It was 3:07 AM.
Tanishka lay in bed, her phone dimly lit on her pillow. She had played Hemant's voice note at least ten times.
"Tanishka... I love you..."
His voice echoed in her mind like a lullaby. Her heart felt full — but heavy. Because the past always had a way of crawling back into the present.
She stared at the unread message from Arjun again.
> Arjun đź’”: I miss you. Can we talk? I messed up. Please just listen to this.
She knew she shouldn't. She knew what Hemant meant to her now.
But her thumb trembled.
And she tapped "Play."
---
The Voice Note: 2 minutes, 42 seconds.
> "Tani… I never said sorry the way you deserved. I broke things, not just between us, but in you. If Hemant makes you smile like you used to with me, keep him. But if there's even one part of you that misses us… let me in. Just for a talk."
She hated that his voice still stirred something inside. Not love. But unresolved pain.
And guilt.
Because now, Hemant trusted her completely. He had poured his heart out. And she... had listened to her past again.
She locked her screen.
---
Next Morning: Hemant's Call
"Morning, troublemaker," his voice chirped. "Did you sleep?"
"A little," she said, keeping her voice neutral.
"You okay? Sound different."
"I'm fine," she lied.
He paused. "Tan, did something happen?"
She almost told him. Almost.
But instead, she said:
> "I don't want to talk about anything heavy today. Just... be silly with me."
Hemant chuckled. "Say no more. Your Highness, meme king at your service."
And he spent the next half-hour roasting her filter selfies and mocking her overuse of sparkle emojis.
But deep down — they both knew something was lingering in the air.
---
Later That Day
Hemant sat in his room, fingers hovering over his screen.
His gut was telling him something.
Tanishka hadn't sent a single voice note. Her laugh felt... held back.
Her replies had small pauses.
He messaged:
> "Tanishka, whatever it is… you can tell me. Don't protect me. Trust me."
The typing bubble appeared.
Then disappeared.
Then came back.
Then gone again.
He waited. Minutes passed.
Then a reply came.
> "I listened to Arjun's voice note last night."
Hemant felt his chest tighten.
But her next message came immediately.
> "And it made me realize something."
He braced himself.
> "That what I have with you… isn't a memory. It's a choice. And I choose you."
---
Evening: A New Pact
They met over video. No filters. Just tired eyes and raw truths.
"I should've told you sooner," she said.
"I'm glad you told me at all," he replied.
"I panicked."
"You're human."
"Are we okay?"
"We're better than okay."
Tanishka smiled. "So what now?"
Hemant grinned. "Now... we block Arjun and celebrate."
She laughed. "With what?"
"Pizza. A reel collab. And me singing off-tune to annoy you."
"Perfect."
---
At Midnight
Tanishka received a message.
From an unknown number:
> "You think you're safe with him. But people lie. Especially boys who sound perfect."
She froze.
Was this Arjun again?
Or someone else?
She took a screenshot and sent it to Hemant.
> "I think someone's trying to mess with us."
---