Between Fear and Trust

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The air in the villa was thick with tension, even as the evening continued with laughter and chatter. Aashna sat on the couch beside Dhruvin, her body slightly leaning into him, her fingers unconsciously gripping the fabric of his hoodie. Her mind was still spiraling from earlier—Nishant's sudden presence, the way his voice sent shivers down her spine, and the moment she had almost collapsed from the sheer weight of her past crashing down on her.

Dhruvin, though appearing calm, hadn’t missed a single thing. The way Aashna had clung to him more than usual, the way her shoulders tensed when Nishant entered a room, and the nervous glances she kept throwing in his direction—it was all too obvious that something was wrong. And he didn’t like it. Not one bit.

As he watched her pick at the hem of her sleeves, lost in thought, Manan and Sia exchanged a glance. They had noticed too. Sia nudged Manan, and they both got up, quietly making their way towards Aashna.

“Aashu, come with us for a sec,” Sia said, her voice light but firm.

Aashna blinked, momentarily confused. “Kyu?”

“Bas chal na,” Manan added, his usual playfulness missing from his voice.

Dhruvin raised a brow, sensing something, but didn’t intervene. He just gave Aashna’s hand a small squeeze before letting her go. She followed them to the villa’s backyard, where the cool night air hit her, calming her nerves just a little.

Sia crossed her arms. “Alright, spill it.”

Aashna tried to play dumb. “What do you mean?”

Manan scoffed. “Don’t act smart. You’ve been off since this morning, and it’s only gotten worse. You barely ate at brunch, you looked like you’d seen a ghost when Nishant walked in, and you’ve been sticking to Dhruvin like fevicol. What’s going on?”

Aashna swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. She wanted to tell them, she really did. But saying it out loud would make it real again. She wasn’t ready for that. So, she plastered on a smile and shook her head. “It’s nothing, guys. I think I’m just overwhelmed with all the chaos. Too many people, too much happening at once.”

Sia narrowed her eyes. “You sure?”

Aashna nodded quickly. “Yeah, don’t worry.”

Manan didn’t look convinced, but he sighed. “Fine. But if anything’s up, you tell us, okay? No hiding.”

Aashna forced another smile. “Promise.”

She turned back towards the villa, inhaling deeply before stepping inside. The rest of the evening continued, but the tension hadn’t left her chest. And Dhruvin? He was still watching her.

Aashna sat curled up on the couch, her arms wrapped around a pillow as she aimlessly scrolled through her phone. She felt sluggish, the dull ache in her lower abdomen making her mood dip even further.

Dhruvin walked in, tossing his keys on the table before settling beside her. Without a word, he pulled out a small paper bag and placed it on her lap.

She blinked. "What's this?"

"Open it," he said, leaning back with a smug smile.

With a raised brow, she peeled the bag open, only to find a tub of her favorite ice cream inside. Her heart melted a little, but she masked it with suspicion. "Okay… why?"

Dhruvin shrugged, feigning innocence. "Just felt like it."

Aashna narrowed her eyes. "Dhruvin."

He sighed dramatically, shaking his phone in front of her. "Fine. I’ve been keeping track."

Her eyes widened. "Keeping track of what?"

"Your cycle." He smirked at her stunned expression. "I started noting it down after the third time you snapped at me for no reason. Helps me understand you better. Like, I knew today you’d be feeling off, so I got you this." He nudged the ice cream toward her. "Pain reliever, mood booster—two in one."

Aashna let out a long sigh, a mix of exasperation and affection. "You are impossible."

"And you love it."

She didn’t argue. Instead, she leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against his cheek. "You’re the best, you know that?"

Dhruvin grinned, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "I know, babba. Now eat before it melts."

Aashna rolled her eyes but dug in, the ice cream already working its magic.

Hours later, the group had settled into a card game, laughter echoing through the space. Dhruvin sat with Aashna pressed against his side, his arm resting behind her on the couch. Nishant was seated across from them, a lazy smirk on his face as he shuffled a deck of cards.

“You know, Dhruvin,” Nishant started casually, eyes flickering towards Aashna, “I always thought you liked your girls confident. Bold. Not the quiet, nervous type.”

Aashna’s heart slammed against her ribs. The room fell into a brief, awkward silence before someone cracked a joke to brush it off, but Dhruvin wasn’t laughing. He was staring at Nishant, eyes dark and sharp, his jaw tightening. Then, his gaze shifted to Aashna—her shoulders had gone rigid, her fingers were trembling slightly on her lap.

That was it. The final piece of the puzzle.

Something wasn’t right. Nishant was the problem.

Later that night, after everyone had dispersed to their rooms, Dhruvin lay on the bed, his back against the headboard as Aashna sat cross-legged beside him, scrolling through her phone.

“Aashu,” he murmured, drawing her attention.

“Hm?” she looked up, blinking sleepily.

His voice was softer now, careful. “Are you going to tell me what’s actually wrong?”

She stiffened. “Dhruv, I told you, I’m just overwhelmed—”

“Babba.” He cupped her cheek, tilting her face towards him, his thumb brushing against her skin. “Don’t do that. Don’t shut me out.”

She bit her lip, the war raging inside her. She wanted to bury her face in his chest and tell him everything—the torment, the bullying, the reason she had to leave school. But what if it ruined the moment? What if it made him see her differently? What if it brought back all those nightmares?

So, she forced a small, tired smile. “I’m just tired, Dhruv.”

He searched her face, clearly not satisfied with her answer. But he didn’t push. Instead, he sighed, brushing his lips against her forehead. “Okay. But I’m here, Baby. Always.”

She closed her eyes, allowing herself a brief moment of peace in his arms. Dhruvin, however, lay awake long after she had drifted off, staring at the ceiling, his mind racing.

If Aashna wouldn’t tell him, fine. He’d find out himself.

And if Nishant was the reason for her distress, God help him.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Author’s Note

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