3

"Zakhm diye the jo yunhi bhool baith gaye,

Samjha kabhi wo bhar jayenge,

Lekin yeh dard ka silsila,

Unhi tak wapas laut jayenge."

Vihaan's pov

I was getting ready, fixing the collar of my shirt in front of the mirror. For some reason, I felt a strange excitement bubbling inside me. I guess it was because I had promised to take Tulika shopping. I don't know why plan made me so eager.

As I was adjusting my watch, Dad stepped into my room. His face looked calm, but I could sense he had something to say.

"Vihaan, my car tire's punctured. Can you drop me at the station on your way out?" he asked casually.

"Sure, Dad," I replied without hesitation. He nodded, thanking me briefly, and said he'd wait for me near the car.

After grabbing my keys, I headed to the car. Dad was already there, leaning against the door and talking on the phone. His tone seemed a little tense.

"Yes, yes... we're close. Just stay alert. We can't lose this lead." His voice was firm, almost commanding.

I didn't interrupt. He ended the call abruptly as I got in, and we drove off.

The entire ride to the station, he was unusually quiet. Dad wasn't someone to share much about his work, but today, he seemed deeply engrossed in his thoughts. Occasionally, he mumbled in phone about something about leads and deadlines.

When we reached the station, he quickly got out without a proper goodbye. Not that I minded I knew he was busy. I shrugged it off and was about to drive away when I noticed his wallet lying on the passenger seat.

Shaking my head I picked up the wallet and decided to take it to him.

As I stepped into the station, I was greeted with polite nods and smiles from the officers and staff. Everyone seemed to acknowledge me with a level of respect that was almost humbling. I returned their gestures, smiling slightly and bowing my head.

"Where's Dad?" I asked one of the officers.

"In the meeting room, sir," he replied.

I made my way to the meeting room and knocked lightly before stepping in. Dad was in the middle of a conversation with a few officers.

"Dad, you left your wallet in the car," I said, holding it out to him.

"Oh, thanks, Vihaan," he said, taking it from me.

"Is everything alright?" I asked, noticing the slight tension on his face.

He nodded quickly. "Yes, everything's fine. Just some work."

I could tell he didn't want to elaborate, so I decided not to press further. I was about to leave when I heard him speak again.

"Today, at any cost, we have to catch them," he said, his voice unwavering.

I turned slightly, glancing at him. He was already engrossed in the conversation with his team. His usual calm demeanor was replaced with sharp focus. Whatever this was about, it was serious.

Realizing I wouldn't get much out of him, I left quietly.

■

Tulika and I walked into the mall, and as expected, she dove straight into shopping. She was already flipping through dresses on the racks while I stood back, simply watching her. There was a certain charm in the way she compared fabrics, holding them up, her brows furrowing slightly in concentration.

That's when I saw them a group of professors from our college walking towards me. My heart skipped a beat. Oh God, if they saw me with Tulika, it would be a disaster. Not for me, but for her. I couldn't let that happen.

Without a second thought, I walked towards Tulika. A few shoppers gave me strange looks, but I didn't care. Tulika, surprised to see me charging at her, widened her eyes.

"What" she started, but before she could say more, I grabbed her hand and gently, but firmly, pulled her down, hiding her behind a pile of clothes. She stumbled slightly, landing among the colorful fabrics.

"Stay here," I whispered urgently.

She blinked at me, her expression a mix of shock and confusion.

By the time I turned around, the professors were right in front of me. They greeted me with polite smiles, and I quickly returned the gesture, praying they wouldn't notice anything unusual.

"What brings you to the ladies' section, Vihaan?" one of them asked, raising an eyebrow.

Thinking fast, I forced a casual laugh. "Oh, I'm just picking out a gift for my mother. You know how mothers are they never tell you what they actually want."

They chuckled at that, seemingly buying the lie. I nodded along, keeping my tone light and natural, all the while glancing subtly towards the pile of clothes where Tulika was hidden.

"Well, good luck with your shopping," another professor said before they moved on.

As soon as they were out of sight, I exhaled deeply and turned back to Tulika. She was already standing up, brushing off invisible dust from her clothes. I opened my mouth to explain, but she held up a hand, stopping me.

"I heard everything," she said, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "So you lied to save my reputation, huh?"

"I had no choice," I replied sheepishly, rubbing the back of my neck.

Tulika shook her head, clearly amused. "You're ridiculous, you know that?"

"Maybe," I admitted with a grin, "but you're welcome."

Her laughter rang out, light and carefree, and I couldn't help but join in.

■

After a few minutes of browsing, Tulika handed me a couple of dresses and said, "I'm going to try these on. But I need your honest opinion, okay? No sugarcoating."

I nodded, smiling at her. She disappeared into the trial room, and soon after, the mini fashion show began.

She tried on dress after dress, twirling and posing for my approval. Honestly, she looked stunning in every single one. Every color, every style seemed to suit her perfectly. But each time I told her she looked great, she wrinkled her nose and said, "Nope, not this one."

Then, she stepped out wearing a red frock, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. The dress hugged her just right, highlighting her elegance and simplicity. She looked... radiant.

"How is it?" she asked, tilting her head and looking at me expectantly.

I cleared my throat, trying to find my voice. "You... You look amazing," I managed to say, my voice betraying me with a slight crack.

She smiled, clearly pleased. "This one, then," she said, finally satisfied.

At the billing counter, she handed her card to the cashier. A moment later, the cashier frowned and said, "I'm sorry, ma'am, but the card has been declined."

Tulika's face fell. "Oh," she muttered, fumbling with her wallet to check for cash.

Without a second thought, I stepped in. "Here, use mine," I said, pulling out my card.

"No, Vihaan. It's okay, I'll manage," she said quickly, trying to stop me.

"Don't argue," I replied firmly. "Let me do this."

"But"

"It's just a dress, Tulika. I insist."

Reluctantly, she let me pay. As we walked out of the store, she muttered, "You didn't have to do that."

"I know," I said with a shrug, "but I wanted to."

She smiled softly, shaking her head. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"Yeah, I've heard that before."

As we made our way through the mall, she turned to me and said, "I'm hungry."

"Let me take you to a good place to eat," I offered.

"Like where?"

"You'll see," I replied with a grin, already planning where to take her.

She rolled her eyes but followed me anyway, and for the first time that day, I felt like everything was exactly as it should be.

■

We finally arrived at my house, and I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that I had brought one of my students home. It wasn't something I'd ever done before. Frankly, I always thought it was inappropriate, but with Tulika, it didn't feel weird at all.

I stepped out of the car and opened the door for her. She hesitated a moment before stepping out, looking a little uncertain.

"You're sure this is okay?" she asked, glancing up at me.

I frowned, confused. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "I'm your student. Won't it seem... odd? What will your family think about me being here?"

I gave her a reassuring smile. "Tulika, come on. It's not a big deal. My family isn't going to think like that. They're pretty chill, and besides, you're here as a friend."

She still looked unsure but nodded, and we walked up to the door. I pushed it open, and we stepped into the living room. The house was quiet; no one seemed to be around until my mom appeared, wiping her hands with a towel.

Her face lit up when she saw us. "Ah, Talika, right?" she asked, stepping closer.

"Actually, it's Tulika," she corrected softly, a small smile playing on her lips.

Mom chuckled warmly and gave her a side hug. "Tulika, of course. Vihaan told me about you. And don't you worry, okay? You're not alone. Now that Vihaan is your friend, consider us your family too."

Well done, Mom, I thought to myself.

"The food will be ready in just a few minutes," Mom added cheerfully.

"Till then, I'll show her my room," I told Mom.

"Go ahead," she said with a smile before heading back to the kitchen.

As we walked down the hallway, my phone buzzed. I checked the screen and saw it was an important call. I stopped and turned to Tulika. "Hey, can you go on ahead? My room's the first door on the right. I'll join you in a minute."

"Okay," she said, and with a small nod, she walked away.

The call took longer than I expected, and when I finally headed toward my room, I heard my brother Vikrant's voice.

"Wow, I never thought my brother would have such a beautiful student in his class," he was saying, his tone playful.

I sighed, already imagining the smirk on his face. I stepped inside to see Vikrant standing near the desk, leaning casually against it while Tulika stood near the bed, looking slightly uncomfortable but trying to be polite.

Vikrant turned to me, placing an arm around my shoulders like he always did when he was in a teasing mood. "You know, Vihaan, you're like a magnet for girls. It's no wonder you've got such a big fan following."

I gave him a pointed look, silently telling him to leave. He smirked at Tulika one last time before strolling out of the room, clearly enjoying himself.

I turned to Tulika, feeling a bit embarrassed on his behalf. "Don't mind him," I said. "He's just... like that."

"It's okay," she said, giving a small laugh. "He seems nice."

I sat on my bed, watching Tulika as she moved around the room, taking everything in. She seemed curious, her fingers lightly tracing the edge of the bookshelf. I smiled to myself; she had a way of making even mundane things seem interesting.

"Come, sit," I said, patting the spot beside me.

She hesitated for a moment but finally sat down, leaving a noticeable gap between us.

"You looked lovely in that red dress today," I said, my voice soft.

She glanced at me briefly and smiled a small, polite smile, but it was enough to make my heart race.

I took a deep breath. My thoughts were swirling. Should I say it? Should I tell her how I feel? The words were there, on the tip of my tongue, but fear held me back. Still, I couldn't keep it bottled up any longer.

"Look, Tulika," I began, my voice slightly shaky.

She turned to me, her eyes meeting mine. They were calm, yet intense, making it even harder to speak.

"I know it's weird to say this," I continued, forcing the words out, "but I feel... a connection with you. It's something I can't explain."

Her expression didn't change, and I couldn't read what she was thinking. I felt the weight of her gaze as I pressed on.

"I know it might not be right," I said, my voice lowering, "but I think I like you. No, I know I like you, Tulika."

I closed my eyes, unable to handle the pressure of her staring at me. "I like you," I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper.

For a moment, there was nothing but silence. It felt like the world had stopped, and I was holding my breath. When I finally worked up the courage to open my eyes, the space in front of me was empty.

"Tulika?" I called out.

■

Author's pov

When Vihaan turned around, his breath hitched. Tulika was standing there, holding a gun pointed straight at his head.

"Tulika, what are you doing?" he asked, his voice low and confused.

"Don't move," Tulika ordered, pressing the gun harder against his temple.

Vihaan froze. His mind raced, trying to make sense of what was happening. Before he could say another word, the door to his room flew open. His father, Arvind, stormed in, holding a gun aimed directly at Tulika.

"Dad? What's going on?" Vihaan asked, his confusion growing.

Arvind kept his eyes fixed on Tulika. "Why don't we let Roohi Randhawa answer that?" he said, his voice steady but full of tension.

Vihaan frowned. "Who's Roohi? What are you talking about?"

Arvind gestured toward Tulika with his gun. "The girl pointing a gun at your head. The girl you think is Tulika. Her real name is Roohi Randhawa. She faked her identity, Vihaan. She's here for some secret mission."

Vihaan turned to Tulika or Roohi, as his dad called her his eyes searching hers. "Tulika, what is he talking about? Is this true?"

Tulika didn't answer.

(Dear readers: Now from it's roohi not Tulika)

"Roohi," Arvind said firmly. "Lower the gun. Now."

"I'm not lowering the gun," Roohi replied, her voice trembling slightly.

"Why are you here?" Arvind demanded. "Do you know what's going to happen now? The police will be here any minute. We thought you'd left this life behind, but clearly, we were wrong. Why are you back?"

Roohi didn't respond. Her hand holding the gun wavered for a moment before she finally dropped it to her side. Her shoulders sagged as tears filled her eyes.

"Is this about Kabir?" Arvind asked suddenly.

The moment he said the name, something shifted in Roohi. She let the gun fall from her hand and dropped to her knees, covering her face as she began to sob.

Vihaan rushed to her side, ignoring his father's warnings. "What's happening here? Dad, what are you talking about? Tulika no, Roohi what's going on? Is it true? Is what my dad said true?"

Roohi looked up at him, her eyes filled with guilt and pain. "There's a lot you don't know about me, Vihaan. I've hidden so much from you. But it's time you knew the truth... everything about my past."

Vihaan's heart sank as he saw the anguish on her face. Whatever this was, he knew it was going to change everything.

To be continued

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