Marked By Darkness

Chapter 8- A New Beginning

Ruhi's POV...

The next morning, sunlight filtered through the window, spilling golden hues across the room. I stirred awake, hearing Anshi bustling around.

"Good morning, Ruhi," Anshi said, her voice bright.

"Good morning," I replied, still half-asleep.

"Feel better?" she asked, concern in her voice.

"Yeah, much better," I answered, stretching.

She handed me a steaming mug of coffee. "Here's your coffee."

I looked at it and wrinkled my nose. "Nah, I'll pass."

"Why?" Anshi asked, surprised.

"You probably made it without sugar again," I said, smirking.

Anshi laughed, rolling her eyes. "Actually, my mom made this one."

I raised an eyebrow, then reached for the mug. "Alright, then hand it over."

"What an insult!" she feigned offense, putting a hand on her heart.

"Oh come on, it's just a joke," I chuckled.

"If you push it too far, I might just push you off the balcony," Anshi grinned mischievously.

I glanced over at her neighbor across the way. "Hey, isn't he your neighbor?"

Anshi’s eyes lit up. "Yes, my handsome neighbor."

"Oh no," I muttered, realizing something.

"What’s wrong?" Anshi asked.

"I forgot to return that money to him," I confessed.

"What money?" Anshi asked, confused.

"Give me my phone," I said, reaching out.

She handed it over, watching me scroll through messages.

"Where did I lose his number? Yeah, here it is... Done," I said after quickly typing out a message.

Anshi crossed her arms, playful yet indignant. "Ruhi, do you have his number? You didn’t tell me. How could you do this with me, Ruhi?"

"Sorry, sorry. I just forgot it. Trust me," I apologized.

Anshi gasped, eyes wide. "Unbelievable! You’re keeping secrets now?"

Just then, Anshi’s face turned pale. "Oh my god, I think Ruhan just saw us."

"He’s just looking at you," I said, walking toward my room. "I’m going to my room."

Anshi sighed. "He went."

I glanced at her, curious. "Don’t you ever talk to him?"

Anshi shrugged. "Nah, never talked. Sometimes, I become an introvert like you."

"Introvert?" I raised an eyebrow.

Anshi feigned innocence. "So what? BTW, how did you get his number?"

I rolled my eyes. "One day, Mom sent me to the market for groceries. After gathering everything, I tried to make a UPI payment, but there was a server issue. Ruhan happened to be at the same mall, and he helped with the payment. I told him I wanted to return the money, so he shared his number with me."

Anshi beamed. "Wow, what a kind gesture. By the way, please send me his number."

"Sure, I will," I said, already heading toward the bathroom. "Now I’m going to freshen up."

"Okay, go ahead," Anshi replied.

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Later that morning...