On the way to her house, Shanaya sat in the front seat, her eyes helplessly darting again and again to Dhruv who was driving with his gaze on the road all the time— as if he was the only one in the car. He avoided her well, and she couldn’t help but wonder why he had asked her to occupy the front seat if that was what he was planning to do anyway. When they pulled into the parking lot of her apartment building, she noticed him hesitate. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel impatiently, his mind racing with some thought she was curious to know. “This would be a lot easier if you hadn’t sprained your ankle,” he said finally, his voice hoarse. Then without a warning, he got out of the car and scooped her out, and walked toward the elevator. Shanaya bit her lip. “If I hadn’t sprained my ankle you’d be home by now.”“Yeah. Try not to stumble into me next time,” he mumbled, his eyes fixated on the elevator buttons. Shanaya snickered at the thought of the buttons being interestin

Shanaya glanced at the invitation on her desk, bearing the details of Neil's art exhibition. He had done the formality of sending her an invite—almost as a taunt—even though a verbal invitation would have worked. Her cousin had worked tirelessly to prepare for this event, pouring his heart and soul into his creations. She had seen the updates he had posted on social media over the days, promoting the exhibition and posting snippets of his art-making process. But as she pondered whether or not to attend, a sense of hesitation crept over her. She had missed so many of Neil's previous exhibitions due to her demanding schedule. Every time, she promised herself that she would make it up to him next time, only to find herself caught in the whirlwind of her own commitments once again. Or in her emotions. Because attending art exhibitions meant facing a part of her life she had been trying to ignore. However, something felt different this time. She realized that she couldn't keep using her

Under the dim light in the restaurant, Shanaya sat with her hands clasped beneath her chin, waiting impatiently for Dhruv who had excused himself to go to the bathroom. She had not missed the nervousness in his voice when they had met earlier outside the restaurant. Shanaya, on the other hand, was brimming with confidence. She wanted to talk. Just talk. About anything and everything. She missed the bantering between them—the casual taunts and remarks, the flirtatious atmosphere that once existed. A lot had changed over time, of course. With secret deep buried once resurfacing again, things were bound to change. But she was disappointed that she had let the circumstance change what existed between them. Dhruv emerged from the turn, walking towards her with large strides, his hand tugging at the collar of his white shirt. She recalled the last time they were here—the way she had drooled over him inside her mind. He had never ceased to be attractive. If anything, he had only become ir

Shanaya parked her car in the driveway, sighing as it came to a halt. She turned around and took a glance at the birthday cake she had placed on the backseat. She took a pause, asking herself if it was Suhala’s birthday that day or if she was mistaken. But then she knew she’d have to go in and face the embarrassment anyway. “Alright,” she whispered to herself impatiently and got out, picking the box with the cake inside in her hands. The sun had just begun setting, casting an orange hue on the glass covered railings of the balconies. From where she stood outside the mansion, Shanaya found Ahail working out in the balcony of his room, his jaw clenched as he lifted the heavy dumbbells. He had not noticed her driving there or had deliberately turned his head in such a way that he could not see her directly. Feeling a pang in her chest, Shanaya made her way to the door. Inside, Suhala sat on the couch, knitting a new piece with the spools of wool tangled across her fingers. She h

“That went well, didn’t it?” Dhruv asked as they descended the staircase, making their way to where her car was parked. “They don’t look like it, but everything seems fine about them as per Meghna. Sanya kinda liked them too.” Shanaya heard everything he said but did not respond—not until they reached her car. Then she turned her eyes back to the entrance of the orphanage, exhaling loudly as she scratched her temple. “Tell me what’s bothering you,” he voiced, moving closer protectively. She wetted her lips, her eyes lowered to the grass beneath her feet. “I just… I have this feeling, Dhruv. Something just doesn’t sit right about them. And I know this could be a result of the thought of separating from Sanya. But I don’t think it’s just that…” Dhruv rubbed the sides of her right arm, watching her with softened eyes. “When everything turns out fine, you’ll be relieved.” Shanaya was glad he did not dismiss her as an overthinker. He understood the origin of her concerns and tried to