"I wish I had never met you!" Deepika's voice echoed across the classroom, each word a dagger to my heart.
"Excellent! At least we finally agree on something!" I fired back, even as a tear betrayed the storm of emotions within me.
With those final...
I rolled on my bed. I have been trying to sleep for almost an hour now. I felt a twinge of regret for not joining Deepika on the trip. When Deepika had asked if I would come along, I’d brushed it off with an excuse about being busy. Now, I wished I hadn’t.
I picked my phone again to scroll through Instagram.
Manoj had added some pictures to his status. I quickly opened them.
There were some nice perspective shots of old chettinad houses and some facade pics.
My thumb paused on a picture that made my heart skip a beat. It was a photo Manoj had taken of Deepika.
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She was sitting by a wooden railing, her face turned slightly to the side, bathed in soft sunlight. She looked absolutely stunning—her serene expression, the slight smile on her lips, and the way her braid fell over her shoulder.
My breath caught. Deepika looked ethereal, almost like a painting come to life. I felt a pang of jealousy knowing Manoj had been the one to capture that moment.
Why wasn't I there !
I couldn't shake the feeling of jealousy seeing her having fun without me.
Then, I remembered the call from Sanjay. The way Deepika had urgently told him to shut up. There was something there, something she didn't want me to know. What was it?
If I ask him now, he would definitely start doubting me. But my brain was torturing me with so many scenarios that could have happened. The thoughts spiraled in my mind, creating a whirlwind of confusion and suspicion.
Let's ask Sanjay directly, or maybe indirectly!
My mind was a mess, and the more I thought about it, the more anxious I became. I needed answers, and I needed them now. I decided to text Sanjay, trying to keep it casual.
"Arjun: Hey, man! How was the trip ?"
" Sanjay: Hey, Arjun! It was great. You missed out big time."
" Arjun: Yeah, I saw the pics that Manoj posted "
" Sanjay: Oh, you saw the pics, huh? Anything in particular catch your eye? 😏"
My heart skipped a beat. What was he implying? I needed to tread carefully.
" Arjun: Just saw everyone having fun. That shot of Deepika by the railing was pretty cool. "
" Sanjay: Oh, you noticed that one? Manoj has a knack for catching people at their best. "
I clenched my phone tighter. He was definitely hinting at something.
" Arjun: Yeah, he's good with the camera. So, what was all that about on the call earlier? You guys seemed to be having a good laugh. "
