The phone kept ringing.
4:07 A.M.
Only desperate people call at that hour.
Or dangerous ones.
Before I could think, I picked up.
Silence.
Then—
"Finally."
His voice.
Deep.
Confident.
Like he already knew I would answer.
I forgot how to breathe.
"You took long enough, Bunny."
I swallowed. "It's four in the morning."
"I know."
"And?"
"And I wanted to see if you'd break rules for me."
My heart skipped.
"What?"
He chuckled softly. "Good girls don't pick up calls at 4 A.M."
The way he said good girls made my skin warm.
"I'm not breaking rules," I said quickly.
"You just did."
His voice lowered.
"And I like that."
Why did that feel like a reward?
"Hello… Raven," I said before I could stop myself.
He went quiet.
"Raven?" he repeated.
"That's what they used to call you in school."
A slow chuckle.
"So you do pay attention."
I cursed myself internally.
"I've heard things."
"Oh?" His tone sharpened slightly. "Good things?"
"Depends," I said. "Are you honest?"
There was a pause.
Then—
"Do you want me to be?"
The question felt heavier than it should.
"I don't like liars," I said softly.
"Then don't lie to me," he replied instantly.
I froze.
"I'm not—"
"You knew who I was the moment you saw my name."
Silence.
He wasn't guessing.
He was certain.
"So my cute little Bunny lies too?"
"I'm not lying," I snapped, my voice shaking. "But when you talk to a liar, you have to become like him."
Silence.
Long.
Then—
"You think I'm a liar?"
"I think you avoid answers."
"And yet," he murmured, "you're still on this call."
That hit.
Hard.
Because he was right.
"I should hang up," I whispered.
"Then hang up."
He didn't sound scared.
He sounded sure I wouldn't.
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"Why did you call me?" I finally asked.
Another pause.
Then his voice softened.
"Because I've been watching you for months."
My heart stopped.
"What?"
"You walk like you're scared of taking space. Like you don't know you own the room."
No one had ever described me like that.
"You're different from the other girls," he continued. "They're loud. You're quiet. I wanted to hear what quiet sounds like."
My stomach twisted.
No one had ever made me feel… seen.
"You shouldn't notice me," I whispered.
"Why?"
"Because I'm not the type you talk to."
He laughed quietly.
"Bunny… you're exactly the type."
And that's when I forgot it was 4:07 in the morning.
Forgot the rules.
Forgot my family.
Forgot everything.
Except his voice.
Then—
"Tell me something," he said casually.
"What?"
"…How much is your silence worth?" he asked casually.
The warmth in my chest cooled slightly.
"What do you mean?" I asked carefully.
He chuckled. "Relax, Bunny. I'm just curious."
Curious.
That word didn't feel innocent.
Before I could respond—
I heard it.
Footsteps.
Soft.
Familiar.
Measured.
My blood froze.
Mummy.
Kripa Goyal wakes up every morning at 5 A.M. sharp for puja.
She doesn't miss a day.
Not for fever.
Not for weddings.
Not for storms.
And definitely not today.
The footsteps grew closer.
The wooden floor outside my room creaked.
My heart started racing louder than his voice in my ear.
"Ashriti?" he said softly. "You went quiet."
"I—"
The door handle outside moved slightly.
I stopped breathing.
If she walks in and sees me on call…
At 4:58 A.M.
With a boy.
With Shivrit Poptani.
The most forbidden name in my world.
Everything will collapse.
"Ashu?" he murmured. "Don't disappear on me."
Disappear.
I panicked.
"I have to go," I whispered urgently.
"Why?"
"I just— I have to."
"Bunny—"
The footsteps paused right outside my door.
I didn't think.
I didn't explain.
I cut the call.
Silence filled the room.
My heart was still racing.
My palms were sweating.
And my phone screen still showed his name.
Missed heartbeat.
4:59 A.M.
I slid the phone under my pillow just as the door opened slightly.
"Maa?" I called out softly, pretending to wake up.
"Haan beta," she said gently. "Uth gayi?"
"Yes."
My voice sounded normal.
Too normal.
But inside—
I was shaking.
Because for the first time in my life—
I had something to hide.
And the most dangerous part?
I didn't regret it.