𝐈𝐈 𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐈𝐈

Chapter 14: It's the Distance

Ayush scrolled through the group chat, a familiar warmth blooming in his chest. 

"Spilling the Tea" was buzzing with activity, a bunch of emojis, memes, and heartfelt messages. 

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Kiara: Wow, Ayush! That story was incredible!

Maya: Seriously! You captured the rollercoaster of emotions in a friendship.

Tanmay:  You're such a good writer, Ayush. You understand people on a whole other level.

Sanya: I can see this story getting published! You should submit it to a literary magazine.

Aadit: Dude, your writing is inspiring! Maybe I can use some of those themes for my next song lyrics.

Tanmay: Ayush, you have a way with words that makes me feel like you can see right into my soul.

Ajay: We're so lucky to have you in this group, Ayush. You bring so much to our conversations.

Neha: Thanks for sharing your story, Ayush. It made me think about how precious our friendship is.

Ansh: You're a hidden gem, Ayush! Keep writing these amazing stories!

Ayush: Thank you guys! You're amazing, and that's why the story was amazing.

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Kiara, his newfound best friend, sent a simple message (privately): "Peace after the storm?"

Ayush grinned and typed a quick response. "More like sunshine after the rain," he replied. 

It felt good to be back in a rhythm with his friends, the week's chaos fading away with each passing message.

The idea of a weekly video call had been a spontaneous one, born out of a shared longing for human connection. 

The first call had been a success – a jumble of excited chatter, goofy faces shared through webcams, and stories exchanged from their separate homes. 

This time, however, a shadow lurked beneath the surface of their lighthearted banter.

The trouble began subtly.

 Neha, usually the group's resident ray of sunshine, seemed a little off. 

Her jokes landed a little flat, and the usual sparkle in her eyes seemed dimmed. 

Ayush noticed her stealing glances at Ansh, whose brow was furrowed in concentration as he stared intently at his screen.

The source of the tension wasn't hard to guess.