Chapter 3
The rain had been falling since late afternoon, a soft hush that blanketed the world outside in a muted gray.
Inside her room, Meher lay sprawled across her bed, the ceiling above her an unchanging void, much like the spiral of thoughts pulling her under.
Meher Sharma
*thinking about Aarav*
A soft knock on her door jolted her out of her haze.
Karan Sharma
*opening the door*
He stood there with a steaming mug of coffee in hand, relaxed and utterly unaware that his little sister was in emotional shambles.
Karan Sharma
You are alive, Thank God !!!
Karan Sharma
Thought you’d melted into your mattress or something.
Meher Sharma
*rolled her eyes*
Karan Sharma
Come downstairs later, okay?
Karan Sharma
Few people are dropping by.
Meher Sharma
*Raised an eyebrow*
Karan Sharma
Ria’s getting engaged. We’re hosting it here, kind of informal. Aarav’s helping me pull it off.
Meher Sharma
*her breath hitched*
The name clanged around in her chest. Aarav’s name followed like a shadow.
Meher Sharma
*trying to sound casual*
Karan Sharma
Yeah. It’s all hush-hush for now.
Karan Sharma
We’ll make it official tomorrow, but the families are here tonight.
Karan Sharma
Thought I’d tell you so you don’t bite someone’s head off mid-party.
Meher Sharma
*forced a smile*
Meher Sharma
Thanks for the heads-up.
Karan Sharma
*raised a brow*
Karan Sharma
*sensed something is off*
Karan Sharma
Don’t sulk too long. And maybe—just maybe—put on something that doesn’t scream ‘I hate people’?
Meher Sharma
Engaged? Ria? And Aarav is helping?
She didn’t know what emotion clenched her stomach first—jealousy? Confusion? Something unnamed but just as sharp?
Meher Sharma
*Leaned back against the closed door*
Meher Sharma
*a breath escaping her lips like defeat*
None of this was supposed to matter. But it did.
She told herself she didn’t care. Repeated it like a chant in her head.
Meher Sharma
*slowly opened her closet*
And picked out the one saree she hadn’t dared to wear yet. A deep wine-red wrap saree—subtle but deadly, hugging where it should, draping where it needed to. She didn’t know why she chose it.
Meher Sharma
I don’t want to see him. But if I do… I want him to see me.
Comments