few seconds longer than I expected. His expression softened into something I couldn't name-something private, something distant.

Before I could even process the moment, he turned to me and said, "Shreya, go to your room."

I blinked. "What?"

"Shreya," he said again, this time more firmly, "please... go to your room."

I looked around. Rishi and Rahim weren't saying anything-they were just watching me. Waiting. I stood there, confused, embarrassed, and suddenly so out of place.

A few hours ago, this same man had been walking beside me, smiling, laughing like I was the only person who mattered. And now... just like that, he wanted me gone. Like I didn't belong in that room. Like I didn't belong beside him.

My chest tightened. My voice wanted to speak-wanted to ask, Why? But I swallowed the question.
So, with something in me quietly cracking, I turned and walked out. Alone.

And just like that, the night that had begun with laughter ended with silence and a closed door behind me. I walked back to my room, carrying a weight I didn't know how to name.

I wasn't just leaving a room.
I was leaving a moment where I thought I belonged.
__________________________________________________________________________

Jayant

The moment I saw Alisha lying on the bed, I didn't need anyone to tell me what had happened. Her face gave it all away-her eyelids were still damp, her lashes slightly stuck together with traces of dried tears. She had cried. A lot.

And she wasn't really asleep. I knew her too well. She was pretending-her body too still, her breathing too measured. She knew I was here.

I turned toward Shreya and said, firmly but without turning back, "Shreya, go to your room."

I knew that must've hurt her. I could feel the slight pause in her steps, the silence that followed. But what else could I do? I couldn't explain-not right now. Not in front of everyone.

As soon as the door clicked shut behind her, I quietly walked to the foot of the bed and said, "Alisha... I know you're awake."

"She won't answer," Rishi muttered from behind. "How could she? Huh.. asleep. So let her."

I turned to look at him.

There was something in Rishi's tone. He always knew more than he let on. And I knew-deep down-I knew something wasn't right.

I stepped toward the balcony and gestured to Rishi and Rahim. "Come with me," I said simply.

They followed, albeit hesitantly. Once outside, I faced them and asked directly, "Why did she cried?"

Rahim looked at Rishi, then back at me, fumbled. "What? Crying? Who said she was crying?"

"Don't lie to me," I said, sharper than I intended. "She cried. I saw her face. Her eyes. Was it because of me? Did she not want to see me here?"

Rahim hesitated, ready to respond, but Rishi cut in quickly, "It's not like that. She's just... stressed. Career pressure and all."
"Sab khud pe mat lo"

A weak excuse. I knew it. He knew it too.

Trying to change the subject, Rishi asked suddenly, "Why did you bring her here? That Shreya girl?"

I looked at him, surprised. "I wanted you guys to meet her."

"You could've asked if we wanted to meet her."

That was cold. Rishi had never spoken to me like that before. His words felt like ice.

"What...? You guys don't want to meet her?"

Rahim tried to mediate. "It's not that. Just... you like her, right?"

Before I could respond, Rishi scoffed and walked away, shaking his head. I watched him leave in silence, the weight of everything pressing in from all sides.

I rubbed my forehead, exhaled heavily, and asked Rahim for Alisha's room number. He hesitated, then told me. Without waiting another second, I turned back to the bed.

And then-I did what felt right.

I walked up to her and gently slid one arm beneath her knees, the other around her shoulders. She didn't flinch. She didn't move. Maybe because she was too tired to pretend anymore. Maybe because somewhere, deep down, she still trusted me.

I lifted her.

She was light, but the emotional weight she carried... it crushed me.

She fit perfectly against me, the way she always had. I held her close, protective. Fragile. Like she might break further if I let go.

As I carried her through the corridor, I saw Rishi standing at the end of the hallway, watching. He didn't speak. Neither did I.

When I entered her room, I laid her down as gently as I could, like she was glass. I adjusted the pillow under her head, pulled the blanket up, then sat beside her, watching her face-still clenched shut, as if sleeping would make it all disappear.

I sat beside her and gently ran a hand through her hair, tapping her head softly the way she liked-comforting her even if she wouldn't admit she needed it.

There was distance between us now.

But I wasn't going to let it grow.

Not anymore.

I whispered so softly only the silence could hear me:

"Come back to me, Alisha."

________________________________________________________________________

Shreya

After a night that felt like a storm-unsettling, cold, and endless-I woke up with a knot in my chest and Jayant's name weighing on my mind. I didn't know what I expected, maybe a message, a knock on the door, some sign that he remembered I existed. But there was nothing.

Unable to wait any longer, I headed straight to his room. I knocked once. Then twice. Then many times over. No answer.

I asked the staff to open the door, half-expecting him to still be asleep. But the man informed me gently, "Sir hasn't returned to his room, ma'am."

My heart skipped.

Something was wrong.

With panic crawling under my skin, I rushed down the corridor, straight to Rishi and Rahim's room. The door opened. Both of them were inside-fully awake-but Alisha wasn't.

My voice shook as I asked, "Where is she?"

They exchanged a look. One of those silent conversations that shut you out completely.

I turned around and walked off, trying every open hallway, my heartbeat loud and uneven. A door a little ahead was ajar. On instinct, I peeked in.

And that's when my breath caught in my throat.

Alisha was sleeping, curled up under the blanket-and Jayant... Jayant was right beside her. He hadn't just checked on her. He had stayed. All night. His arm rested near her pillow, his head tilted toward her in sleep, as if guarding a part of himself.

My hands went cold.

I stepped back quietly, not wanting either of them to see me. Not because I was ashamed. But because I knew-whatever I had with Jayant, whatever I thought was beginning...
Was nothing...
But I can't able to accept.

I walked down the corridor quickly, my vision blurry, my chest tight. By the time I reached my room, I could barely breathe.

I didn't cry.

But something in me cracked so silently, even I almost missed it.
________________________________________

The morning air in Goa had a softness to it, warm yet calming, but inside me-everything felt tight, unsettled. We were all gathered for breakfast at the seaside café attached to the hotel.

Jayant walked up to the buffet counter before any of us, looking oddly focused for someone who wasn't even hungry last night. When he returned, he had not one but two plates in his hands. He placed one in front of Alisha without a word-perfectly arranged, toast without edges, a sunny-side egg, and just the right amount of fruit slices.

She hadn't even asked.

She didn't have to.

He just... knew.

Alisha didn't react much-barely a smile-but that was always her style. Quiet warmth. She picked up her fork and began to eat like this was the most natural thing in the world. Like he hadn't just done something deeply intimate without realizing it.

Then he turned to me.

"What would you like to eat?" he asked.

His voice was soft, polite even.

But that's what stung the most.

He needed to ask.

Because he didn't know.

Because he hadn't noticed what I like or remembered what I avoid.

I gave him a quick smile and murmured something about getting it myself. But even that felt like a performance-something I had to act out just to stay standing.

My appetite was gone, but I still walked up to the counter. Not because I was hungry-but because I couldn't bear sitting at that table, watching him serve her the way I had always dreamed he'd serve me.
__________________________________________

Alisha

I hadn't eaten much. Just enough to keep up appearances. I got up to grab a drink-anything to avoid looking at Jayant.

Rishi joined me at the counter, casual but too quickly. Moments later, Rahim appeared too, pretending to look over the juices.

I raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? The two of you-at the same time?"

Rishi cleared his throat. "Alisha... just act normal, okay?"

That made me stop mid-pour. "Normal?" I repeated, turning to face them fully. "What does that even mean right now?"

Rahim stepped forward slightly, lowering his voice. "It means stop acting cold and withdrawn. Because of your... 'mood'-Jayant's giving you way more attention than usual."

"And Shreya," Rishi added, "is clearly not taking it well."

My stomach tightened. "Oh... now she's the one we should worry about?" My voice dipped, bitter. "You two-really-are concerned about how she feels?"

They didn't answer.

I gave a tight smile. "Interesting. So now I'm the problem."

"That's not what we meant," Rahim said quickly.
I shook my head in disbelief, and stepped past them, muttering under my breath, "Brilliant."

As I walked back toward the table, I didn't even glance in Jayant. Let them all sit there playing polite and pretending it was just breakfast. I knew what I felt, and pretending never made the ache go away.

Behind me, I could hear them whispering, softly calling my name, trying to stop me.

But I didn't stop.

Because the more they asked me to be "normal," the more I realized-none of this was.
And maybe it never would be.
____________________________________

Goa's narrow streets were buzzing with color-tourists bargaining at stalls, music spilling from nearby cafés, We wandered like any ordinary group of friends on vacation, buying silly trinkets, sharing snacks, making little memories to keep.

Rahim was walking beside Shreya, clearly trying to build some kind of friendship. She didn't seem particularly interested but humored him politely. Jayant was beside me, as usual. Close-but not in the way I once wished for.

I was trying not to think too much when suddenly my ankle twisted beneath me. Before I could fall, Jayant's arm caught me around the waist.

Startled, I looked down. My heel had snapped.

Great.

Without a second thought, Jayant knelt down right there on the cobblestone street, slipped off his own shoes,
"Give me your foot," he said softly. and gently slid them onto my feet.

I hesitated.

"It's okay. I walk better barefoot anyway,"
he said, tying the laces carefully like a child gonna walk on this. Then he looked up and smiled-soft, almost teasing.

"Little big...You have to manage it"

I blinked, a little speechless. And maybe a little breathless.

But then my eyes caught Shreya watching us from a distance. Her expression was... tight. Not angry. Not exactly sad. Just-tight. Like someone who wasn't expecting to feel anything but accidentally did.

And the thing is, I didn't blame her. We hadn't really spoken-Shreya and I. There was a mutual discomfort between us that neither had bothered to address. I didn't like her, and I was fairly sure the feeling was mutual.

We kept walking. The sun had begun to soften and the shadows stretched longer. We were nearing the beach edge when a sudden sharp yell echoed behind us.

"Ahh!"

We all turned.

Shreya was on the ground, one leg folded awkwardly beneath her. Her heel had broken. Convenient.

Jayant didn't even hesitate-he rushed to her, knelt down, checked her ankle, then without a word, lifted her up into his arms.

Like a prince from some annoyingly well-directed movie.

Shreya's arms slipped around his neck. Her expression? Calm. Composed. And unmistakably smug.

She looked right at me.

And in that single look, her eyes said everything she didn't have to say out loud.

Score: One - Me.
Score: One - Her.

Rishi pulled me aside, his tone unusually stern.

"Alisha, stop this nonsense game."

I blinked, genuinely caught off guard. "What game?"

He didn't smile. "The one you and Shreya are both playing. The one where Jayant's stuck in the middle."

My heart skipped. "We're not-" I began.

But he cut me off. "Come on, Alisha. Don't do this. Don't pull Jayant back and forth like a rope in your little tug-of-war. He's not built for that."

And just like that, he walked away.

But his words stayed.

I stood there for a moment, letting the crowd move around me, the street noise fading beneath the noise in my head. Was I doing that? Was I really trying to compete with Shreya-for Jayant's attention? His care? His loyalty?

God. I had no idea anymore. Maybe pain makes you possessive. Maybe love makes you petty.

But I knew one thing-I didn't want to be that version of me.

A little while later, I rejoined the group. Jayant still carry Shreya.

I walked up, wordless.

Jayant looked at me, put her down on ground.
I knelt. From the small bag in my hand, I pulled out a pair of simple flat sandals-local, inexpensive, but comfortable. I placed them down before Shreya.

"For you," I said quietly.

And then I turned to Jayant, holding out his sneakers. "These are yours. Thanks for the borrowing."

He looked between us, stunned. "You... bought those for her?"

I shrugged with a faint smile. "Yaah..No more broken heels."

Shreya took the flats slowly, silently. Jayant accepted his shoes with a confused nod.

I didn't say more. I didn't need to.

We are in Goa.
We are on a trip. Not a battlefield. And maybe, just maybe, it was time to stop turning memories into rivalries.

Let Jayant choose his steps.

I had finally chosen mine.

Goa was alive with music, laughter, and lights. Jayant and Shreya were on the dance floor, moving effortlessly together. I watched from the sidelines, trying to ignore the way it made my chest tighten.

Just then, Rishi came up beside me. "I suddenly start missing soumya now..I don't know why, but suddenly I really want to hear her sweet voice." He grinned, but there was something soft behind it.

"You want me to call her?" I asked.

He nodded. "Let's step away for a second. Too loud here."

I glanced once more toward the dance floor. Jayant twirled Shreya in the middle of the crowd. They looked like they belonged there, in the moment, in each other's space.

We slipped away from the crowd, away from the music. Behind us, the party kept spinning. Ahead of us, just the ocean breeze and space to breathe.

I tried once or twice, but she didn't answer the call. I tried several times, but still-no response. Rishi and I were starting to get worried now.
_______________________________________________________________________

Jayant

I was dancing with Shreya, her hand in mine, her smile bright under the flickering lights. Somewhere in my mind, I knew-I hadn't given her the time she truly deserved. After all, besides me, she barely knew anyone else here. She had every right to be the center of my world tonight.

After a while, as we twirled to the music, I looked around and realized something was off. Alisha and Rishi were nowhere in sight. It was strange-they wouldn't just disappear from the party without saying a word. A small knot tightened in my chest.

I leaned toward Shreya and said gently, "Wait here for a bit, I'll be back soon."

There was a flicker of sadness in her eyes. "You sure? You'll come back, right?" she asked quietly.

I cupped her cheek, softly smiling, "Of course. I promise. Just wait a little."

Then I stepped away and out of the noisy club into the quieter night, scanning the streets and corners until I finally found them. Alisha was safe-relief passed through me like a breeze-but just as I turned to head back to Shreya, a notification pinged on my phone.

Her name. My stomach sank.

I tapped it.

My screen lit up. The sound of rain, the low hum of a love song playing in the background. And then-Alisha. Soaked in the rain. Laughing. Dancing. With someone I didn't know.
A stranger.

Her body soaked, the rain clinging to her like silk, and the camera... unforgiving. There were already millions of views. And the comments-disgustingly inappropriate, reducing her to a spectacle. A storm surged inside me. My fists clenched.

How could she be so careless? How could she let something like this happen?

My jaw tightened.

And without a second thought, I walked toward her-my steps heavy, fast, burning with questions I didn't know how to ask.

I didn't even realize when my steps turned into a storm. Before I knew it, I was standing in front of her-Alisha-and my hand had wrapped tightly around her arm.

"What the hell are you doing?" I snapped, my voice low but sharp enough to cut through the air. "How can you be this careless, Alisha? Do you even realize how dangerous social media is now? Knowing everything, and still-this?"

Rishi and Alisha both froze, their faces a mixture of confusion and disbelief.

"JP, what the hell are you talking about?" Rishi said, quickly stepping forward. "And let her go, man. You're hurting her."

But Alisha... she didn't say a word. Her eyes were fixed on me, wide and unreadable. Almost like she wasn't sure if I was someone she knew anymore.

Rishi gently pulled her away from me, shielding her with his presence. "Just say it clearly, man. What are you accusing her of?"

I let out a breath, trying to keep the anger from boiling over. "This girl-this stupid girl-made a video. Drenched in rain. With some random guy. Dancing on the road like... like it's all just a joke. And now it's viral. On every damn reel."

Rishi blinked, stunned. "Wait... what? Even if she did, so what? It must've been a collab or something casual-"

"In the rain, Rishi. In the rain! With strangers leering at her through their screens." I was trembling now-not from rage, but from fear and helplessness.

"Show me the video," Rishi said.

"I won't."

Before I could stop her, Alisha pulled out her phone and played the video herself. But I snatched it from her hands before it could load fully.

"Don't." My voice broke slightly. "You don't need to read those comments. You don't need to see what they're saying about your body, about you."

Her voice, soft but steady, came next. "Give me my phone, Jayant."

I handed it back.

She checked her screen, brows furrowed. The video wasn't there anymore-I had already removed it.

She looked up at me, quietly. No anger. Just a stillness that made my heart ache.

"How could you be so reckless?" I asked, my voice lower now, almost pleading. "I've told you how unsafe this city is. How dangerous these platforms can be. But you... you won't listen. You won't even talk to me anymore, Now listen to me.. only."

"Jayant... relax," she said calmly, like she was trying to ground me while she herself was spinning.

"It was just a video," she added. "And you're reacting like-like I broke something sacred."

"Because it is sacred!" I shouted, then caught myself. "You... you are. And people don't get to talk about you like that, not while I'm breathing."

I turned without another word.

Alisha called after me. I didn't stop.
I had already dialed someone-anyone-who could help me. The video had to go. Now.

Because if this world thought it could rip her apart one comment at a time...
They hadn't met me yet.
________________________________________________________________

Vijay had somehow managed to get hold of a hacker-the kind of person who could scrub a video clean off the internet, without leaving even a shadow of it behind. I was on the call the entire time, pacing like a madman, impatience twisting in my chest like barbed wire.

And then I heard it.

A group of guys, standing barely a few feet away, talking casually. Laughing.

Laughing at her.

"At this rate, girls like her don't need talent," one of them chuckled. "Just upload a few steamy clips and-boom-instant fame."

My blood boiled.

I didn't think-I just snapped.

Storming over, I shoved the loudest one backward. My fists landed before my words did. "How dare you?" I growled, hitting him again. "How fucking dare you speak about her like that?"

The others tried to intervene-I didn't care. "Say one more word about her... I'll bury you alive." My voice didn't even sound like mine. It was something darker. Something unhinged.

They scattered. Cowards, the lot of them

But the rage didn't leave me. I was shaking-my breaths coming in short, furious bursts. My fists were bruised. But nothing hurt more than knowing she had to deal with this filth. That people were seeing her not for who she was, but for how she looked, how her body moved.

Just then, Vijay's voice came through my phone. "Boss... the original uploader deleted it himself."

"What?"

"Yeah... we traced it. The admin who uploaded the clip... he pulled it down on his own. But don't worry, we're tracking and removing every shared copy. I've got my guys on it. It'll all be gone soon. I promise."

A strange calm settled over me.

Relief? Maybe.

Confusion too.

Why would the original uploader delete it himself?

That part didn't sit right. But at least... at least the video was gone.

I had just begun to breathe a sigh of relief...
And then it hit me.

Shreya.

Shit.

My chest tightened as realization sunk in. I told her I'd be back in a few minutes-and it had already been three hours.

Panic twisted inside me as I rushed back toward the party venue-only to find it hollow, dim, deserted. The music had died. The crowd had faded. The space felt like a ghost town.

And she-she was nowhere.

My heart was racing as I pulled out my phone to call her-only to freeze when I remembered...
Her phone was still with me.
She had slipped it into my pocket before we danced, joking about not having pockets in her outfit.

DAMN IT.

Helplessness gripped me as I rushed back to the hotel, praying she had returned safely. At the reception, I barely got the words out, "Room number 504... Shreya-did she come back?"

The staff nodded. "Yes, sir. She came in a little while ago."

Relief washed over me. But only for a moment.

Without another word, I turned and rushed to her room and pushed the door open without knocking.

She was packing.

Her back to me, movements sharp and mechanical. My breath caught in my throat.

Without thinking, I walked up and wrapped my arms around her from behind. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "Shreya, please-listen to me. Something came up, something urgent. I didn't mean to leave you like that."

But she pulled away from me with a suddenness that stung.

Her voice was quiet. Too quiet. "Was the urgent's name... Alisha?"

I said nothing. I just nodded.

She began folding her clothes faster-her packing more aggressive, like she was trying to shut me out with every folded shirt.

"Shreya, please... just hear me out," I tried again, reaching for her arm.

She pulled it away.

"No, Jayant. I don't want to hear any of your explanations." Her voice cracked, but her back remained to me.

"It was important," I said quietly. "I had to go."

"And I'm not important?" she snapped, finally turning to face me. Her eyes were glossy, and her breath shaky, but her words were sharp, every syllable soaked in hurt.

"You are," I said instantly. "Of course you are-"

"Then why haven't I felt like it? Not since last night. Not this morning. Not today. Not even for a second." Her hands hit my chest-not to hurt me, but to make me feel the ache inside her. Softly. Repeatedly. Like every touch was a question I couldn't answer.

"I feel like I'm just a... Toy," she whispered, tears falling freely now. "You only need me when your friends aren't around. The moment they show up-'Shreya, please leave'-like just throw me away."

"Shreya, no! That's not-"

"Your friends don't even like me," she cried, her voice rising. "They ignore me, just like you do. And I'm tired. I'm so tired, Jayant."

I reached for her again, but she stepped back.

"You left me standing in a crowd with strangers and didn't even think once to come back.... may..maybe I'm not your priority at all."

I had no words.
Because maybe... in that moment, she was right.

And then... she broke. Completely.

Tears streamed down her face as she cried, voice trembling with raw, unfiltered pain.
"You know what?" she said, choking between sobs, "I broke my own heel... just to get your attention. I've never done anything like that before. Never tried to get noticed like that-by anyone."

She looked up at me, her eyes glistening with heartbreak.

"I can't share you. I won't. If I can't have you completely... then I don't want you at all. I don't want to be your option, Jayant. I want to be your choice."

Her voice cracked on the last words, and I stood there-frozen-watching her fall apart right in front of me. And all I could do was hurt with her.

In a heartbeat, I stepped forward and pulled her into me, holding her tightly, desperately. My own tears had already started to fall. I didn't even realize when. But they came freely now, as if my body finally understood the weight of her pain.

After what felt like forever, she slowly pulled away.

Her hands wiped her face quickly, her gaze determined but broken.

"Shayad tum mujhse pyaar nhi karte...par main karne lgi hu....Pyaar se bahut umiden hain meri..par tumahare sath kabhi Puri na ho...Mujhe dur hi rahna chahiye tha."

("Maybe you don't love me...but I have started loving you...I am very fond of love...but it can never be complete with you...I should have stayed away.") she said softly.

And then...she took her phone from my pocket and she walked away.

Just like that.

The door clicked behind her and left a silence that screamed louder than anything else.

I stood there, shattered and speechless. She had confessed her love. She had bared her soul to me. And I had nothing-nothing-to give her back in that moment.

I stood rooted, the weight of her words echoing inside me louder than the silence she left behind. I couldn't even stop her. Couldn't find the words to hold her back. Because deep down, I wasn't even sure of the answer.

Do I love Shreya?

I care. God, I care more than I've cared for anyone in a long time. She matters. She feels like home.

But is that love?

I don't know.

And maybe... just maybe... I already lost her while trying to figure that out.

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