Chapter 18

Hello guys! 🤍

Here is the new chapter

Happy Reading! 📖

Netrabhan Pov -

I still remember that moment.

That voice.

Faint.

Broken.

“Saanvi… Netrabhan…”

At first—

I thought I was imagining it.

But then again—

I heard it.

And something inside me—

Panicked.

I don’t panic.

But that day—

I did.

I ran.

Straight towards that locked room.

My heart—

Beating faster than ever.

“Yeh awaaz yahin se aa rahi hai…”

The door was locked.

And that was enough—

To scare me.

I didn’t think.

I just forced it open.

And then—

I saw her.

On the floor.

Struggling to breathe.

“Kashvi…”

That one moment—

Everything went blank.

I didn’t think about anything else.

Not the elections.

Not people.

Nothing.

Just her.

The way she was gasping—

Like she couldn’t get air—

It scared me.

More than anything ever had.

I called her name again.

But her voice—

Was barely there.

That’s when I remembered.

Saanvi once mentioned… asthma…

“Inhaler…”

But she couldn’t even answer.

And for the first time—

I felt helpless.

I hate that feeling.

So I shouted.

Loud enough—

For everyone to hear.

When Saanvi came—

And helped her—

Only then—

I breathed.

Not fully.

But enough to stay there.

After that—

I didn’t say anything.

Not because I didn’t want to.

But because—

If I spoke—

My anger would come out.

And I didn’t want that.

Not in front of her.

But inside—

I was furious.

Someone did that to her.

On purpose.

And I knew—

If I find out who—

I won’t leave them.

After that day—

Everything changed.

She started talking to me.

Not fully.

But more than before.

And somehow—

That made things worse.

Because now—

I knew.

She mattered.

More than she should.

More than I allowed anyone to.

Then came today.

New people.

Vedansh.

Arjun.

The moment they walked in—

I knew something was off.

The way they looked at her.

The way she reacted.

The way she smiled.

That wasn’t new.

That was past.

Something I wasn’t part of.

And I didn’t like that.

Not even a little.

When I saw her hugging him—

Something inside me—

Snapped.

I didn’t go there.

Didn’t ask anything.

But it bothered me.

More than it should.

Then on the terrace—

When she cried—

I couldn’t take it.

“I can’t see you crying…”

And I meant it.

I really can’t.

But she didn’t tell me anything.

Just—

“Friend.”

That one word—

Created so many questions.

And I hate questions—

I don’t have answers to.

Then in class—

The way they talked to her.

The way they knew about her.

Things I didn’t.

That irritated me.

Because I want to know.

Everything about her.

Not them.

Me.

And when she laughed with them—

Played with them—

I just sat there.

Listening.

Not looking.

Because if I looked—

I know I wouldn’t like what I see.

I don’t know what this is.

But I know one thing—

I don’t like sharing her.

Not her attention.

Not her smile.

Nothing.

And maybe—

That’s the problem.

Because she was never mine—

To begin with.

•••••

Evening—

Before going home—

I decided something.

I needed her number.

Not for notes.

That was just an excuse.

I just…

Wanted to talk to her.

So I went to her.

“woh na..

Mujhe apka number chahiye kuch notes ke liye…”

I said casually.

Before she could reply—

Ishvik jumped in.

“Humare number toh hai…”

“Humse puch le…”

“Kashvi ka number lene ki kya zaroorat hai?”

Eshaan nodded.

“Exactly.”

I cursed them in my mind.

Yeh dono chup nhi reh sakte kya kabhi…?

How do I tell them—

It’s not about notes.

It’s about her.

After a lot of teasing—

Finally—

She gave me her number.

And I don’t know why—

But that small thing—

Made me happy.

Too happy.

At home—

First thing I did—

Saved her number.

Aarzoo.

After finishing my work—

I lay on my bed.

Phone in hand.

Thinking.

Text karu…?

Ya nahi…?

After overthinking for too long—

I finally decided.

But what should I text?

“Hi”?

“No…”

“Hello”?

“Boring…”

Then—

I typed.

Aarzoo.

And hit send.

Chat Section 💬

(Here she saw message and decided to tease him)

Aarzoo:

Koun?

(I frowned)

Me:

Aapko Aarzoo aur kaun kaun bulata hai jo aap “koun” kar rahi hain??

(On the other side—she smiled)

Aarzoo:

Abhi tak toh aapke siwaye kisi ne nahi bulaya hai…

Aur nahi bulane dungi 😉

Toh batayiye kya hua?

(My ears turned slightly pink)

Me:

Kuch bhi toh nahi… bas aise hi…

Aarzoo:

Aise hi? 🤨

Me:

Haan…

Aapko disturb toh nahi kiya na maine?

Aarzoo:

Nahi 🙂

Me:

Ohh…

Aarzoo:

Haan…

(Silence for a few seconds)

Me:

Ek baat puchun?

Aarzoo:

Haan puchiye 🙂

Me:

Aap… woh dono ko kaise jaanti hain?

(On the other side She knew exactly who he meant—but still…)

Aarzoo:

Woh dono kaun? Naam boliye 🤔

Me:

Arey wohi… jo aaj new aaye the…

Aarzoo:

Naam toh boliye unka… mujhe yaad nahi aa raha aap kiski baat kar rahe hain 😌

(I got slightly irritated)

Me:

Mujhe yaad nahi hai un log ka naam…

Aarzoo:

Theek hai… fir chodiye 🙂

Me:

Arey wohi!

Jise aapne hug kiya tha…

Phir last bench mein baith ke khel rahe the…

Phir “miss you” bola…

(There was a pause)

Aarzoo:

Itna achhe se yaad hai? 😳

Me:

Haan… ab boliye…

Aarzoo:

Childhood friends hain…

Main aur Arjun 🙂

(I paused for a second)

Me:

Aur dusra wala?

Aarzoo:

Vedansh…

Woh humara school friend hai…

7th class mein aaya tha humare class mein

Me:

Ohh…

Aarzoo:

Haan 🙂

Netrabhan pov-

I stared at the screen.

Still not satisfied.

So I typed again.

Chat Section 💬

Me:

Ek shikayat karni hai…

Aarzoo:

Kise?

Me:

Aapse.

Aarzoo:

Boliye…

Me:

Aapne na…

Aarzoo:

Aage boliye… maine na…?

(I paused… then typed)

Me:

Aapne aaj mujhse baat nahi ki.

(On the other side—she stared at the message)

For a few seconds.

Then—

Aarzoo:

Kab?

Kiya toh tha…

Me:

Lekin bohot kam.

(Her fingers froze for a second)

Her cheeks—

Turning slightly pink.

Aarzoo:

Aap sabke saath aise hain ya…?

(Without thinking—)

Me:

Sirf aapke saath.

Silence.

Complete silence.

But I knew—

She read it.

Because after a few seconds—

Aarzoo:

Aapko sona nahi hai?

Neend nahi aa rahi kya?

(I smiled slightly)

Me:

Sona toh hai…

Aarzoo:

Toh so jaiye.

Me:

Jaisa aap kahe.

(That line—)

Made her blush more.

Aarzoo:

Goodnight 🙂

Me:

Goodnight, Aarzoo.

(She reacted ❤️)

I kept my phone aside.

Staring at the ceiling.

There was a strange feeling.

New.

Unfamiliar.

Pata nahi kya ho raha hai…

Lekin aisa kabhi nahi hua…

Not with anyone.

Not ever.

And somehow—

I didn’t mind it.

Not at all.

Kashvi Pov -

After so many days… I finally opened this diary again.

I don’t even remember when I stopped writing.

Maybe… the day I started avoiding him.

Or maybe the day things started changing between us.

I thought ignoring him would make everything easier.

But it didn’t.

It just made everything… heavier.

He kept trying to talk.

And I kept running away.

Not because I wanted to…

But because I was scared.

Scared of what?

I don’t know.

Maybe of him.

Maybe of myself.

But that day…

When he held my hand in that empty classroom—

And asked me not to ignore him…

Something broke inside me.

And today…

Everything felt different again.

Arjun and Vedansh came back.

With them—

Came memories I wasn’t ready to face.

Memories I buried somewhere deep.

When Arjun cried…

It hurt.

He is my bestfriend my brother....

More than I expected.

Because some promises…

Still live inside me.

And then—

He came..

Netrabhan.

He didn’t ask too much.

But still—

It felt like he understood something.

Even without me saying anything.

And at night…

When his message came—

“Aarzoo”

I don’t know why—

But I smiled..

I knew it was him.

Still… I teased him.

He said I didn’t talk to him enough today.

Why did that feel… important?

And when he said—

“Only with you…”

My heart…

Did something strange.

I don’t understand what’s happening.

Me.

Trying to understand everything.

But one thing is true—

When he calls me Aarzoo…

It feels different.

Like I matter.

And maybe—

That’s what scares me the most.

Ishvik pov-

I don’t know when it started.

Or how.

But something felt… off.

Ever since those two entered—

Vedansh and Arjun.

Everything shifted.

Not just for Kashvi and Saanvi.

For us too.

We were all walking towards the garden.

Normal.

Laughing.

Talking.

Until—

Aarohi said it.

“dono kaafi hot hain…”

She said it casually.

Like it meant nothing.

But I heard it.

Every word.

Clear.

And suddenly—

My steps slowed.

My jaw tightened.

My hands clenched.

Hot?

For them?

I don’t know why—

But I didn’t like it.

Not even a little.

It wasn’t like she said something wrong.

They are good-looking.

Anyone could see that.

But still—

Hearing it from her—

Didn’t sit right.

I wanted to say something.

To snap back.

To tell her to stop.

But I didn’t.

I stayed quiet.

Because what would I even say?

Kyu? Problem kya hai tujhe?

Exactly.

What was the problem?

I don’t have an answer.

And maybe that’s what irritated me more.

Later—

When everyone was talking—

Laughing—

I wasn’t fully there.

My mind kept going back to that one line.

“Dono kaafi hot hain…”

And the way she said it.

So easily.

So normally.

Like it didn’t affect anything.

But it did.

At least—

It affected me.

When she tried talking later—

I didn’t reply.

Not because I was angry.

But because—

I didn’t trust what I might say.

And she noticed.

Of course she did.

She notices everything.

But didn’t say anything.

And I was glad.

Because I don’t understand this.

This feeling.

This irritation.

This… possessiveness?

No.

That’s not it.

Right?

…Right?

I don’t know.

All I know is—

I didn’t like it.

And for some reason—

That matters.

More than it should.

So here we are… this chapter comes to an end ✨

I really hope you all liked it and felt every emotion I tried to write here.

𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐲… how did this chapter feel to you? 💭

Don’t forget to share what you liked, what you didn’t....

That’s it for this chapter…

𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 📖✨

𝐁𝐲𝐞 𝐛𝐲𝐞 👋

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡

𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 🌷