𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐀 : 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐔𝐑𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐈𝐅𝐄 | 𝟏𝟖+

CHAPTER 42

USE HEADPHONES TO EXPERIENCE THE BEST OF THE CHAPTER. ❤

Tara sat quietly in a corner inside the building, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Her eyes darted around, taking in the bustling scene unfolding before her in the wide, echoing corridor.

Candidates were moving in every direction, some with anxious expressions, others bursting with excitement, their voices mingling into a chaotic symphony of emotions.

She watched as groups of students hurried past, some clutching their results, others scanning the notice boards with wide eyes.

Every few moments, she would catch sight of someone breaking into a relieved smile or letting out a sigh of frustration, the tension of the day palpable in the air. The sheer energy around her only heightened her own nerves.

Tara shifted slightly, her back pressed against the cold wall. She felt small in the midst of all the commotion, the weight of her own anticipation growing heavier with each passing second.

Every now and then, she would glance toward the entrance of the corridor, hoping to see Prithvi's familiar figure returning with news.

But each time, it was someone else-a stranger, a fellow student-never him.

The voices of the other candidates buzzed around her, snippets of conversations drifting by, but she couldn't focus on any of them. Her mind was too preoccupied, her heart too restless.

All she could do was wait, surrounded by the whirlwind of emotions in the corridor, her own hopes and fears battling within her.

As the minutes ticked by, Tara's anxiety only grew. She began to fidget, her fingers twisting the ends of her saare pallu as she tried to calm the rising storm within her.

The sounds around her seemed to blur, becoming a distant hum as she fixated on the doorway where Prithvi would appear.

Her thoughts raced, each one a different scenario playing out in her mind. What if she didn't pass? What would Prithvi say? What about her future? The uncertainty gnawed at her, making it hard to breathe.

She tried to remind herself that she had done her best, but the doubts were relentless.

She noticed a few students walk by with their families, their smiles broad as they proudly showed off their results.

The sight made her heart clench. Would she be able to share in that joy, or would her dreams come crashing down?

Just as she felt she could no longer bear the tension, she spotted a familiar figure in the distance. Prithvi was weaving his way through the crowd, his face unreadable.

Tara's heart leaped to her throat. She wanted to run to him, to demand to know what the results were, but her feet felt rooted to the spot.

Finally, Prithvi reached her, his eyes locking onto hers. For a moment, everything else faded away-the noise, the people, the building itself.

It was just the two of them, standing on the precipice of what felt like an eternity.

Prithvi paused, taking in the anxious look on Tara's face. Then, with a small smile, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the slip of paper, holding it out to her.

Tara's hands trembled as she nervously opened her result paper, her heart pounding in her chest. Each second felt like an eternity as she unfolded the sheet, her breath hitching in anticipation.

Her eyes quickly scanned the page, and there it was-her name, ranked 3rd. Relief and disbelief flooded through her all at once.

Without a second thought, she turned to Prithvi, her emotions overwhelming her, and threw her arms around him, burying her face in his chest as tears began to fall.