Ruhi's patience was wearing thin. Every day, she could feel Abhi slipping further away, and Ishika was at the center of it all.
She wasn't going to let this continue.
-
The next morning, Ruhi made her way to Abhi's usual spot near the library. He was sitting on a bench, flipping through his phone. When she approached, he barely looked up.
"Hey," Ruhi greeted, forcing a smile.
Abhi nodded, still distracted. "Morning."
That was it? Just 'morning'? The Abhi she knew would have pulled her into a teasing conversation, made her laugh, reassured her. But this Abhi... he was distant.
She took a deep breath. "You're acting strange lately."
Abhi glanced at her. "I've just had a lot on my mind."
Ruhi crossed her arms. "And does any of that include me?"
There it was-a flicker of guilt in his eyes. But before he could answer, his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and instantly typed a response.
Ruhi's heart sank. She didn't need to ask who it was.
-
At lunch, Ruhi walked into the cafeteria and froze.
Abhi was sitting with Ishika.
They weren't doing anything suspicious. They were just... talking. But that was enough to make Ruhi's blood boil. The way Abhi leaned in slightly when Ishika spoke, the way he seemed so at ease with her-it was driving her insane.
Ruhi stormed toward them. "Abhi."
Both Abhi and Ishika looked up. Ishika gave a polite smile, but Ruhi barely acknowledged her.
"Hey, Ruhi," Abhi said, his tone neutral.
Ruhi sat down beside him, deliberately close. "I was looking for you."
Abhi's expression didn't change. "I was just catching up with Ishika."
Ruhi's jaw clenched. "Right."
Ishika didn't seem fazed. "We were actually discussing a business strategy project. Abhi had some great insights."
Ruhi forced a tight smile. "I'm sure he did."
Abhi sighed, sensing the tension. "Ruhi, let's not do this here."
Her stomach twisted. 'Let's not do this'? Since when did he talk to her like that?
-
That evening, Ruhi paced in her room, gripping her phone tightly. No messages from Abhi. No calls.
She needed to do something.
Dialing a number, she waited as the phone rang. When the person picked up, she forced herself to sound calm.
"Hey," she said sweetly. "I need your help with something."
Because if Abhi was slipping away, she was going to make sure she had a reason to pull him back.
........to be continued......