The Eternity of Love

Chapter 30

Arhan’s eyes went wide as he stared at the picture Ronit had just shown him. It was a perfectly timed shot—Arhan, mid-click, capturing a candid photo of Anaya, a soft expression unknowingly resting on his face.

Without wasting a second, Arhan lunged for the phone, but Ronit was faster. He quickly yanked it back, laughing.

“Not this time, my brother”, Ronit said, grinning wickedly as he backed away.

“Listen, Ronit, please delete this”, Arhan pleaded, already taking hurried steps toward him. But Ronit only chuckled and turned on his heels, breaking into a run.

Arhan groaned and ran after him, trying not to draw too much attention as they dashed across the hall like school kids in a game of tag.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the venue, Anaya was sitting quietly, enjoying the program when Arush approached her.

“Hey Anaya, you’re looking so beautiful today”, he said, walking up and taking a seat beside her.

“Thank you”, she replied with a polite smile.

He lingered a bit too close for her comfort, and although they started chatting casually about the event and other random things, Anaya felt something off. Arush was leaning in more than usual, his gaze lingering longer, and his voice a little softer than it used to be.

For the first time, she noticed how clingy he was getting—and it didn’t sit well with her. Her smile faltered a little as she shifted subtly, trying to create some space. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something about his energy tonight made her uneasy.

She glanced around, almost instinctively, as if looking for an escape—or maybe someone.

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“Bro, have you seen Anaya?”, Diksha asked, walking briskly toward Arhan and Ronit, who were still playfully fighting over the photo. Hearing her tone, both of them paused and turned to face her.

“Yeah, she might be in the hall”, Ronit answered casually.

Diksha closed her eyes and shook her head in frustration. “No, she’s not. I’ve checked the entire hall and even the food counter. There’s no sign of her”. Her voice was serious now.

The lightness on Arhan and Ronit’s faces disappeared instantly. They looked at each other, the concern clear in their eyes.

“But we just saw her a few minutes ago, sitting in the hall enjoying the program”, Ronit said, confused.

“I know, I left her there too. But she’s gone now. I’ve searched the whole floor”, Diksha insisted.

“Wait, let me call her”, Arhan said, pulling out his phone, but Diksha quickly stopped him.

“You can’t, bro. Her phone is with me”, she said, holding up Anaya’s phone. “Her dress doesn’t have pockets, so she gave it to me”.

Arhan sighed and closed his eyes, clearly frustrated. “Let’s look for her”, he said firmly. Ronit and Diksha both nodded and followed his lead.

They re-entered the hall.

“Let’s ask Sneha—she was sitting with her”, Ronit suggested. They made their way to where Sneha was watching the dance performance.

“Hey Sneha, did you see Anaya?”, Arhan asked.

Sneha turned to them, a bit surprised. “Yeah, she was just here, sitting with me”.

“Then where is she now?”, Diksha questioned, frowning.

“I don’t know”, Sneha said with a shrug. “Arush came over a little while ago, and then she left with him”.