Aadhya's POV
I reached home and immediately stopped in the doorway.
Too quiet.
Not peaceful quiet. Not "everyone's resting" quiet.
This was suspicious quiet. The kind where you feel like something is either broken… or about to break.
"…Rey's not home," I muttered, dropping my bag like I'd just solved a mystery. Then I shrugged. "Yeah, he's probably getting yelled at by bhaiyya."
A small, satisfied nod. "Good. Character development."
"Also not my problem."
I walked straight to my room and shut the door with purpose. Step one—fix my life. Or at least my hair.
I tied it again into a proper bun.
Not that cream bun disaster from earlier.
I paused, inspecting it like a strict judge.
"…acceptable."
"Growth."
Feeling oddly proud, I changed into my pajamas and flopped onto the bed like I'd just returned from war. Emotional damage? Severe. Physical damage? Pending.
Then—
"Avi."
Right.
That missing idiot.
I grabbed my phone and called him.
***Ring.
***Ring.
He picked up.
"Hey! Why didn't you come to school today?"
No greeting. No respect. Straight interrogation.
["Ohhh… Adi? Is that you?"] he said like he'd just discovered electricity.
"Yes, it's me. Now answer my question."
["No hello, no hi…"] he chuckled. ["Why? Miss me?"]
I blinked slowly.
"Excuse me?? Absolutely not. Don't flatter yourself. Stay grounded."
["Wow,"] he laughed. ["Heartbreaking."]
"Good. Now explain. Fever? Sick? Or—" I narrowed my eyes. "—did you get into a fight again?"
Silence.
Aha.
There it is.
Then he said, casually—
["Relax. Just an injury acting up."]
"Injury?" I sat up straighter. "What injury?"
A pause.
Then—
["My groin."]
I froze.
"…I'm sorry, WHAT?"
["Yeah,"] he continued like a news reporter,[ "critical condition. Very tragic. Doctors are concerned."]
I stared at my phone like I might throw it out of the window.
"You are disgusting."
["I know,"] he said proudly.
"Are you actually brainless?" I snapped. "I'm asking seriously and you're out here giving medical updates about your lower body??"
["It's a serious matter,"] he said. ["You wouldn't understand."]
"I understand that you need help."
["I do,"] he agreed.[ "Emotional support. Be kind."]
"I will throw hands."
["You always do,"] he laughed.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "When are you coming back?"
["Few days."]
"Few—"
["Yeah."]
"FEW DAYS?? WHAT DO YOU ME—"
Call ended.
I stared at my screen.
"…hello??"
Nothing.
"He cut the call."
I squinted at my phone.
"Disrespectful. Uncultured. Unwell."
Pause.
"…he definitely got into a fight."
I dropped back onto the bed dramatically.
"Of course he did."
"Why are all the people I know like this?"
"Oh great. One idiot missing, one acting like a criminal, and the whole class treating me like I carry a virus."
I sat up again suddenly.
"Oh no… I forgot to ask about Mahi."
Pause.
"…great. Fantastic. Brilliant."
"Next time."
—
Dinner time.
I went downstairs with zero expectations and still got disappointed.
Table set.
Everyone present.
Bhaiyya.
Masi.
…and Reyansh.
Perfect.
Exactly what I needed. A silent family dinner with emotional tension as the main course.
We all started eating.
Silence.
Not peaceful silence.
The kind where your spoon sounds illegal.
Halfway through eating, my brain decided to replay today like a horror film—
And suddenly—
I choked.
"Cough—cough—"
"Adi!"
"Maa, water!"
Chaos.
Bhaiyya started hitting my back like I was a malfunctioning machine, Masi rushed with water, and I was there fighting for my life over one bite of food.
"Great," I thought. "Death by roti."
"Very dignified."
After what felt like a near-death experience, I finally stopped coughing and drank water like I had just returned from the desert.
Dinner continued like nothing happened.
Of course.
Everyone went back to their rooms.
Because emotional damage waits for no one.
—
I sat near the window in my room, the cool air hitting my face.
"Hm."
"I want something cold."
Very important thought.
I stood up.
Mission: Fridge.
Stealth mode ON.
I walked out quietly like a ninja who definitely trained on YouTube.
Ninja Hattori Course.
Mushkil wakt Commando sakt
No sound. No witnesses.
Reached the kitchen.
Opened the fridge.
Jackpot.
Cold coffee can.
"…bhaiyya's."
Pause.
"…he'll survive."
I grabbed it and started heading back—
Then—
Voices.
From bhaiyya's room.
Masi was there too.
I slowed down.
About to pass—
Then I heard—
My name.
I froze.
And because my life is a joke—
My foot slipped.
THUD.
"Shit!"
I jumped up and pressed myself against the wall like a criminal in a low-budget movie.
Heart racing.
Breathing illegal.
They didn't come out.
They kept talking.
"Maa… we should take her to a psychiatrist," bhaiyya said.
My brain stopped.
"…what?"
"She has to face her past."
Silence.
Then Masi, softer. "But look at her… she's still not over that incident."
"She's too sensitive now."
"Let's do it later… she's scared. Try to understand, Amar."
I didn't wait.
Didn't breathe properly.
Just walked back.
Quietly.
Closed my door.
Sat on the bed.
Then fell back, staring at the ceiling.
"They want me to remember…"
"But why?"
"I don't want to."
Something heavy settled in my chest.
Not funny anymore.
Cold.
Uncomfortable.
Fear?
"…maybe."
People had said things before.
About my past.
About my stepdad.
About… things I don't even fully understand.
But—
"I don't remember anything."
Nothing.
Just blank.
Like someone deleted a whole chapter of my life.
All I remember are small things.
Happy ones.
With Reyansh.
When things were normal.
We used to play. Eat together. Sleep like actual siblings. People even thought we were siblings.
Now?
Everything feels distant.
Like someone pressed pause and never resumed.
I shut my eyes tightly.
"No."
"I don't want to remember."
My chest hurt a little.
"…I miss that."
"But it's gone."
I turned to my side, pulling the blanket closer like it could fix anything.
"It's okay."
"Don't cry."
"You have school tomorrow."
I whispered to myself, softer now—
"Sleep."..