Chapter 2
Aanya walking down the college corridor, her mind swirling with thoughts about everything that had happened. Her pace is quick, her hoodie cap pulled low.
Suddenly, a voice calls out from behind, breathless
Niya Jain
(gasping) Oyy, Miss Hoodie! Would you please slow down and let me join you on your royal walk?
Aanya slowed down and turned her head slightly, recognizing the voice.
Aanya Joshi
(flatly) Niya…?
Niya jogged up to her, still catching her breath.
Niya Jain
(dramatically) God, are you training for a marathon or something? Slow walkers like me suffer, you know!
Just then, another voice called out.
Rishi Sharma
(shouting) Wait up, buddy! What’s the rush?
Rishi ran up to them, looking like he’d sprinted the entire hallway.
Aanya Joshi
(groaning) Oh great, the dynamic duo.
Rishi Sharma
(finally catching up, breathing hard) Aanya, seriously? Are you being chased by ghosts or something?
Aanya Joshi
(rolling her eyes) I’m already late for class, and now you two are wasting more of my time!
Niya Jain
(clutching her chest, fake dramatic) You think we’re a waste of time? Oh no, you hurt my feelings, Aanya!
Niya began fake crying, wiping invisible tears.
Rishi Sharma
(glaring and huffing, pretending to sob) Yeah, Aanya! I never thought you’d betray us like this. Sob sob.
Niya Jain
(fake sobbing louder) I can’t believe she called us a waste! Rishi, how will we ever recover from this?
Rishi Sharma
(sniffing dramatically) I don’t know, Niya. My heart… it hurts. Sob sob.
Aanya stared at them, wide-eyed and irritated.
Aanya Joshi
(hands on her hips) Oh my gosh! Why are you both being so melodramatic?
Niya Jain
(snapping her head up, fake offended) Wait! Did you just call us melodramatic?
Aanya Joshi
(cutting her off, exasperated) Oh my God! I’m sorry, okay? I’m VERY, VERY sorry, my lord! I was wrong! I’ll do anything you say! Happy now?
Niya and Rishi paused their act, grinning mischievously.
Rishi Sharma
(smirking) That’s more like it.
They both tackled Aanya in a light hug, making her laugh despite herself.
Aanya Joshi
(smiling, rolling her eyes) Okay, okay, you two are impossible! Now can we please go to class before we’re all late?
Rishi Sharma
(grinning) Lead the way, Captain Hoodie!
Niya Jain
(linking arms with Aanya) With pleasure, my lady.
Aanya sat between Rishi and Niya in class, exchanging whispers during the lecture.
Niya Jain
(whispering) Hey, Aanya. Did you understand this?
Aanya Joshi
(noticing) kinda!
Niya Jain
(grinning) Because I didn’t hear a word. I was too busy watching the professor’s mustache move.
Rishi snorted with laughter, trying to muffle the sound.
Rishi Sharma
(whispering) You two are going to get me kicked out of class one day, I swear.
Aanya Joshi
(grinning) You love us anyway.
Rishi Sharma
(fake groaning) Unfortunately, Yes.
Aanya, Niya, and Rishi walked across the campus quad, lost in their usual banter and antics.
Niya Jain
(giggling) You have to admit, Rishi, you did sound like a dying goat during the presentation today.
Rishi Sharma
(defensively) I did not! That was the mic.
Aanya Joshi
(laughing) “Mic” means making the voice exactly how you did. Then sure!
They all laughed together, their laughter echoing as they made their way outside.
Suddenly, time seemed to slow down. A metallic glint flashed through the air—a knife hurtling straight toward Aanya!
Before Aanya could react, someone pulled her forcefully out of the way.
Aanya Joshi
(breathless, turning to look) What just—
She stumbled slightly but steadied herself, blinking in confusion. A sharp knife clattered to the ground near her feet. She froze, finally realizing what had just happened.
Aanya Joshi
(whispering, shaken) Thank you…
The person holding her was Vihaan. He released her arm, looking down at her with an annoyed expression.
Vihaan Malhotra
(crossing his arms) Why are you always in trouble whenever I see you?
Aanya stared at him blankly, processing his words. Due to the force of the pull, her hoodie cap had fallen back.
Aanya looked up at him, her face now clearly visible. Vihaan stared.
Her big, round eyes blinked up at him, framed by long lashes, her dusky cheeks were flushed, and her lips parted slightly. If not for the shock of the moment, she looked like a doll—
Vihaan Malhotra
(muttering, amused) Cute.
Aanya Joshi
(blinking, confused) Huh?
Vihaan snaps back to reality
Aanya Joshi
(Whispering to herself) It's just twice we've seen each other. Who cares more and less..
Vihaan's sharp ears catch that, and he smirks slightly.
Vihaan Malhotra
(raising an eyebrow) So that's how you think about your savior, huh?
Aanya Joshi
(wide-eyed, stammering) W-What? Did you--
Before She can respond, Niya rushes over, breathless.
Niya Jain
(worried) Aanya! What happened? Are you okay? Why did Vihaan pull you like that?
Rishi Sharma
(stepping between Aanya and Vihaan, protective) Hey! How dare you grab my friend like that? What’s your problem, man?
Vihaan Malhotra
(raising his hands lazily, unfazed) Not my problem. She’s your friend—keep an eye on her.
Before Rishi can react further, Aanya quickly grabs his arm, stopping him.
Aanya Joshi
(calmly) Rishi, stop. It’s fine.
Vihaan gives her one last unreadable look before turning and walking away without another word.
Niya Jain
(grinning mischievously as soon as Vihaan leaves) Oh-ho-ho! Aanya, what was that? Why did Vihaan pull you? And—wait—how do you know the most popular guy in college? Spill it! Are you two dating? Or doing something secretly?
Aanya Joshi
(groaning, exasperated) Niya, stop! It’s not like that!
Niya Jain
(ignoring her) Then what is it? Tell me! I need answers!
Rishi Sharma
(staring at Aanya seriously) You’re hiding something. What’s going on, Aanya?
Aanya doesn’t respond immediately. Her mind flashes back to the note she found in the morning—then to the knife incident.
First, the strange warning telling her to be careful… and now, someone is throwing a knife at her?
Aanya Joshi
(thinking)Who wants to hurt me? And why…?
Aanya Joshi
And who is the one saving me? Send me warnings like they know something I don’t…?
Suddenly, Aanya’s phone buzzes with a notification. She hesitates before unlocking the screen.
Anonymous Message :
I told you to be careful. You can’t trust anyone—not even those close to you. Watch your back, Aanya. This is just the beginning.
Aanya freezes. A chill runs down her spine. Her hands tremble slightly.
Aanya Joshi
(whispering to herself) What the hell is going on…?
Rishi Sharma
(noticing her pale face) Aanya, what’s wrong? Is something happening to you?
Aanya Joshi
(forcing a smile) No. Nothing’s wrong.
Niya Jain
(frowning) Are you sure? Aanya, if you’re in trouble, just tell us. We’re your friends. We’ll solve it together.
Aanya looks at her two friends—their worried faces making her hesitate. She swallows, forcing herself to smile faintly before nodding.
Aanya Joshi
I know. Thanks, guys.
Niya and Rishi exchange a glance before pulling Aanya into a group hug, their warmth momentarily calming her.
But even as they hugged, Aanya couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling gnawing at her.
The anonymous messages, the knife, and Vihaan’s sudden involvement…
All was just too much to process for her at a time.
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