The Mourning Moon

Chapter 6

Ansh was flabbergasted. Standing outside of his door was none other than his crush, the beautiful Shreshth. Ishita was also there. He looked at them in surprise.

"Uh, um, hey guys", Ansh said. "What are you doing here?"

Ishita furrowed her brows and pushed Ansh aside to get inside the room. She pulled Shreshth inside too with herself.

"What do you mean by 'What are we doing here'? We came here because you went missing for a week without any notice?," said Ishita once she entered the room.

"We were worried for you," Shreshth said.

Ansh was flattered hearing Shreshth say that. Shreshth was worried for him. Ansh closed the door while trying to calm down his heart that was beating rapidly. Ishita made Shreshth sit down in the desk chair while she herself flopped down on the bed, glaring at Ansh. Ansh looked at her sheepishly.

"Don't look at me like that. Tell me why were you absent," said Ishita.

Ansh just looked down instead of answering. It was silent for a while before Ishita sighed and said, "You know you can share anything with me. With us", while gesturing towards herself and Shreshth.

Ansh nodded as he sat down beside Ishita. He knew he can share anything he wanted with Ishita as well as Shreshth. But how could he share what he went through that day with anyone. No one will believe him. He himself could not believe what he went through, so how could he make anyone else believe him.

"I just had something going on, that's all", Ansh said instead.

Ishita just sighed again but said nothing. She just pulled out some papers and handed them to Ansh saying, "These are the notes of he past week. Take these".

Ansh took the notes saying 'thank you'. Ishita smiled. She was about to say something when her phone rang. She answered the phone. As she listened her eyes widened and she got up. "I will be right there. Wait for me." She cut the call and looked at Ansh. "I have to go. I have something important to attend. I will see you at the college. Bye," she said and left in a hurry leaving Ansh and Shreshth alone. Both of them just sat in an awkward silence.

"Um, I think I should leave as well," said Shreshth as he got up. He was about to leave when Ansh desperately called out, "Please don't go."

Shreshth halted. He turned to look at Ansh. Ansh was standing up clutching at the notes, looking desperate. Shreshth frowned but nodded nonetheless. He went back to where he was sitting and Ansh sat down on the bed as well.

"I don't want to be alone", Ansh said.

Shreshth looked at Ansh with sympathy as he said that. Both of them sat in an awkward silence for a while with Shreshth observing Ansh's room. Ansh's room was clean. Three walls were painted orange while one was painted red. There were no posters hanging on the wall. A study desk was placed in the corner of the room. The bed was situated on one side of the room and there was one bedside table on each side of the bed. There was a closet attached to one of the walls. There was a window on other side of the wall which were decorated with fake vines. Shreshth and Ansh sat in silence like this before Ansh broke the silence.

"So, how was your day?", asked Ansh.

"It was ok. Nothing much to do. How was yours?" Shreshth said.

"I just laid here in my room."

Shreshth was concerned for Ansh. So he asked, "Ansh, is everything ok?"

Ansh looked down at his lap before shaking his head 'no'.

"Is it related to Avantika?"

Ansh nodded 'yes'

"Can you tell me what happened?"

Ansh stayed silent for a while before answering, "A week ago Avantika came to meet me. She was looking for...something. She took me to a place and attacked me. I did not know what to do. Thankfully two guys came to my rescue and one of them brought me home. I was shaken by what I saw and when I heard Avantika had left college, it shook me. I was scared. That is why I was unable to attend college as what happened still haunts me."

Shreshth did not say anything. He just listened. Once Ansh was done, he got up and sat down beside Ansh placing a hand around Ansh's shoulder in order to comfort him.