The crowd refused to disperse.
Whispers spread faster than truth.
"Someone saw her near the parking lot…"
"No, she left early…"
"I heard she got into a car…"
Everyone had a version.
No one had the answer.
Kavya stood frozen, her eyes fixed on the cracked phone lying on the floor.
The girl in blue.
Gone.
Just like that.
"This isn't normal," she whispered.
Aarav stood beside her, silent—but his mind was clearly racing.
Raghav joined them, slightly breathless.
"Okay… this is bad," he said. "Like, really bad."
Kavya looked at Aarav.
"You knew something like this would happen, didn't you?"
Aarav didn't deny it.
"I was hoping I was wrong," he said quietly.
Kavya felt anger rise inside her.
"You knew, Aarav!"
"I suspected."
"That's not better!"
He turned to her, his voice sharper now.
"If I told you everything yesterday, would you have stayed away?"
Kavya opened her mouth—
But no words came out.
Because deep down…
She knew the answer.
No.
She wouldn't have.
Aarav's gaze softened slightly.
"Exactly."
Before the argument could continue, a strong voice cut through the crowd.
"Everyone move aside!"
An officer stepped forward.
Sharp eyes. Commanding presence.
Inspector Dev Singh.
"Back to your classes," he ordered. "Now."
Students slowly began to disperse, though their curiosity lingered.
Dev Singh bent down, picking up the broken phone carefully.
His eyes scanned the area.
Observing everything.
Missing nothing.
Then—
His gaze landed on Aarav.
A moment passed.
Silent.
Heavy.
Recognition.
Kavya noticed it instantly.
They know each other.
Dev Singh walked toward them.
Each step deliberate.
"You three," he said. "Stay."
Raghav swallowed. "This doesn't sound good."
Kavya stood her ground.
Aarav didn't move.
Dev Singh stopped in front of Aarav.
"You've grown," he said calmly.
Kavya's heart skipped.
"Wait… you know him?"
Aarav's jaw tightened.
"Yes."
Dev Singh shifted his gaze to Kavya.
"And you are?"
"Kavya."
He nodded slightly.
Then looked back at Aarav.
"Seems like trouble follows you," he said.
Aarav's expression darkened.
"Or maybe it's already here."
A brief silence.
Dev Singh studied him carefully.
Then said—
"If you know something… now is the time to speak."
Kavya looked at Aarav expectantly.
But Aarav shook his head.
"I don't."
It wasn't a lie.
But it wasn't the truth either.
Dev Singh didn't look convinced.
But he didn't push further.
Not yet.
"Stay available," he said. "I'll need statements."
Then he walked away.
Raghav exhaled loudly. "Okay… that was intense."
Kavya turned to Aarav immediately.
"Enough. You're telling me everything. Now."
Aarav looked around.
Too many people.
Too many ears.
"Tonight," he said.
"7 PM. Old library."
Kavya nodded.
"No excuses this time."
"No excuses."
7:00 PM – Old Library
The sun had already begun to set.
The campus looked different in the evening.
Quieter.
Darker.
More… honest.
The old library stood at the far end of the campus.
Almost abandoned.
Students rarely came here.
Kavya arrived first.
Her footsteps echoed softly as she walked inside.
The air felt heavy.
Dust particles floated in the dim light.
Rows of old books stood untouched.
Silent witnesses to forgotten stories.
She checked her phone.
6:59 PM.
Right on time—
The door creaked open.
Aarav walked in.
For a moment, they just looked at each other.
No distractions.
No crowd.
Just truth waiting to be spoken.
"You came," Kavya said.
"I said I would."
A pause.
Then—
"Start talking."
Aarav took a deep breath.
Like he was about to open a door he had kept locked for years.
"My father…" he began slowly,
"…was a police officer."
Kavya listened carefully.
"He was working on a case. Missing people. Students mostly."
Kavya's heart tightened.
"That sounds like what's happening now."
Aarav nodded.
"It is."
Silence.
"He got close," Aarav continued.
"Too close."
"And then?" Kavya asked softly.
Aarav's eyes darkened.
"He was killed."
The words hung heavy in the air.
Kavya's breath caught.
"I'm sorry…"
Aarav shook his head.
"No. Listen."
His voice was steady.
But his eyes—
They held something deeper.
"Before he died… he told me something."
Kavya stepped closer.
"He said—"
Aarav paused.
"'Trust no one. Not even the ones who feel safe.'"
Kavya felt a chill run through her.
"And the man from the canteen?" she asked.
Aarav's expression hardened.
"He was part of that case."
Everything clicked.
The message.
The warning.
The disappearance.
"This isn't random," Kavya whispered.
"No," Aarav said.
"It's not."
Suddenly—
A noise echoed from outside.
Both of them froze.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Someone was there.
Aarav immediately stepped closer to Kavya.
Lowering his voice.
"Stay behind me."
Kavya's heart raced.
The footsteps grew louder.
Closer.
Then—
The door creaked open again.
A shadow appeared.
For a split second—
Silence.
Then—
A voice.
"Well… this is interesting."
Kavya's breath stopped.
Because she recognized that voice.
Raghav.
But something was wrong.
Very wrong.
He wasn't smiling.
Not even a little.