Morning light slipped softly into the room.
Warm.
Golden.
Calm.
Aarav woke slowly, his eyes adjusting to the light.
For a moment—
he forgot everything.
Then—
he felt it.
A slight pull in his arm.
The bandage.
The memory of last night.
And her.
His gaze moved across the room.
And then—
he froze.
Meher stood near the mirror.
Wearing a cherry-colored dress.
It wasn't overly bold—
but it was enough.
Soft fabric.
Light.
Flowing.
And the way it fit her—
Aarav's jaw tightened instantly.
She turned slightly, adjusting her hair—
and that's when she noticed him watching.
"Good morning," she said casually.
No reaction.
He just kept looking.
Intensely.
"What?" she frowned slightly.
Aarav sat up slowly.
"Yeh kya pehna hai tumne?" he asked.
(What are you wearing?)
She blinked.
"A dress?"
"Change it."
Silence.
Her brows raised.
"Excuse me?"
"Change. It."
His tone wasn't loud.
But it was firm.
She crossed her arms.
"Why?"
A pause.
Then—
"I don't like it."
Her lips curved slightly.
"Ohhh…" she dragged the word teasingly.
"Jealous?"
His eyes darkened.
"Don't test me in the morning."
She smiled more now.
"And what if I don't change?"
Aarav stood up.
Slowly.
Walking toward her.
Each step—
deliberate.
Until he stood right in front of her.
"Phir mujhe dekhna padega tumhe aise," he said quietly.
(Then I'll have to keep looking at you like this.)
Her breath caught.
"And that's a problem?" she challenged softly.
"Yes."
A pause.
"Because I don't like others looking at you like this."
Her heartbeat skipped.
"And who said others are looking?" she teased.
"I said."
That tone again.
She smiled slightly.
"You're impossible."
"And you're still wearing that."
She laughed softly.
"Okay fine… convince me."
Aarav tilted his head slightly.
"Convince?"
"Yes," she said. "Make me want to change."
Silence.
Then—
he leaned closer.
So close—
she could feel his breath.
"Tum jo bhi pehno…" he murmured.
(Whatever you wear…)
"…problem kapdon se nahi hoti."
(It's not the clothes that are the problem.)
Her heart raced.
"Then what is?" she whispered.
His eyes dropped slightly.
Then back to hers.
"Tum ho."
(You are.)
Her breath hitched.
"And I don't like sharing that."
Silence.
Her cheeks flushed.
"Fine," she said quickly, stepping back.
"I'll change."
A faint smirk appeared on his lips.
"Good."
A few minutes later—
she came out wearing a simple outfit.
But Aarav's eyes still followed her.
Because for him—
it didn't matter.
She always looked like trouble.
"Sit," she said suddenly.
He raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
"Bandage change."
Silence.
He walked toward the chair.
And sat.
Without arguing.
Meher stood in front of him, carefully removing the old bandage.
Her fingers moved gently.
Slow.
Careful.
"Does it hurt?" she asked.
"No."
She gave him a look.
"You always say that."
"Because it doesn't."
"Liar."
A faint smile touched his lips.
She cleaned the wound again.
This time—
her touch was even softer.
More familiar.
More… comfortable.
And Aarav noticed everything.
"You were awake last night," he said quietly.
She paused.
"For some time."
"Hmm."
Silence.
Then—
unexpectedly—
"I love you."
Her hand froze.
"What?"
He looked at her.
"I said—I love you."
Her heartbeat spiked.
"Why are you saying that like it's normal?" she whispered.
"Because it is."
She blinked.
"That's not how this works!"
He shrugged slightly.
"Works for me."
She shook her head.
"You're crazy."
"I've told you that before."
She continued wrapping the bandage, trying to ignore him.
"I love you," he said again.
Her cheeks turned red.
"Stop it!"
"No."
"Aarav!"
"I love you."
She covered his mouth instantly.
"Bas!" she whispered, embarrassed.
(Stop!)
He smiled against her hand.
When she removed it—
"I love you," he said again.
She groaned softly.
"How many times are you going to say that?!"
He thought for a second.
"Until you stop blushing."
Her face turned even redder.
"Shut up!"
He chuckled softly.
"I love you."
She looked away.
But she didn't stop him anymore.
And that—
meant something.
Later—
she walked out again.
This time—
wearing a saree.
Deep cocoa brown.
Elegant.
Soft.
Graceful.
Aarav turned—
And froze.
Completely.
His hand moved to his chest dramatically.
"Main gaya…" he muttered.
(I'm done for…)
She blinked.
"What?"
He leaned slightly against the wall.
"Tumhe idea hai tum kya kar rahi ho?" he said softly.
(Do you have any idea what you're doing?)
She smiled slightly.
"What now?"
He looked at her from head to toe.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Like he was memorizing her.
"Saree mein…" he murmured.
"…tum dangerous lag rahi ho."
(In a saree… you look dangerous.)
Her heart skipped.
"Good dangerous or bad dangerous?" she teased.
"Very bad."
A pause.
"For me."
Her cheeks flushed again.
And Aarav—
He didn't even try to hide it anymore.
The way he looked at her.
Like she was the only thing that existed.
And maybe—
for him—
she was.The morning air was softer now.
The mountains stood calm, the sky clear, and for a brief moment—it felt like everything might finally settle.
"Ready?" Aarav asked, his eyes still lingering on her in that saree.
Meher adjusted her pallu slightly, trying to ignore the way he looked at her.
"Hmm," she nodded. "Let's go."
They stepped outside together.
The cold air brushed against her face, but she didn't mind.
Not today.
Because something inside her felt lighter.
But that feeling didn't last.
Her phone buzzed.
She frowned slightly, taking it out.
An unknown number.
"Hello?" she answered.
Silence.
Then—
a voice.
Low.
Unfamiliar.
"Are you Meher?"
Her heartbeat slowed.
"Yes… who is this?"
A pause.
Then—
"He's gone."
Her brows furrowed.
"Who?"
"…Rohan."
The world stopped.
"What?" her voice broke.
"He was found unconscious last night… he didn't make it."
The phone slipped from her hand.
Her body went still.
"Aarav…" she whispered.
Her voice didn't sound like hers anymore.
"Rohan…"
Aarav's expression changed instantly.
"What happened?"
She looked at him.
Her eyes wide.
"He's… gone."
Silence.
A long, suffocating silence.
Aarav didn't react immediately.
And that—
that scared her more.
"You knew?" she whispered.
He didn't answer.
That was enough.
Her breath hitched.
"You knew…" she repeated, her voice shaking now.
Aarav looked at her.
His jaw tightened.
"I warned him to stay away."
Her heart shattered.
"And if he didn't?" she asked.
Silence.
That silence—
said everything.
Tears filled her eyes instantly.
"You did something…" she whispered.
Aarav didn't deny it.
"I told him not to cross a line."
"That's not an answer!" she shouted.
Her voice broke completely.
"He's gone, Aarav!"
Her chest tightened painfully.
"I didn't mean for this to happen," he said quietly.
But that didn't help.
Nothing could.
"You hate him so much that you destroyed him?" she cried.
Aarav stepped closer.
"I didn't destroy him."
"Then what did you do?" she asked, her voice trembling.
A pause.
"I scared him."
Her tears fell freely now.
"People don't just die from fear," she whispered.
He didn't reply.
And that silence—
It broke her.
She turned away.
"I need to go back," she said weakly.
"Meher—"
"Don't," she stopped him.
Her voice was cold now.
"I can't look at you right now."
The hotel room felt suffocating.
Meher sat on the floor, her back against the couch, her hands covering her face as tears kept falling.
Minutes turned into hours.
She didn't stop.
Didn't move.
Didn't eat.
Didn't think.
Just cried.
For him.
For everything.
For herself.
Five hours.
Five long, painful hours.
When Aarav finally entered—
the room felt heavy.
His eyes immediately found her.
Curled up.
Broken.
Something inside him shifted.
"Meher…" he said softly.
She didn't look at him.
"Why?" she whispered.
That one word—
was enough.
He didn't answer immediately.
"I didn't like him," he said finally.
Her breath caught.
"That's it?" she looked up at him, disbelief in her eyes.
"That's your reason?"
A pause.
"I didn't like how he looked at you."
Silence.
"I didn't like how close he was to you."
Her heart clenched.
"And I didn't like the idea of losing you."
Tears streamed down her face again.
"You don't get to decide who stays in my life," she whispered.
"I already did," he replied.
That broke something inside her.
Completely.
She didn't argue after that.
Didn't fight.
She just… went quiet.
And sometime later—
She fell asleep.
On the couch.
Exhausted.
Midnight.
The room was silent again.
Meher stirred slightly, her eyes opening slowly.
Her head felt heavy.
Her body weak.
She looked around.
And then—
she saw him.
Aarav sat on the chair near the window.
His head tilted slightly to the side.
Asleep.
Still.
Her eyes softened for a moment.
He hadn't left.
She stood up slowly.
Her body felt drained.
But her mind—
wasn't calm.
Her hand brushed against her arm—
and she winced slightly.
She hadn't even noticed earlier.
A small cut.
Careless.
From her own restlessness.
She sighed softly.
Then quietly walked toward the table, picking up the first aid kit.
Carefully—
she sat near him.
And gently reached for his arm.
His bandage needed changing.
Even now—
she noticed.
Her fingers moved slowly.
Soft.
Careful.
As she unwrapped the bandage—
Aarav stirred.
His eyes opened.
And the first thing he saw—
was her.
Her swollen eyes.
Her pale face.
And then—
his gaze dropped.
To her hand.
The small wound.
His expression changed instantly.
"Yeh kya hai?" he asked sharply.
(What is this?)
She froze.
"It's nothing," she said quickly.
"It's not nothing."
He grabbed her wrist gently—but firmly.
"Kaise hua?"
(How did this happen?)
She looked away.
"I didn't notice…"
His jaw tightened.
"You're hurting yourself now?"
Her eyes filled again.
"I wasn't—"
"Don't lie," he said.
His voice wasn't angry.
It was… worried.
And that made it worse.
"I was just… not thinking," she whispered.
Silence.
Then—
suddenly—
her tears fell again.
"I lost him…" she cried.
Her voice broke completely.
"And you—" she stopped.
"I don't know what to feel about you."
Aarav's expression softened.
Slowly—
he moved closer.
And for the first time—
he didn't argue.
Didn't defend himself.
He just listened.
Her crying didn't stop.
Her shoulders shook slightly.
And then—
he reached out.
Pulling her gently toward him.
She didn't resist.
Didn't fight.
She just… broke.
Completely.
"I didn't want to hurt you," he said quietly.
She didn't reply.
Because nothing could fix this.
Not completely.
But still—
he stayed.
His hand moved to her head.
Gently.
And then—
he pressed a soft kiss on her forehead.
"I'm here," he murmured.
Her grip on his shirt tightened.
After a long time—
her breathing slowed.
Her tears stopped.
And exhaustion took over.
She fell asleep—
in his arms.
Aarav didn't move.
Didn't let go.
Because even now—
after everything—
she still stayed.
And that—
meant everything to him.
Slowly—
he laid her down on the bed.
And lay beside her.
Not too close.
But not far either.
For the first time—
they both slept.
Not peacefully.
But together.
.
.
.
.
Hope you love this twist meet you tomorrow with a new chapter till then byee byee