Ruhi’s POV
I didn’t remember how long I stood there after he left.
The night air felt colder than before or maybe it was just me. My forehead still burned faintly where it had rested against his chest, as if my body was refusing to forget what my mind was struggling to understand.
Aayansh liked me.
No he didn’t just like me.
He was willing to wait.
That thought scared me more than his confession ever could.
I wrapped my arms around myself and stared up at the sky, forcing my heartbeat to slow. I had spent years building walls, quiet ones, invisible ones. Walls that kept people at a safe, manageable distance. And with a few honest words, he had stood right in front of them… not trying to break them, not demanding anything, just willing to wait outside.
Why did that feel heavier than pressure?
I had leaned into him without thinking.
That terrified me.
I exhaled slowly and turned toward the door, my feet moving on their own. I wasn’t ready to define anything. I wasn’t ready to say yes or no. All I knew was this
Nothing would go back to the way it was before.
And somehow, deep down, I didn’t want it to.
When I walked back inside, laughter and music welcomed me again, but my world felt quieter. Different. Like something had shifted settling into a place it had always belonged.
I avoided his eyes for the rest of the night.
Not because I didn’t want to look at him.
But because I wasn’t sure I’d be able to look away.
Next Morning
I couldn’t stop thinking about his confession.
Every word replayed in my mind, over and over, until the morning light felt too bright for how little sleep I’d had. I didn’t know how I was supposed to face him now.
I took my bags and went downstairs.
Everyone was already there, gathered and ready to leave laughing, talking, moving on with their lives.
And then I saw him.
Aayansh stood among them, calm and composed. When our eyes met, my breath caught. I looked away instantly, my heart racing like I’d been caught doing something wrong.
“All right,” Aayansh’s father said cheerfully, clapping his hands together. “Everyone’s here. Let’s leave.”
I stepped outside, tightening my grip on my bag and pretending to adjust the strap on my shoulder.
The morning air felt too fresh for how heavy my chest was.
People loaded luggage, joked around, and gave instructions. Life moved forward exactly as it always did.
Only I felt different.
Like I was standing in the same place but on the wrong side of something invisible.
I could still feel his gaze on me.
I didn’t need to look to know it was Aayansh.
I focused on the ground, counting my steps, reminding myself to breathe normally. Last night’s words echoed in my head no matter how hard I tried to silence them.
Then I’ll wait.
Why did that sound louder in daylight?
“Ruhi.”
I froze.
His voice was soft, careful and closer than I expected.
I turned slowly, forcing myself to meet his eyes for the first time since last night. He looked… normal. Calm. As if he hadn’t turned my world upside down a few hours ago.
“Good morning,” he said.
“Morning,” I replied, my voice steady even though my heart wasn’t.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
There was no awkwardness. No pressure.
Just awareness.
“I just wanted to ask if you slept okay,” he said.
I nodded. “Yeah. I mean… a little.”
A small smile touched his lips not teasing, just understanding.
“That’s good,” he said. “The journey’s long.”
“Yes,” I murmured.
Another pause.
Then just like he promised he stepped back.
No questions.
No expectations.
No forcing me into a conversation I wasn’t ready for.
And somehow, that made everything harder.
After a Few Days
Life slowly slipped back into its usual rhythm.
Work. Routine chaos. Familiar streets. Familiar faces.
And yet, something felt… off.
I hadn’t seen Aayansh since we returned.
Not because our paths didn’t cross but because I made sure they didn’t.
I avoided places where I knew he’d be. Took longer routes. Left earlier. I found excuses that sounded convincing even to myself.
But he didn’t disappear.
Every morning, without fail, my phone lit up.
Good morning, Ruhi.
And every night
Good night. Take care.
Nothing more. Nothing less.
No questions.
No pressure.
No mention of the confession.
And somehow, that hurt more than if he had pushed.
I replied every time.
Because ignoring him felt wrong.
But continuing the conversation felt dangerous.
So we stayed in this strange in-between where words existed, but feelings remained untouched.
Some nights, I stared at the screen long after replying, my fingers hovering over the keyboard, wanting to type something more.
Something honest.
Something brave.
But fear always won.
What if I wasn’t ready?
What if I ruined what we already had?
What if I felt more than I could handle?
So I chose silence.
And he respected it.
Which only made my chest feel heavier.
Because the truth was
I wasn’t avoiding him because I didn’t feel anything.
I was avoiding him because I felt too much.
I was at work when my phone buzzed with notifications from a friends’ group one Riya bhabhi had added me to.
I opened it casually.
And then I froze.
Photos.
Aayansh.
Standing beside an actress.
They’d attended an event together. Paparazzi pictures captured them leaving side by side, close enough for assumptions to bloom easily. The comments were worse fans shipping them, praising how good they looked together.
My chest tightened.
Hard.
Why did this bother me so much?
I had no right.
I was the one avoiding him.
I was the one pretending nothing had changed.
I was the one who never gave him an answer.
So why did it feel like someone had placed a heavy stone on my chest?
I hated how my heart whispered something I didn’t want to admit.
Is this what it feels like losing something you never claimed?
The entire day, I couldn’t focus on anything.
All I could think about was her.
Who was she to him?
Was he moving on?
Was he done waiting?
That night, unable to sleep, I typed out a message asking who the girl was.
Then deleted it.
Typed again.
Deleted again.
I couldn’t bring myself to send it.
I didn’t have the right to question him, not when I was the one creating the distance.
Sleep didn’t come.
Neither did peace.
I stopped eating properly. Lost focus at work. Even my family noticed something was wrong. When they asked, I blamed work.
They didn’t believe me.
I was in my office when my phone rang.
Riya bhabhi.
They had returned from their honeymoon just yesterday.
I answered, smiling out of habit.
But the moment she spoke, the ground slipped from beneath my feet.
My heart started racing violently.
I stood up, grabbed my car keys, and rushed out without thinking.
I drove too fast, barely aware of the road.
There was only one thought in my head.
Please… let him be fine.
Riya bhabhi’s words echoed over and over
Aayansh met with an accident.
He’s in the hospital.
And in that moment, every wall I’d built, every fear I’d hidden behind
None of it mattered anymore.
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