Arc 1; Chapter 11: The Departure With Unfinished Goodbyes

Ayaan slept soundly, the soft hum of Isha and Rohit's song lingering in his ears, lulling him into a peaceful slumber. The warmth of the fire and the quiet atmosphere wrapped around him like a comforting embrace. But his serenity was short-lived, as Dev's loud voice cut through the stillness. "Ayaan, wake up!" Dev called, his voice breaking through the calm and dragging Ayaan back to the waking world with a jolt.

Ayaan slowly opened his eyes, the remnants of the song still echoing in his mind. He sat up, glancing around the campfire, but his gaze immediately landed on the empty spot where Isha and Rohit had been. They were gone. A sense of unease washed over him. He turned to Dev, who was stretching lazily beside him.

"Isha and Rohit... where did they go?" Ayaan asked, his voice still thick with sleep.

Dev blinked, looking around as if the answer would present itself. "I don't know," he replied honestly. "But when you were asleep, I saw something. Rohit was by the truck near the main gate, talking to Rathore. He had his luggage with him."

Ayaan’s frown deepened, but Dev added, "And... I saw something else. Through the truck window—just a glimpse. I could swear I saw Isha's hair. She was with him."

Ayaan stood up, his thoughts racing. Why had they left so suddenly without a word? What was going on?

Dev watched Ayaan’s tense expression , then leaned in with a teasing grin. “So, Ayaan, you’re awfully quiet today. Could it be that you’ve got feelings on Isha?” he teased, raising an eyebrow.

Ayaan turned to him, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips, his grip tightening on Dev's wrist. "I don't have an older or younger sister, so I guess Isha feels like a sister to me," he replied, his tone light but with a hint of defensiveness.

Dev raised his eyebrows, clearly amused by the response. But then his teasing softened, replaced with something more serious. “Speaking of family... have you gotten any updates about your older brother? The one who went missing last year?” he asked, his voice lowering in concern.

Ayaan’s eyes darkened at the mention of his brother. He clenched his jaw, trying to keep his emotions in check. “No,” he said sharply, a hint of irritation creeping into his tone. "Nothing."

Ayaan sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the floor, his thoughts swirling. Why did Isha and Rohit leave without saying goodbye? His mind kept returning to the same question, like a broken record. Rohit was always the one to slip away without a word; that much Ayaan understood. But Isha? She was different. She was the one who would tease, who would challenge him, who would make sure to leave her mark. She never disappeared quietly. The fact that she had left without a single word was... unsettling. Was I that unimportant to her?

But then, like a shadow creeping into his mind, a chilling thought struck him: Since Rathore left... could it be that Rohit was selected for Project M? Ayaan’s heart skipped a beat. And if Rohit was chosen, was Isha also part of it? Was that why she had been so distant? So quick to leave? But why hadn’t she said anything to him? Why hadn’t she trusted him with that? The questions gnawed at him, growing louder with each passing moment.

Suddenly, the silence was broken by Dev’s voice, sharp and teasing, pulling Ayaan from his thoughts. “Ayaan,” Dev said, his tone mocking. “You know it’s your turn to pack, right? You’ve been staring at that empty space for way too long.”

Ayaan snapped out of his reverie, his eyes meeting Dev’s with a flicker of irritation. “It’s nothing,” he muttered, the weight of his thoughts heavy in the air. But deep down, he knew it wasn’t nothing. Something was off. He could feel it in his bones. Something about Isha’s sudden disappearance, about the silence that had followed, felt like the calm before a storm. And the storm was coming. But for now, he had to push it all aside. There was no time for these distractions.

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