Chapter 47

As Mayank sat back on the couch, his heart was racing, but he tried to remain calm. Niharika was sitting beside him, her hands folded in her lap, but he could tell she was nervous. He had expected it to be hard for her, especially since they hadn't yet fully opened up to each other about their pasts. He felt a sense of relief that she was finally ready to talk.

"Mayank," she began softly, her voice barely above a whisper, "I need to tell you about my ex."

Mayank's gaze never wavered from her as he nodded, letting her know he was listening. He wasn't sure what he expected to hear, but there was something in her eyes—vulnerability, perhaps—that made him feel protective.

She took a deep breath, her eyes drifting to her hands. "It wasn't that bad, honestly. It was just... tiring," she said, her voice tinged with a trace of frustration. "We got together in second year, and at first, it seemed okay. He was flirty, always giving me attention, but after we got together, he started... love bombing me."

Mayank raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Love bombing?"

"Yeah," Niharika continued, her voice growing steadier. "Like, all those things you do when you really like someone, but then it goes overboard. He'd send me flowers every day, write me long, sweet messages, talk about how he couldn't live without me. It felt nice at first, but then... it just felt too much." She shook her head, her fingers curling into her palms. "It was like he was trying to keep me in this bubble of constant affection. And if I didn't respond in the way he expected, he'd get upset."

Mayank felt a strange pang in his chest. "I see," he murmured, trying not to let his feelings show. The more Niharika spoke, the clearer it became that this had been an emotionally draining relationship for her.

She went on, her words flowing more easily now. "The worst part was that he didn't like it when I went to Palm with our friends. He thought it was our place, like no one else should be there. He wasn't rude about it, but he'd go quiet and act weird. It was exhausting. I'd have to talk him out of it, reassure him it wasn't a big deal." She sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping slightly as she leaned back into the couch. "But eventually, something happened in third year..."

Mayank couldn't help but feel like he already knew what was coming. His mind went to the those friends he had seen at the mall. It was the friends that happened, he thought. He knew thanks to Siya and Samar. But he just nodded to her—not pushing her.

"Things started to feel off. We were together, but it wasn't the same anymore. And the more he held on, the more I realized I needed to let go. So, one day, I told him I didn't want to be in a relationship anymore. I said I was fine with us dropping the labels and just staying friends."

Mayank's chest relaxed at the thought of her breaking up with someone. He didn't know why it relieved him, but it did. He tried not to show it. "And how did he take it?"

"Not well," she replied, her voice flat. "He acted like everything was fine, like we were on a break, not broken up. He didn't accept it at first. He kept telling me he'd wait for me, even though I was clear about not wanting to be with him anymore." She looked at him, her eyes slightly wider as she spoke. "It made me uncomfortable, so I stopped talking to him. A week before I was supposed to leave for the US, he said he wanted to come over to give me something. I was scared. I didn't know what he'd say or do, so I didn't let him come. And after that, I just stopped talking to him completely."

She paused, looking down as if the memory was too heavy to carry. "I never really told him what happened. I just... ghosted him. And when I went to the US, I didn't reach out. We haven't spoken since." She ran a hand over her face, though Mayank couldn't tell if she was fighting tears or just overwhelmed by the weight of it all.

Mayank took a slow breath, trying to digest everything she had just shared. It hurt him to think of her in that situation, feeling trapped in a relationship that wasn't healthy for her. He shifted closer, instinctively reaching for her hand. He wanted to comfort her, but he wasn't sure how. She had been so strong all along, carrying this part of her life with her for so long. He wanted to tell her it wasn't her fault, but he held back.

"Do you still talk to him?" Mayank finally asked, his voice low. "Or follow him on social media or anything?"

Niharika shook her head slowly. "I still follow him on Instagram. I know it sounds silly, but I'm scared if I unfollow him, he'll do something stupid, like get all depressed or cause a scene. He's emotionally immature. It's like... I can't just cut him off completely."

Mayank's brows furrowed, his jaw tightening slightly. "Does he know about us?"

Niharika hesitated for a moment, her lips pressed together in thought. "No. Only my close friends know about you and me. No one on Instagram knows. Not even my ex."

Mayank nodded, processing everything she had just said. "Hmmm..." he murmured, more to himself than to her.

She looked at him then, her voice more gentle. "Thank you for listening. I just... I wanted you to know. You told me about your ex, so I thought it's only fair I tell you about mine."

Mayank's lips curled into a soft, understanding smile. "Thanks for sharing. But I just want you to know that I don't doubt you, Niharika. I trust you."

She immediately shook her head, her face filled with sudden panic. "No, no, that's not what I meant!" she exclaimed, her hands fluttering in front of her. "I didn't want to make you think that—"

Mayank reached out, placing a hand gently on her hand to calm her. "I know," he said, his voice low and comforting. "I get it. I just... wanted you to know that I don't doubt you."

Her shoulders relaxed, and she smiled slightly, though there was still a slight nervousness behind her eyes.

He leaned back, trying to let his mind process everything she had said. After a long moment of silence, he spoke again. "I'll tell you something too," he said, his voice a little lighter. "Zaina and I broke up in second year. She was in Ireland, I was in the US, and it wasn't working out anymore. But we stayed friends, because we had the same group of friends. And whenever I'd come back to Dubai, we'd catch up."

Niharika glanced at him curiously. "Did you like her?"

Mayank paused, thinking about it for a moment. "I did. But... later on, I just didn't feel the same. The attraction wasn't there anymore."

She raised an eyebrow, clearly interested. "How could you not like her? She's so pretty, even I would be attracted to her."

Mayank looked at her, his gaze warm and intense. He reached over and took her hand in his, giving it a soft squeeze. "I'm more attracted to brains than beauty," he said simply, looking directly into her eyes.

Niharika blinked in surprise, her heart suddenly fluttering in her chest. "She's both," she said quietly.

Mayank smiled but shook his head. "She's beautiful, sure. But she's not what I wanted for the long run."

The words hung in the air between them, and Niharika could feel a lump forming in her throat. She wasn't sure why, but hearing him say that made her feel... important. She shifted, unable to look at him directly as the weight of his words sank in.

Finally, Mayank spoke again, his voice low and serious. "Are you over your ex?"

Niharika nodded slowly, her gaze drifting toward her lap. "Yeah. Long ago. I think I wasn't ever in love—it was just infatuation. I lost feelings because of all the love bombing. It just... didn't feel real anymore."

Mayank chuckled softly, clearly amused. "You might be one of the few girls I know who don't want their boyfriend to love bomb them," he said teasingly.

Niharika laughed, a small sound that made his chest warm. "I know, I'm a little weird," she said with a sheepish smile.

"No, you're not weird," he said quickly, his voice firm. "You're actually the most realistic and ideal girl a guy could want. Trust me."

Niharika's smile widened, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. The sincerity in his voice made her heart skip a beat. She didn't know what to say, so she just squeezed his hand a little tighter, feeling an unfamiliar warmth settle inside her.

🩷