REGRETS: An Unspoken Longings

IT'S HARD.

### Suhani's Point of View

It had been a week since everything started feeling off. There was an unspoken tension among us that I couldn’t quite place. Nandini and Vivaan were barely speaking, Saanvi seemed distant, and Veer… Veer had been so distant that it was almost painful.

Ever since that day my parents showed up at college, everything had changed. They found me with Veer, completely misunderstood the situation, and before I knew it, they were yelling at me, saying the most hurtful things. I still winced when I remembered how they slapped me, their harsh words ringing in my ears long after they left. But it was Veer’s behavior after that day that hurt the most.

He promised them something; I could tell. The distance between us was almost tangible, like he was deliberately putting up a barrier. He avoided being alone with me and barely made eye contact when we spoke.

I felt like I was losing him, and I didn’t even know why.

I needed to understand what was happening. And I needed to hear it from someone I trusted.

That’s why I found myself sitting with Arjun under the big oak tree near the library. If anyone could give me a straight answer, it would be him. Or at least, that’s what I hoped.

“Hey, Suhani,” Arjun greeted me with a warm smile, patting the bench next to him.

“Hey,” I mumbled, sitting down beside him. My thoughts were so tangled, I could barely meet his eyes.

He looked at me, concerned. “You okay? You seem like you’ve got a lot on your mind.”

I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. “Arjun, can we talk? Like, really talk?”

His smile faded into a more serious expression. “Of course. What’s going on?”

“It’s about Veer,” I began, hesitating as I saw Arjun’s expression tighten. “And… well, everything. Everyone’s been acting so strange lately. Nandini, Vivaan, Saanvi, and especially Veer. I feel like something happened, and I’m the only one who doesn’t know what it is.”

Arjun shifted uncomfortably, looking down at the ground. “Things have been a little weird, yeah.”

“Weird?” I repeated, a hint of frustration creeping into my voice. “That’s an understatement, Arjun. Veer has been avoiding me. I thought we were starting to get close, but now… I don’t know what to think. Did something happen? Did I do something wrong?”

“No, Suhani, it’s not you,” Arjun said quickly, finally meeting my eyes. “It’s just… complicated.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Complicated how? You can tell me, Arjun. Please.”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Look, Veer is dealing with some stuff right now. It’s not about you, I promise. It’s just… he made a promise, and he’s trying to keep it. It’s been hard on him, harder than you realize.”

“A promise?” I echoed, confused. “What kind of promise?”

Arjun hesitated, clearly torn between his loyalty to Veer and his desire to ease my worry. “I… I can’t say, Suhani. It’s something Veer needs to work out on his own.”

I stared at him, my frustration growing. “So you’re just going to leave me in the dark? I thought we were friends, Arjun. I thought you could be honest with me.”

“We are friends,” he insisted, his voice gentle. “That’s why I’m telling you this much. Suhani, you have to trust that Veer is doing what he thinks is best. It might not make sense now, but he’s trying to protect you.”