Marked By Darkness

Chapter 31- Biggest Fear

One Month Later

Ruhi's POV...

A month has passed since he left for another country, and the ache in my chest still lingers, an unspoken presence in my life. Our conversations have become fleeting, each message a small thread holding us together, but even they feel sparse. His new life, filled with commitments and distractions, has made his responses few and far between. My heart still clings to him, caring for him in a way that makes the distance feel unbearable.

The nights are the hardest. Every morning, I wake from yet another nightmare, the same one that haunts me again and again-losing him. It's like a heavy cloud that follows me, blocking the sunlight from my days. I find myself yearning for peace, a moment of calm, but there's a cruel irony in it. He's my calm, my safe place. But he's unreachable, and so I search for that peace in the emptiness, only to find it slipping away, always just out of my grasp.

In the College Cafeteria

Neil grinned as he looked at us, his voice teasing. "So, sweethearts, sandwich or hotdog?"

Esha immediately answered, her tone excited. "Hotdog."

Anshi, always the healthy one, shook her head. "Sandwich."

Tanhi, without looking up from her phone, simply muttered. "Only fruits."

Esha raised an eyebrow, her voice mocking but playful. "Huh! Again dieting?"

Tanhi gave a short, matter-of-fact reply. "Yes."

Esha groaned, rolling her eyes. "Oh no."

Neil chuckled, rubbing his hands together. "Well, I'll bring these then."

Esha turned toward me with a sudden shift in tone. "So, Ruhi, how is he? Sounak, I mean."

I sighed, staring into my drink for a moment before responding. "Sounak? Yeah, he's good. But he's been really busy."

Esha raised an eyebrow. "It's normal. New place, new routine."

I shook my head, frustration creeping into my voice. "It's not just that. No one can be that busy. He doesn't text unless I do, and even then, he takes forever to reply. Sometimes, he doesn't reply at all."

Tanhi, not missing a beat, spoke up. "So why are you falling for just one? Let him go. There are plenty of guys around. Besides, all boys forget things in two days."

I couldn't hide the sharpness in my tone. "No, Sounak is not like that. He's different. Otherwise, I wouldn't have fallen for him."

Tanhi shrugged, unimpressed. "If you say so. But mark my words, all boys are the same."

Esha, sensing the rising tension, jumped in. "Okay, let's drop this topic now."

Later, Neil called out from the counter. "Girls, take all who had what!"

After College

As I was gathering my things, I felt a tap on my shoulder, and it was Esha, grinning from ear to ear.

Esha, her excitement obvious, grinned widely. "Let's go. I'm coming home with you today. No extra classes."

I gave her a puzzled look. "Don't you have extra classes today?"

Esha shook her head, smiling. "No, sweetheart. All free today."

I smiled, relieved to have her with me. "Alright, let's go then."

As we walked out, Esha's voice became more serious. "BTW, Ruhi, don't take Tanhi's words too seriously. She's just trying to be all wise with her advice. Not everyone is the same. Arav's not like everyone, you know."

I nodded, feeling a little more at ease. "Yeah, I understand. But my biggest fear... is losing him."

Esha gave me a sympathetic glance, her voice soft but firm. "Don't overthink it. Give him some space, and let time do its thing. Everything will fall into place."

I felt comforted by her words, but the weight of my own thoughts still lingered.