Ruhi had always been good at masking her emotions, but today, she could feel her carefully built facade cracking. Every time she saw Abhi with Ishika, a seed of panic buried itself deeper inside her.
She refused to lose. Not to her.
-
At lunch, Ruhi made sure to sit right next to Abhi, her fingers casually playing with his as she laughed at something he said. But she wasn't really listening. Her eyes flickered toward Ishika, who was sitting at another table, discussing something with their professor.
She had noticed it-how people looked at Ishika differently. How even Abhi's gaze lingered on her a little longer than before. It made Ruhi's blood boil.
"I was thinking we should go on a trip," Ruhi suddenly suggested, looking up at Abhi with bright eyes. "Just the two of us. A weekend getaway."
Abhi hesitated, stirring his drink. "A trip?"
"Yes! Somewhere far from all this chaos. Just you and me."
Abhi smiled, but there was something absent in it. "I don't know, Ruhi. My schedule's packed right now."
Ruhi clenched her jaw. That wasn't the answer she wanted.
"Abhi," she whispered, leaning closer, "we barely spend time together anymore."
Abhi exhaled. "I'm here now, aren't I?"
She forced a laugh, but deep inside, irritation simmered. He wasn't rejecting the idea outright, but he wasn't eager about it either.
And she knew why.
-
Later that evening, Ruhi waited outside the college gates, pretending to check her phone. She didn't have to wait long.
Abhi stepped out, and just as she had expected, Ishika was walking alongside him. They were engaged in casual conversation, but Ruhi could see it-how comfortable they were, how easily they spoke.
Something inside her snapped.
"Abhi!" she called out, her voice overly sweet. Both of them turned to look at her. Ruhi made a beeline for Abhi, completely ignoring Ishika.
"Hey, I was waiting for you. Let's go." She linked her arm through his before Ishika could say a word.
Abhi glanced at Ishika, who only smiled politely. "I'll see you later, Abhi."
Ruhi didn't wait for his response. She pulled him away, determined to remind him exactly who he belonged to.
-
That night, Ruhi sat alone in her room, staring at her reflection.
Ishika wasn't doing anything openly. She wasn't chasing Abhi. But that was the worst part-she didn't have to. Abhi was drifting toward her naturally. And Ruhi was losing control.
Her fingers curled into fists. She wouldn't let this happen. She had worked too hard to secure her place in Abhi's life.
It was time to take action.
.......to be continued......