Chapter 45: chapter 45

Aarohi sat at the café, absently stirring her coffee. Tanya had just left after a heartfelt conversation, leaving her with words of encouragement that should have lightened her mood. But instead, Aarohi felt the weight of everything pressing harder on her.

As she debated whether to head home or sit there a while longer, Rohan appeared, his casual smile catching her off guard.

“Aarohi? Fancy meeting you here,” he said, sliding into the seat Tanya had vacated.

She blinked, startled. “Rohan? What are you doing here?”

“Just grabbing coffee,” he said smoothly, signaling to the waiter. “Didn’t expect to run into you, though. You look... preoccupied. Everything okay?”

Aarohi hesitated, not wanting to get into the mess with Vihaan. “It’s nothing, really. Just some personal stuff.”

Rohan nodded, his eyes scanning her face as if trying to read her. “Sometimes it helps to talk about it. I’m here if you need to vent.”

She forced a small smile. “Thanks, but I’m fine. It’s just... one of those days.”

“Fair enough,” he said lightly, though his gaze lingered on her a moment longer. “But you know, Aarohi, life’s too short to stress over people who don’t deserve it. Some people aren’t worth the effort we put into them.”

Aarohi stiffened slightly, sensing an undercurrent in his words. “What are you trying to say, Rohan?”

“Nothing specific,” he replied casually, leaning back in his chair. “Just... don’t let anyone take you for granted. You’re better than that.”

She stared at him for a moment, unsure whether his words were genuine concern or an attempt to sow doubt. Before she could respond, her phone buzzed.

She glanced down and froze. It was a message from an unknown number again, with a picture of Vihaan sitting in a café. He looked composed, as if waiting for someone, and the caption read: “See? I got him back.”

Aarohi’s chest tightened. She immediately called Vihaan, her heart pounding as the phone rang endlessly. No answer.

She tried again. And again. Still no response.

Finally, a message popped up: “I’m busy. Will call you soon.”

Her frustration boiled over as she clutched her phone tightly. But before she could gather her thoughts, another message arrived from the same unknown number: “Stop disturbing us.”

Her hands trembled as she read the words. The implication was clear, and it felt like a dagger to her chest.

“Aarohi?” Rohan’s voice broke through her haze. “Is everything alright?”

She looked up, her expression unreadable. “I need to go.”

“Wait, is something wrong? You seem—”

“I’m fine, Rohan,” she interrupted, standing abruptly. “I just need some air.”

She left without waiting for his response, her mind racing.

The café, the messages, the silence from Vihaan—it was all too much. She didn’t want to believe what Tara was trying to imply, but her heart ached with doubt.

If Vihaan wasn’t involved in this, why wasn’t he answering her calls?

As she walked home, Aarohi’s determination solidified. She wouldn’t let Tara or anyone else manipulate her emotions anymore. But Vihaan needed to give her answers—real ones—because her faith in him was hanging by a thread.

Aarohi paced back and forth in her room, her mind replaying the messages over and over. Her phone rested on the table, its silence mocking her. The frustration boiled within her—why wasn’t Vihaan picking up? She had called him countless times, only to receive a curt text: “I’m busy. Will call you soon.”

Her thoughts spiraled into anger. Was it too much to expect a straightforward conversation? She flopped onto her bed, glaring at the ceiling, wondering how she ended up in this tangled mess.

A sudden vibration snapped her out of her thoughts. It was Vihaan calling. Without hesitation, she picked up.

“Aarohi,” his voice came through, calm yet firm. “Come downstairs. I’m outside.”

Her brows furrowed. “What? You’re here?”

“Yes. I think we need to talk.”

Aarohi stepped into the garden, her eyes locking on Vihaan as he stood near the garden bench, waiting for her. There was a strange intensity in his gaze, but something about it made her chest tighten. She wasn't sure whether it was from frustration or something else.

He motioned to the seat next to him, and Aarohi hesitated for a second before sitting down. The cool evening breeze brushed past her, but the tension between them felt heavy.

Vihaan exhaled, as if gathering his thoughts, before speaking. “Aarohi, I met Tara today.”

Her heart skipped a beat at the mention of her name, and she clenched her hands together in her lap, trying to hold back the surge of emotions rushing through her.

He continued, his voice steady but firm. “I wanted to clear things up with her. I told her to stop messaging you, to stop interfering in our lives. I didn’t want to bring this to you until I had everything sorted.” He looked directly at her, his eyes softening slightly. “I’m sorry for not picking up your calls earlier. I know that must’ve made you feel awful, and that’s on me.”

Aarohi’s frustration bubbled up, but she tried to keep her voice calm. “I just don’t understand why you wouldn’t answer me. I called you so many times, and you just sent a text saying you were busy. It didn’t make sense, Vihaan.”

“I know,” he said quietly, his gaze dropping to his hands before he looked up again. “But I didn’t want to involve you until I was sure things were clear. I didn’t want to bring more confusion to this mess.”

Aarohi sighed, her shoulders sagging as she leaned back slightly. “I understand, but it’s not just about the calls. It's everything. The messages from Tara... I know she’s been trying to get in my head. I can’t just ignore it, Vihaan.”

“I get it, Aarohi,” he said, his tone firming. “But I made myself clear to her. I told her that I’m done with her, that we’re moving forward, and that I’m with you now. I don’t know if she’ll stop messing with us, but I made it clear today. If she doesn’t, I... I don’t know what I’ll do to her.” His eyes darkened slightly with the last words, but his voice remained controlled.

Aarohi was silent for a moment, absorbing everything he said. There was a part of her that felt relieved hearing him say he was done with Tara, but another part of her still felt uneasy.

“I hope she does stop,” she said quietly. “I don’t want to be caught in the middle of this game anymore.”

Vihaan nodded, his expression serious. “Neither do I. I just want us to focus on what’s ahead, not let anyone from the past get in the way.”

He moved slightly closer, but there was a tension in his body that was hard to miss. “Aarohi, I’m sorry again for making you feel like you weren’t important enough for me to answer the phone. I’ll do better. Just don’t... don’t doubt me on this. I’m trying, and I need you to try too.”

She looked at him, feeling the weight of his words, the sincerity in his eyes. Slowly, she nodded.

“I’ll try,” she said softly.

For a moment, neither of them spoke, the air thick with unspoken words. Then Vihaan sighed, standing up slowly.

“I should go,” he said, his voice softer now. “I just wanted to clear the air, to make sure you knew what was going on. But if there’s anything else—anything at all—just tell me. I’m not going anywhere.”

Aarohi didn’t respond right away. She sat there, watching him leave, feeling a mixture of emotions. A part of her wanted to believe him, to trust him, but the other part... the part that had been hurt, the part that had felt abandoned, still felt raw.

Vihaan turned to look at her one last time before he left, his expression unreadable, but she could see the hesitation in his eyes.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” he asked quietly.

Aarohi nodded, but inside, she wasn’t sure whether tomorrow would bring clarity or more confusion. Only time would tell.