Ruhi’s POV

I woke up to loud banging on my door.

My brother Aditya burst into my room, shouting,
“What are you still doing sleeping?! Wake up!”

I frowned. “What happened? Why are you shouting?”

“My engagement is in three days!” he said proudly. “Now get up. There’s a LOT to do.”

And that was it.

My entire house turned into a mini storm.

Badi Ma shouting at decorators.
Badi maa stressing about the caterer.
Avni bhabhi searching for her missing earrings.
Ayan running everywhere.

And me?

I didn’t get a second to think about anything.
Not nightmares.
Not the note.
Not the way he whispered: I’ll come running.

I was folding dupattas, confirming orders, helping guests, handling kids…

The chaos drowned everything.

Almost.

Because every few minutes, my mind whispered:

Aayansh was there.
He held you.
He didn’t leave.

I shook my head every time.

Not right now, Ruhi.
Not today.

ENGAGEMENT DAY

Everything looked beautiful.

Golden lights.
Soft flowers.
Music.
Smiling faces.

And in the middle of all that, I was running around nonstop.

“Ruhi, take the ring tray!”
“One second, I’ll fix Riya’s dupatta!”
“Haan haan, main kar lungi! Just give me a minute!”

I was fixing Riya’s hair when the door opened.

I felt it before I saw him.

A familiar presence.
A familiar warmth.

And then… Aayansh walked in.

He looked too good.
Black kurta. Rolled sleeves. Calm face, intense eyes.

My heartbeat got confused.
Why?
I didn’t know.
Didn’t want to know.

“Hi,” he said softly.

I nodded quickly and looked away.
I wasn’t ready.
Not after last night.

But I caught the way his eyes followed me every time I moved.

Then Shrey arrived.

My best friend.
Loud.
Annoying.
Clingy.
And glued to me like Fevicol.

“Ruhi! Look at you!” he said dramatically. “You look so pretty. Come here, picture!”

He grabbed my hand.

And that’s when I felt it.

Eyes.
Sharp.
Burning.

I didn’t need to turn around to know it was him.

Whenever Shrey leaned too close…
Whenever he whispered something…
Whenever he held my hand…

I could FEEL Aayansh watching.

Once, Shrey slung an arm around my shoulder and I swear the temperature dropped by ten degrees.

Great.
Just great.

Music started.
Everyone was dancing.

Shrey pulled me to the dance floor.
We were laughing, spinning, being stupid like always.

But across the crowd 

Aayansh wasn’t laughing.

His jaw was tight.
His eyes locked on me.

Not playful.
Not friendly.

Something else.
Something dangerous.

And when Shrey held my waist to steady me…

Aayansh’s expression changed.
He walked away.

Just disappeared.

Like he couldn’t watch another second.

My smile faded.

Why… why did it bother me?

After everything was done, I slipped outside for some air.

Fairy lights glowed softly.
The night breeze felt calm.

I thought I was alone.

I wasn’t.

Someone grabbed my wrist not harshly, but firmly.

I turned.

Aayansh.

His expression was sharp, tense, frustrated.

He pulled me toward a quieter corner, away from everyone.

“Aayansh, what are you”

“You’re ignoring me.”

His voice was low. Controlled.

It sent a shiver through me.

“I’m… I’m busy,” I whispered.

“With him?”

His jaw clenched.

“Shrey is my best friend.”

“I don’t care,” he said instantly.

I froze.

He stepped closer close enough for me to feel his breath.

“Ruhi, you can talk to anyone,” he said quietly, “but don’t… don’t get too close to someone who isn’t me.”

My heart thudded painfully.

“Shrey is my friend.”

“I’m not talking about Shrey,” he whispered.

I looked up.

He was staring straight into my eyes.

Angry.
Hurt.
And something else he wouldn’t admit.

“Yesterday you held onto me like I was the only thing keeping you standing,” he said softly.
“And today you couldn’t even look at me.”

I swallowed.

“Don’t do that again, Ruhi. Don’t pull away.”

My breath hitched.

“Why does it matter to you?” I whispered.

His eyes softened… only for a second.

Then hardened.

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” he said.

And he walked away.

Leaving me breathless, confused, and with a heart beating way too fast.

Aayansh’s POV

I was excited for the engagement Riya and Aditya were my friends, and Riya was like a sister to me.

But deep down?

I was eager to see someone else.

Ruhi.

My family had already left. I was a little late because of a meeting.

And the only thing on my mind… was her.

After last night…
after holding her while she cried…
after watching her fall asleep on my shoulder…

I tried ignoring it.
Failed.
I tried focusing on work.
Failed again.

And then I saw her.

One look.
Pastel dress.
Soft curls.
Her smile…

I forgot how to breathe.

But the peace lasted exactly three minutes.

Because that’s when he walked in.

Shrey.

And Ruhi’s face lit up.

“Shreyyyy!”

She hugged him.
He hugged her back.

My jaw locked.

He didn’t let go.
She didn’t push him away.

Relax.
He’s just her friend.

But my fists were already clenching.

He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

Something snapped.

I watched them
Shrey pulling her by the wrist,
Ruhi laughing,
his hand on her back,
her leaning close.

And inside me?

Wildfire.

Why was she smiling at him like that?
Why did she not mind him touching her?
Why did it affect me so much?

I didn’t want the answer.

Music changed.
Everyone danced.

Shrey pulled Ruhi again.
She stumbled he held her waist.

Something in me broke.

I walked out before I did something stupid.

But leaving didn’t help.

Her voice followed me.
Her laughter.
Her softness.

Then I saw her slip outside alone.

One thought hit instantly:

Go to her.

I found her under the fairy lights.
Cold breeze brushing her hair.

And for a second, everything in me calmed.

But then the memory of Shrey touching her hit me again.

I reached her before she realized.

She turned.

And everything spilled out.

“You’re ignoring me.”

Not a question.
A fact.

“With him?”

Even saying his name twisted something in me.

“Shrey is my best friend.”

“I don’t care.”

I stepped closer.

“Do whatever you want,” I said softly, “but don’t let someone like him put his hands on you.”

She stared at me.

“Why does it matter to you?”

I wanted to answer.

But I couldn’t.

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out.”

And I walked away before she saw everything I was feeling.

That night, lying in bed, I couldn’t escape her.

Her smile.
Her dress.
Her laugh with him.
Her eyes when she looked at me.

Why did she feel different?

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Shrey’s hand on her waist.

Every time I tried to breathe, I heard her soft whisper:

“Why does it matter to you?”

I pulled out my phone.
Her name glowed on the screen.

I wanted to call her.
Hear her voice.

My thumb hovered over the button.

I didn’t press it.

Not yet.

Instead, I whispered into the darkness:

“Ruhi… what are you doing to me?”

Sleep didn’t come for hours.

Author’s POV

Ruhi lay in bed, staring at the ceiling fan lazily spinning above her.

She should have been exhausted.
Running around all day.
Handling guests.
Smiling.
Organizing.

But her mind was stuck in one place.

One moment.
One voice.

“You’re ignoring me.”

She didn’t know he cared enough to notice.

And then…

“Don’t let someone like him put his hands on you.”

Her chest tightened remembering it.

Why did it matter to him?
Why did his voice shake something inside her?
Why did it bother her… that he walked away?

Her phone lit up twice.
She grabbed it instantly.

Not him.

Her lips pressed together  disappointed before she could stop herself.

She whispered into the dark:

“Aayansh… What are you doing to me?”

She couldn’t sleep.

Her heart was restless.

She opened her drawer and pulled out the small folded note he left that morning.

“Good morning, princess…”

Her fingers brushed the words gently.

He cared.
He came running when she screamed.
He held her.
He stayed.

And tonight?

He got jealous.

Her lips curled into a tiny smile she didn’t realize she was wearing.

She hugged the note to her chest.

Sleep finally found her.

And her last thought before drifting off was his whisper:

“I’ll come running to you.”