"In the silence between words, the world shifts—twists into something darker, or perhaps, brighter. You never really know."
The following days felt like they were moving in slow motion, a paradox of time that both dragged and hurtled forward. Lena sat at her usual spot in the back of the classroom, trying to focus on the math equations sprawled across her notebook, but her mind kept drifting back to the conversation she'd had with Aarav.
Every word he had said echoed in her head—his apologies, his promises to be there, his quiet vulnerability. Part of her wanted to believe him. Part of her wanted to trust that this time, things would be different. But the other part, the part that had learned to protect itself, was wary. Too many promises had been broken before.
Aarav, in his quiet way, had kept his distance after that first day back. He hadn't tried to force his presence on her, but he was there—always just at the edge of her line of sight. She had noticed how he'd started sitting a few rows ahead in class, never too far, but never too close either. He respected her space.
But then, there were the little things. The glances. The moments when their eyes would meet across the hall, when his gaze would soften and his lips would curve into a smile that was almost shy. And every time, Lena's heart would flutter, despite herself.
And then there was Riya.
Riya had been distant too. It wasn't overt, but it was there. The way she would look at Lena with unreadable eyes whenever Aarav was around, the way her smile didn't quite reach her eyes when she asked about how things were going between them. Lena could feel the tension, the unspoken words hanging between them, thickening the air whenever they were in the same space.
Lena didn't know what to make of it. She had always been able to trust Riya, but now, she wasn't so sure.
On the third day after Aarav's return, things took an unexpected turn. Lena found herself in the library during lunch, trying to escape the chaos of the crowded cafeteria. She needed a break, a moment to think, but her solitude was short-lived.
Aarav appeared at the entrance, his gaze scanning the rows of books until it landed on her. Without hesitation, he walked over to her table.
"You're not eating," he said quietly, sitting down across from her. There was a trace of concern in his voice.
"I'm not hungry," Lena replied, glancing down at her untouched tray of food.
Aarav didn't push it. He just sat there, the silence between them comfortable yet weighted. It wasn't until a few moments later that Lena looked up at him, her brow furrowed.
"Why are you here?" she asked, voice barely above a whisper.
"I came to see you," he said simply, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Lena bit her lip. She wanted to say something—ask him why he had left in the first place, why he had come back when it seemed like everything was falling apart. But she didn't. She didn't want to make him feel cornered again, not when he was finally trying to make things right.
But then, unexpectedly, a familiar figure appeared at the door.
Riya.
Lena's stomach churned as she watched her walk in, eyes scanning the room until they landed on Lena and Aarav sitting together. The moment their gazes met, something shifted—something cold and sharp. Riya's eyes narrowed for just a split second, and then she smiled, but it wasn't the friendly smile that Lena had grown used to. It was tight, controlled.
Riya didn't approach them. Instead, she stood at the entrance for a moment before turning away, heading toward the back of the library.
Lena exhaled, but her heart wouldn't stop pounding.
"I should go," she said abruptly, pushing her tray away and standing up.
Aarav looked up at her, confusion and concern mixed in his eyes. "Lena, what's wrong?"
She didn't answer. She just walked away, her footsteps echoing in the empty hallway as she headed toward the nearest exit.
But she wasn't prepared for what she found outside.
Raghav.
He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips as he watched her approach. He looked like he had been waiting for her.
"What do you want, Raghav?" Lena asked, her voice sharp.
"Just watching," he replied smoothly. "I've been watching you for a while now, Lena. Watching the way you walk through the halls like you don't belong, like the world's a little too loud for you."
Lena stiffened. "And?"
He shrugged. "And I'm wondering what happens next. You're not as invisible as you think."
Before Lena could respond, he straightened up, pushing himself off the wall. He took a step closer, his gaze flicking to the door she had just exited. "Aarav isn't the only one with a past, you know."
Lena's pulse quickened. "What are you talking about?"
But Raghav only grinned. "You'll find out soon enough."
And with that, he turned and disappeared into the crowd.
Lena stood there, confused and unsettled. What did he mean by that? What was he trying to say?
She didn't know, but she had a feeling she would find out soon enough.
As the afternoon sun dipped lower in the sky, Lena couldn't shake the feeling that everything was about to change. Again.
Lena didn't return to class that afternoon.
She wandered.
Through the empty stairwells. Down forgotten hallways. Past classrooms she had never noticed before. Her thoughts chased each other in a loop—Riya's cold stare, Raghav's cryptic words, Aarav's quiet sincerity. The weight of it all pressed against her chest, a heaviness that wouldn't lift.
She found herself on the rooftop.
It wasn't allowed, but she had discovered the rusted door during her first year. It had become her escape. Her sanctuary. The wind was sharp up there, but the open sky, the endless sprawl of the city below, gave her room to breathe.
She sank down against the wall, pulling her knees to her chest.
Who was she even angry at?
Herself?
Aarav?
Riya?
Raghav?
The truth was, Lena didn't understand any of them. Aarav's silence, Riya's distance, Raghav's warning. All of it was twisting together into something messy and painful. Something she couldn't untangle.
And worse—she wasn't sure she wanted to.
A part of her wanted to run toward the danger, toward the twisted maze of feelings and secrets. Because something in her, deep and aching, wanted to belong. Even if it hurt.
Even if it broke her.
"Lena?"
She stiffened.
The rooftop door creaked open, and Aarav stepped out into the sunlight, his expression etched with worry.
"How did you find me?" she asked, not looking at him.
He walked closer, slowly, like approaching a wounded animal.
"I've seen you come up here before. Last year. I figured... you'd still run to the sky when everything got too heavy."
She let out a soft, bitter laugh. "You remember that?"
"I remember everything about you."
That stopped her. Her heart ached, traitorously hopeful.
"I wanted to tell you something," he said. "About Riya."
Lena's gaze finally shifted to him, sharp and wary. "What about her?"
He hesitated. "She… she liked me. Before. A long time ago."
"I know," Lena said. Her voice was too calm. Too empty. "Everyone knew."
Aarav frowned. "It wasn't mutual. I thought she moved on. But I think she still hasn't. I think that's why she's been… distant with you."
Lena bit her lip. "You're not telling me the whole story."
Aarav looked away.
And that was all the answer she needed.
The silence stretched.
"She told me not to talk to you again," he finally admitted. "After I left. She told me you were better off without me. That if I cared about you, I'd stay gone."
Lena stared at him.
And something inside her cracked.
"Why are you telling me this now?" she whispered.
"Because I'm tired of keeping things from you," he said, stepping closer. "Because I want to fight for this. For you."
Her breath hitched.
But before she could speak—before the moment could shift into something soft and real—the rooftop door slammed open again.
Riya.
Her eyes were wild, her breath ragged. She had run here. She had followed him.
"I knew it," she spat. "You always come back to her."
Lena stood slowly, her heart pounding.
"Riya, what are you doing—?"
"You think you're so special, Lena," Riya snapped, her voice cracking. "Quiet little Lena with her broken smile and her sad eyes. You don't even know what you're doing to people."
"Riya—"
"No!" Riya's voice broke. "I gave everything to him! I was there when you weren't! And you… you just show up and he runs to you."
Lena felt the sting of her words like a slap.
Aarav stepped forward. "Riya, stop—"
"Don't," she hissed. "Don't protect her. Not when she doesn't even see you."
And then, without warning—Riya turned and ran.
Not down the stairs. But toward the ledge.
"Riya!" Lena screamed.
But Riya didn't jump. She stopped, trembling at the edge, staring down at the city below.
Lena was there in seconds, grabbing her wrist.
"Don't," she begged. "Please."
Riya sank to her knees, sobbing.
"I'm not enough," she choked out. "I'm never enough."
And for a long time, Lena just held her.
Aarav stood back, silent.
The rooftop was quiet.
And the sky, so bright and blue just moments ago, began to cloud.
Something was coming.
Something darker than heartbreak. Heavier than betrayal.
And none of them were ready.
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