Chapter 2: The Past

The day Gia moved into the neighborhood was nothing special—just a regular afternoon with sunlight spilling through the curtains and the faint sound of distant honking from the main road. Boxes were being unloaded, voices echoed from the driveway, and Ashi was, as always, watching everything unfold from her window like it was a live reality show.

> “Someone’s moving in next to us!” she squealed, turning to her brother.

“Hmm.”

“Should we go meet them?”

Aksh didn't even lift his eyes from his sketchbook. “If you want to go, go. Don’t drag me into it.”

“So dramatic,” Ashi muttered, already slipping on her flip-flops.

Outside, the summer air was thick with dust and the scent of fresh paint. A girl around Ashi’s age stood beside her mother, balancing a plant pot in one hand and a phone in the other.

> “Hey! Gia, right?” Ashi called out.

Gia turned, surprised. Her eyes were tired, her clothes slightly crumpled from the move. “Yes… how do you know my name?”

Ashi flashed a grin. “Your mom called you earlier. I have good ears.”

Gia blinked, then chuckled softly. That was the beginning.

---

They became friends quickly. Gia, an ambivert who usually waited for others to start the conversation, found Ashi’s nosiness oddly comforting. Ashi was like a warm breeze—loud, blunt, and unapologetically welcoming.

A few days later, Ashi invited her over.

> “Come on, just for a bit. You’ll love it. I’ll show you my room. And we have a huge TV.”

Gia hesitated but agreed. She asked her parents, tied her hair into a neat bun, and followed Ashi next door.

They had barely stepped into the living room when a sharp voice echoed from the hallway.

> “Why do you keep dragging random people into our house?”

A boy emerged, clearly annoyed, ruffling his hair like he’d just woken up. He looked about her age—tall, quiet intensity, a storm in his eyes.

Gia froze. Her heart raced. She couldn't hear anything else. Her ears were ringing.

Something about him—his presence, the unexpected sharpness of his voice—knocked the breath out of her.

> “Gia? Hey?”

Ashi touched her arm, pulling her back to reality.

> “I—” Gia stammered.

> “Aksh, stop being a jerk!” Ashi snapped. “She’s our neighbor, not a thief. Don’t make her feel unwelcome.”

Aksh didn’t respond. His eyes flicked to Gia, and for a moment, something unreadable passed between them. Then he turned and walked away.

He didn’t apologize, but he didn’t say anything cruel either. Maybe that was enough—for now.

---

One Month Later

Gia didn’t go to their house much after that. She didn't want to be where she wasn’t wanted.

But Ashi kept insisting.

> “Don’t take him seriously. He’s like that with everyone.”

“No, it’s okay. Maybe we can hang out at my place instead?”

“With your whole family at home? No way. We can’t talk about cute boys or complain about cramps with aunties around.”

Eventually, Gia gave in and started visiting again—at first rarely, then more often. She would sit on the edge of the sofa, careful not to overstay. Sometimes, Aksh would be in the next room. Sometimes he wasn’t.

What surprised her was the presence of Arnav, Aksh’s best friend. He seemed to live there more than his own house. He was funny, talkative, and had a way of making everyone feel included—even Gia. Especially Gia.

> “So, what do you think of this antisocial robot?” Arnav joked once, nodding at Aksh who was sketching on the balcony.

“I think…” Gia paused, smiling faintly. “He doesn’t like people in his space.”

“Exactly. But don’t worry. Eventually, we all start living in his space whether he likes it or not.”

And that's exactly what happened.

---

Two Years Later

Gia had become part of the family. She spent festivals, late-night snack runs, and lazy Sunday evenings with Ashi and Arnav. Aksh never said much—but he never asked her to leave either.

Over time, they found a strange rhythm. Aksh wouldn’t talk to her directly, but he would pass her the remote, pull out a chair for her at the dining table, or leave the last samosa on the plate. Small things. Quiet things. But they mattered.

> He talks through actions, Gia once told herself. And maybe… that’s okay.

When Arnav started texting her outside the group chat, she didn’t overthink it. When he asked her out, she hesitated—but said yes.

> Aksh didn't react when he found out.

Or maybe he did. Just not in a way she could see.

---

Year Three — Ashi’s Wedding Week

The house buzzed with celebration. Mehendi, music, food, relatives everywhere. Laughter spilled out of every room.

Gia was now like a daughter in the house. Ashi’s cousins adored her, especially Laksh, who treated her like a sister. Then there was Daksh—loud, sarcastic, with a spark in his eyes that matched her humor. They clicked, in a weird, chaotic kind of way.

That night, during the Mehendi ceremony, the cousins were playing dumb charades, everyone giggling, dancing, teasing. It was a blur of fun—until Daksh pulled Gia aside, saying he wanted to talk.

They walked out to the terrace, where the lights from the city blinked in the distance.

> “You’re different tonight,” he said, voice unusually soft.

“Too much sugar,” she joked.

“No, I mean it. I… I’ve liked you for a while, Gia.”

She turned to him, surprised. “Daksh, what are you talking ab—”

He leaned in and kissed her.

It wasn’t soft. It wasn’t gentle. It wasn’t wanted.

Gia froze for a heartbeat, then shoved him back.

> “What the hell are you doing?” she snapped, her voice shaking.

“I thought—”

“You thought wrong.”

She stormed back inside, heart pounding.