Chapter 27

Subhi

The silence between us had stretched longer than I expected. Every time I saw Abhimanyu, I felt an invisible wall between us—one that I wasn’t sure how to break.

I had told myself I would stop thinking about him, that I wouldn’t let his presence affect me, but it was a lie. He was always there, somewhere in my mind.

And now, standing near the school corridor, I caught sight of him again—leaning against the wall, lost in thought. His jaw was clenched, his fingers lightly tapping against his arm as if he was battling with something internally. He looked… exhausted.

I wanted to ignore it, to walk past him as if he didn’t matter. But deep down, I knew that wasn’t true.

Before I could make a decision, a familiar voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

“You still thinking about him?”

I turned to see Riya standing beside me, her arms crossed, eyes scanning my face like she could read my mind.

“No,” I said too quickly.

Riya smirked. “You’re such a bad liar, Shubhi.”

I sighed, looking down at my shoes. “It’s not that simple.”

She was quiet for a moment before speaking again. “Do you want to know the truth about him?”

My head shot up. “What?”

Riya hesitated. “I heard something. About his past. Something that might explain why he is the way he is.”

My heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean?”

She glanced around, as if debating whether she should tell me or not. Then, lowering her voice, she said, “I think you should talk to someone who knew him before. Someone who really understands what happened.”

I swallowed. “Who?”

Riya took a deep breath. “His childhood friend. She might have answers.”

The weight of her words settled heavily on me. This was it. The moment I had been unknowingly waiting for. The truth was right there, within reach.

And for the first time, I wasn’t sure if I was ready to hear it.

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