Aahan wasn't actively looking for a new relationship after his breakup with Kriii. He needed time to heal, space to process everything he had been through. The pain from Khwaish still lingered, and the drama with Kriii had reopened old wounds. But life had a way of surprising him when he least expected it.
During his time with Khwaish, Aahan had made a female friend named Khushi. She was sweet, supportive, and always around. After everything ended, their chats became daily rituals—two people sharing their lives in the quiet comfort of each other's company. It felt good, safe, like someone understood him without needing an explanation.
Then something happened that shifted everything. Aahan jokingly told Khushi he was coming to her city. She replied casually, but it hit him harder than expected: "Don't come here, I'll be in danger." That single sentence felt like rejection, and Aahan didn't fully understand why it hurt so much. He decided to stop talking to her altogether.
Just as he began processing that disappointment, someone new entered the picture—Abhiti. She had recently joined the group chat Balaks, and her energy was impossible to ignore. Confident, talkative, and bold, she was like a fresh breeze in the stagnant air of online chaos.
At first, she was just another face in the chat. But when Aahan messaged her privately, she responded eagerly. They exchanged details—names, age, school, likes, dislikes. She was different, daring, and flirtatious. On the second day, she told him, "If I'm yours, I won't talk to any other guy." She even promised to unfriend her male best friend.
Aahan wasn't used to this kind of directness. After all the emotional ups and downs, a distraction didn't seem bad. Her energy drew him in, and soon they were talking for hours every day. Late-night calls became a space for gossip, confessions, and fantasies. She told him about her past, her female best friend's betrayal, her rebellious moments. Some stories sounded exaggerated, but he didn't question them. Part of him liked the chaos—it was messy, unpredictable, alive.
One night, as they spoke in the dark, her voice softened. "Aahan… if I was lying beside you right now, what would you do?" she whispered. He smiled at the thought and spoke slowly, painting fantasies of closeness, touches, and kisses. She teased, laughed nervously, and together they imagined a world where nothing else existed. It wasn't love, but it felt intense, real, and exhilarating.
Then, one day, Aahan's phone crashed, and he was out of touch for three days. When he returned, Abhiti had changed. She was distant, her calls shorter, her replies robotic. He tried to be patient, but the energy that had drawn him in was fading. One night, he asked, "Are you losing interest?" She replied casually, "No, baby. Never." But it didn't feel true.
"I'll call later, okay?" she said. When she called, it sounded bored. Aahan realized it was slipping away. "Let's break up," he finally said. "Why?" she asked flatly. "You don't have time for me," he replied. "I do, baby," she said, but it felt forced. He insisted. This time, she didn't argue. Just a quiet, "Okay."
It was anti-climactic. No tears, no heartbreak. Just silence. He realized she had probably moved on—or lost interest during his three-day absence. Perhaps he had been a rebound, a temporary thrill.
Aahan deleted the call logs, archived the chats, and removed her from his contacts. He fixed things with Khushi after Abhiti left. He didn't hate anyone. Khwaish had shown him how deeply he could feel. Kriii had taught him what he didn't want in a partner. Abhiti had reminded him that attraction alone wasn't enough. Lust burns fast, he realized, and fades faster.
For now, Aahan gave up on online relationships. The highs weren't worth the crashes. He wanted something real—unfiltered and unpretending. Until then, he was okay being on his own. He was healing, learning, and most importantly, still Aahan. Unbroken.
— Ayan