After school, the group headed straight to Vivan’s family café—a cozy, well-lit spot tucked between a bookstore and a florist, known for its vintage decor and warm cinnamon scent that lingered even outside the glass doors. It had become a familiar place for Aarav and Ishika, but today felt different.
Today, they were celebrating.
As the door chimed open, laughter echoed, the kind that only followed relief—relief of exams, of results, of holding back for too long.
Ishika walked in with Khushi by her side, trying to wear a smile that hid the tightness in her chest. She had told Khushi confidently that everything would be fine—that her father was out of town, and that she’d be back before anyone even noticed.
But the truth was… she was scared.
Terrified, actually.
Even now, she kept glancing over her shoulder as if someone might be watching. But she pushed the thought aside. It’s not like Father has hired a spy to track me, she reminded herself. I’ve come here before with Aarav. This isn’t new. The only difference is… this time, I stayed longer.
Inside the café, the air was filled with cheerful chatter and the clinking of glasses. Everyone was there—Aarav, Vivan, Shreya, Khushi—laughing, teasing, sharing stories. Ishika sat at the table surrounded by her friends, a warm chocolate shake in front of her, untouched. She looked around at all of them, quietly taking it all in.
It was the first time she had ever hung out like this.
No tutors, no library sessions, no formal group studies—just friends, music in the background, and the sound of pure joy.
Something she’d always secretly longed for.
Her gaze drifted to Aarav, who was sitting across the table, half-listening to Vivan’s joke. To her surprise, he was already looking at her.
She blinked. “What?” she asked softly.
A small smile curled on his lips. “Nothing.”
Something warm fluttered in her chest—but she quickly looked away, sipping her shake to hide the way her cheeks were starting to flush.
Time slipped by without anyone noticing.
They played a few rounds of truth-or-dare. Shreya tried to make Aarav sing and ended up getting roasted by Vivan instead. Khushi and Ishika shared quiet jokes between themselves. For a while, Ishika forgot the time, forgot the fear, forgot the rules she had always lived by.
Until—
"Hey, let’s go home. It’s getting late," Shreya said, glancing at her phone.
That sentence hit like a bolt.
Ishika immediately reached for her phone. She hadn’t checked it in a while. As soon as the screen lit up, her breath caught in her throat.
Twenty unread messages.
Six missed calls.
All from her mother.
Her fingers trembled as she opened the chat.
[MOM]: Listen, Ishika, your father called. He’s returning today. Come back home soon.
[MOM]: Ishika? Why aren’t you answering? Where are you?
[MOM]: Your father will be home in twenty minutes! Come back immediately!
[MOM]: Ishika!! Where are you??
[MOM]: He’s home! He’s asking for you!
The world around her seemed to fade.
The clatter of the café, the voices of her friends, the light-hearted laughter—all of it dulled into silence as her eyes remained fixed on the screen.
Her heart dropped.
Cold fear gripped her chest like a fist. She suddenly couldn’t feel her hands. A chill ran down her spine, her mind screaming through a thousand panicked thoughts at once.
He was back.
And she was not home.
And he knew.
She could barely hear herself breathe.
"Ishika?" Aarav's voice broke through the haze, gentle and concerned.
She jolted slightly, as if she had just been shaken from a nightmare.
"Ye… ye… yes?" she replied, her voice barely a whisper.
He leaned closer, his brows furrowed. "What happened?"
She didn’t answer. Her lips parted as if to speak, but no words came out. Her eyes remained fixed on the phone screen, still glowing with her mother’s last message.
"I have to go!" she said suddenly, her voice rushed and shaky.
"Why? Is everything okay?" Aarav asked, already rising from his seat.
But she was already on her feet. Her chair scraped back abruptly against the wooden floor, catching the attention of a few others at the table.
She didn’t stop to explain. Didn’t wait for their questions. She couldn’t.
Without another word, Ishika turned and pushed open the café door, the little bell above it jingling frantically as it swung shut behind her.
"Hey—Ishika!" Aarav called out, his voice rising, confused and alarmed.
But by the time he reached the door, she was already gone—disappearing into the evening crowd, her schoolbag bouncing against her back as she ran.
His voice followed her, fading into the distance.
And all she could think about was the fear in her chest and the sound of the clock ticking, ticking, ticking...
Home was no longer a place to return to calmly.
It was now the storm waiting at the end of her runaway breath.
Few minutes earlier.
They were still at Vivan’s café, the celebration in full swing. Laughter echoed across the room, and the table was cluttered with empty plates, half-finished drinks, and crumpled napkins.
Aarav sat quietly for a moment, his eyes drifting across the table—then he noticed something.
Ishika was staring at her phone. Her expression had completely changed.
Her face, once glowing with laughter, had turned pale. Her fingers trembled slightly as they hovered above the screen. There was something distant in her eyes—as if the entire room had faded around her and she was hearing something no one else could.
Aarav leaned closer. "Ishika?"
She flinched. "Ye... ye... yes?"
"What happened?"
But before he could get a clear answer, she pushed back her chair and stood abruptly.
"I have to go," she said, voice shaky, eyes still not meeting his.
"Why? Did something—"
She didn’t reply.
She turned and walked out, fast. The bell over the café door jingled sharply behind her, then silence. Just like that—she was gone.
Aarav stared at the door for a long second.
"What happened to her?" Vivan asked, confused.
"Yeah, why did she leave so suddenly?" Shreya added, frowning.
"I don't know," Aarav replied, his voice low. "She was just… looking at her phone. Then she left without saying anything else."
Everyone looked concerned, but Khushi... Khushi’s face was different.
She wasn’t surprised.
Her lips were pressed into a tight line. She didn’t ask what happened. Instead, she looked down at the table as if calculating something, like she already knew.
Aarav noticed.
"One second, I’m calling her," Shreya said, already reaching for her phone.
"No!" Khushi said quickly, louder than necessary. All eyes turned to her.
"I mean… no. Don’t call her."
Shreya blinked. "Why not?"
Khushi hesitated for a beat. Then she glanced at her phone screen and said, "Oh, actually—I just got a text from her. She said she had some important work at home."
Shreya let out a relieved sigh. "Ohh, that makes sense."
"Still, she could’ve told us instead of just leaving," Vivan mumbled, slightly annoyed.
Aarav didn’t say anything.
He was watching Khushi carefully now.
Her voice had sounded calm. Too calm. And there hadn’t been any buzz or ping from her phone. No notification. No message preview. Nothing.
Something wasn’t right.
But he didn’t press it. Not here. Not now.
"It’s getting really late. We should all go home," Shreya said, picking up her bag.
"Yeah," Vivan agreed, glancing at the windows. The sky outside was already dark, the streetlamps casting pale orange circles on the sidewalk.
Aarav stood up. "It’s not safe for you girls to go home alone. We’ll walk you."
Vivan looked at him, then gave a subtle nod. His eyes held something unspoken—a request, maybe. A silent plea.
Aarav caught it instantly. He’d known Vivan long enough to understand even the smallest signals.
He smiled slightly. "Vivan, you go with Shreya. I’ll walk Khushi home."
Vivan looked like he was trying not to look too eager. "Yeah—I mean, sure! Let’s go, Shreya."
As the two walked off toward the door, Vivan turned slightly, gave Aarav a quick glance, and mouthed, "Thanks."
Aarav winked back.
Then they were gone.
Aarav turned to Khushi, who had quietly picked up her phone and bag. She looked like she was holding something in—but also like she was glad she wouldn’t be walking alone.
"We should leave too," he said.
"Yeah," she replied softly.
They stepped out into the quiet night, the warm lights of the café slowly fading behind them.
Aarav and Khushi walked side by side under the dim streetlights, the silence between them growing heavier with each passing step. The occasional sound of a scooter passing or a dog barking far off in the distance was the only break in the stillness.
The air felt cooler now, and though the night was calm, something about it made Aarav uneasy. He kept replaying the scene from the café in his mind—Ishika's pale face, the sudden rush, and Khushi’s too-convenient explanation.
After five minutes of walking, Aarav stopped abruptly on the sidewalk.
Khushi, lost in her own thoughts, took a few steps ahead before realizing he wasn’t beside her. She turned back, her eyes narrowing with concern.
“What happened?” she asked.
Aarav didn’t answer immediately. He looked at her seriously, as if weighing whether or not to ask what was on his mind.
“Khushi… can I ask you something?” he finally said, voice low.
She hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah, what is it?”
“Is Ishika hiding something?”
Her brows pulled together. “Huh? Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”
Aarav exhaled. “I don’t know… I just—something about today didn’t feel right. The way she looked at her phone. The way she left without a word. And you… you knew something. You tried to cover for her.”
Khushi’s expression shifted slightly. “It’s nothing. You’re just thinking too much.”
He stepped closer, his voice more insistent. “Don’t lie to me, Khushi. I know her. And I know you. I could tell something was wrong the moment you looked at your phone—and pretended you got a text. Please… I think—no, I’m sure something’s going on. Just tell me.”
Khushi looked away. Her hand tightened slightly around the strap of her bag.
She opened her mouth to respond, but only said, “But Aarav…”
“Please, Khushi.”
For a few seconds, she didn’t say anything. She stared down at the street, as if the cracks in the pavement could offer her the words she was struggling to find.
Finally, she let out a small sigh. “Okay… I’ll tell you. But—it’s a really long story.”
Aarav nodded immediately. “Then let’s sit somewhere.”
She glanced around, then pointed toward a nearby public bench under a streetlamp. “There.”
They walked over in silence once more, and as they sat down side by side, Khushi’s posture was tense, guarded. She didn’t look at him right away. Her fingers fidgeted with the edge of her phone case.
Aarav waited patiently, heart beating fast.
Whatever she was about to say… he knew it would change everything.
