Episode-2

Kiara’s voice trembled as she ended the call with Yuvi. The car was eerily quiet except for the faint sound of Ruhanika rummaging through her purse for tissues to tend to Kiara’s small cut.

“We need to check on the driver,” Ruhanika said, her voice steady but filled with concern.

Kiara nodded, her hands shaking as she unbuckled her seatbelt. “But… what if something’s seriously wrong with him?”

They cautiously stepped out of the car, the evening air colder than they had expected. Ruhanika carefully approached the driver’s side, knocking lightly on the window. The driver was slumped over the steering wheel, still unconscious, but breathing.

Kiara’s anxiety surged. “What do we do, Ru? We can’t just leave him here.”

Before Ruhanika could answer, Yuvi’s car screeched to a halt behind them. He rushed out, his face a mix of worry and determination. “Kiara! Are you okay?” he asked, briefly glancing at the cut on her forehead before moving toward the driver.

“I’m fine, but the driver… he just passed out,” Kiara explained hurriedly.

Yuvi opened the driver’s door, gently shaking the man’s shoulder. “Hey, can you hear me?” he called out, but there was no response. “He needs medical attention.”

Ruhanika dialed for an ambulance as Yuvi carefully pulled the driver out of the car, laying him on the ground in a recovery position. Kiara stood by, her nerves still on edge.

“I don’t know what happened,” she said, looking at Yuvi. “Everything was normal, and then suddenly he just… stopped the car and passed out.”

Yuvi nodded, checking the driver’s pulse. “His pulse is weak but steady. Let’s just wait for the paramedics; they’ll know what to do.”

The minutes stretched out as they waited, the tension thick in the air. Ruhanika tried to distract Kiara by talking about her speech for the event. “You were going to say something about teamwork and resilience, right? Maybe… this is one of those moments where both come into play.”

Kiara gave a nervous laugh, “I didn’t think I’d be living through an example of it before the event.”

Just then, the ambulance arrived, and the paramedics quickly took over, examining the driver and loading him into the vehicle. “He’ll be fine,” one of the paramedics assured them. “It looks like he fainted from exhaustion, but we’ll run some tests to be sure.”

As the ambulance pulled away, Kiara let out a long breath of relief. “Thank goodness,” she said, turning to Yuvi. “Thanks for coming so quickly.”

Yuvi smiled, “You know I’ll always be there when you need me.”

Ruhanika glanced at her phone. “We still have time to make it to the event, Kiara. You still up for giving that speech?”

Kiara hesitated for a moment, but as the ambulance drove off, Yuvi turned to the girls. “I’ll drive you to the event. We’ll figure out what to do next after.”

Kiara hesitated but then nodded. “Okay… but only if you promise to stay with us.”

Yuvi smiled. “You’ve got it, little sis.”

As Yuvi drove them toward the event, the tension in the car started to ease, but the unsettling incident still lingered in the back of Kiara’s mind. She kept glancing at her phone, half-expecting more bad news. Ruhanika, sitting beside her, was trying to distract her by going over the speech Kiara was supposed to deliver.

“You’re going to be amazing,” Ruhanika said, scrolling through the notes on her phone. “Remember, confidence is key.”

Kiara smiled faintly. “Thanks, Ru. I just… I don’t know if I’m in the right headspace after what just happened.”

Yuvi, overhearing, chimed in from the driver’s seat. “Look, you’ve been preparing for this speech for weeks. Don’t let what happened throw you off. You’re strong, and you’ve got this.”

Kiara took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. “You’re right. I can do this.”

As they neared the event venue, the atmosphere inside the car shifted. The grand building came into view, brightly lit, with a steady stream of well-dressed attendees arriving. Kiara could feel the pressure mounting again. Her hands tightened around the note cards she had prepared, and she glanced at Ruhanika for support.

Ruhanika smiled and squeezed her hand. “I’ll be right there in the front row cheering you on. You’ve got this.”

Yuvi pulled the car up to the entrance and turned to Kiara. “You’re going to be great. Just focus on what you want to say, and don’t worry about anything else.”

Kiara stepped out of the car, her heels clicking on the pavement as she adjusted her dress. She straightened her posture, determined not to let the evening’s earlier chaos affect her moment. Inside, the crowd buzzed with energy, and the large hall felt imposing, but Kiara held her head high.

As she walked toward the stage, Ruhanika whispered, “Go make us proud.”

Kiara smiled, feeling a rush of warmth and support from her friend and her brother. Taking one final deep breath, she stepped onto the stage, the spotlight illuminating her as she faced the crowd.

The room quieted down, and all eyes were on her. For a brief second, the anxiety crept back in, but then she caught sight of Yuvi and Ruhanika in the audience, their faces filled with pride and encouragement. She smiled and began her speech with confidence.

The words flowed smoothly, each one stronger than the last, as she shared her message with passion and conviction. The audience responded positively, nodding along and occasionally clapping. Kiara felt herself relax, fully immersing in the moment.

By the time she reached the conclusion, the audience erupted into applause. Kiara’s heart swelled with pride as she took a step back from the podium, grateful for the support of her loved ones and the strength she had found within herself.

As she stepped off the stage, Yuvi and Ruhanika rushed to her side, both beaming. “You were incredible!” Ruhanika said, pulling her into a hug.

“You nailed it, Ki,” Yuvi added, smiling proudly.

Kiara finally allowed herself to breathe and smile fully. “Thank you. I couldn’t have done it without you two.”

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