𝐈𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲

~°Whispers Of Rain°~

I ran into the cafeteria, my heart pounding, trying to escape the flood of emotions that threatened to drown me. The echo of my bangles, combined with the muffled sound of my sobs, filled the empty hall. I quickly found a seat in a corner, far from the entrance, and hugged myself tightly, hoping to become invisible. I didn’t even notice the group of guys from Ayan’s circle sitting just a few tables away, their carefree laughter filling the room. It seemed like they were enjoying their evening, completely oblivious to the storm raging inside me.

The night outside was eerily calm. The half-moon hung low, casting a pale, ghostly light that barely touched the ground. Everything was so quiet, so still, as if the world was holding its breath, waiting for something to break the silence. And then, almost on cue, the first drops of rain began to fall. They started slow, hesitant, but quickly turned into a heavy downpour, the sound echoing like a million tiny drums beating in unison. The noise was so loud, so overwhelming, it felt like the sky was crying with me.

I let my tears flow freely, no longer holding back. The rain outside drowned out the sound of my sobs, offering me a strange kind of comfort. I felt like the unluckiest person on earth, weighed down by the day's miseries. Everything had gone wrong; it felt like the universe was conspiring against me. As I wallowed in my thoughts, I heard the sound of laughter coming from a table not far from me. I glanced up through blurry eyes and recognized them—they were my classmates.

A sharp pain twisted in my chest. They’re laughing at me, I thought bitterly. Of course, they are. Why wouldn’t they? I felt my tears intensify, the humiliation too much to bear. I wanted to disappear, to melt away into nothingness, but I couldn’t. The laughter continued, cutting through the sound of the rain, and with each peal, I felt more and more crushed.

Suddenly, the laughter stopped, replaced by a low murmur. One of the guys must have noticed me, and now they were all looking. I could feel their eyes on me, burning into my skin. I hunched over, trying to make myself smaller, but it was no use. A moment later, one of them stood up and walked over.

“Hey,” he said softly, his voice full of concern. “Are you okay? Why are you crying? Did someone do something to you?”

His words caught me off guard. For a second, I couldn’t speak. I was sure they were laughing at me, mocking me, but now he sounded... worried? Protective? The others were watching too, their faces no longer filled with amusement, but with concern.

I blinked, trying to make sense of it all. No one had done anything to me, not really. I was just overwhelmed, tired of feeling like everything was falling apart. But how could I explain that? And yet, I couldn’t help but feel a tiny flicker of warmth in my chest. They cared enough to ask, to make sure I was okay.

I shook my head slowly, struggling to find my voice. “No... no one did anything,” I whispered, my words barely audible over the rain.

The guy looked relieved, but still cautious. “Are you sure? If someone’s bothering you, just tell us. We’ll take care of it.”

I nodded, my tears finally starting to dry up. I couldn’t believe I had thought they were laughing at me, that they didn’t care. The rain outside continued to fall, a relentless downpour, but inside, I felt something shift. I wasn’t as alone as I had thought. Maybe, just maybe, things weren’t as hopeless as they seemed.

As Aria explained what had been weighing on her, Soumya nodded in understanding, his expression serious but kind. Priyanshu, who was often mockingly called Priya by the group, leaned forward, his usual teasing demeanor replaced with genuine concern. Amit and Sakti, who had been laughing earlier, now sat quietly, listening intently to every word she said.

After she finished, Soumya was the first to speak. "You know, Aria, we’ve all had days like that. College can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to go through it alone. It’s okay to feel like this sometimes."

Priyanshu, with a slight smirk, added, "And hey, don’t stress too much. Otherwise, you’ll end up like me—‘Priya,’ the guy who freaked out so much before an exam that I studied for the wrong subject!" The others snickered, lightening the mood.

Amit waved over the cafeteria worker and ordered a drink for Aria. "This is on us," he said, smiling. "A little something to help you relax."

Sakti, who had been the quietest, finally spoke up, "You know what always helps? Laughing at yourself. Let me tell you about the time I tried to show off my guitar skills at a party. I was so into it that I didn’t notice the amp wasn’t plugged in. Spent a whole song strumming my heart out to absolute silence. I thought the crowd was mesmerized—turns out, they were just confused!"

The others burst out laughing, and Aria couldn’t help but join in. Each of them took turns sharing their most embarrassing moments—like Soumya trying to impress a girl with his basketball skills and accidentally throwing the ball into the audience, hitting the principal. Or Priyanshu’s attempt at cooking a fancy meal for a date, only to set the kitchen on fire and end up ordering pizza instead.

By the time they finished, Aria was laughing so hard her sides hurt. It felt good....really good...to laugh with them, to feel a part of something.

Soumya raised his drink, "To surviving college with all its craziness, and finding reasons to laugh along the way."

Aria raised her glass too, feeling grateful for the unexpected comfort they had given her. The night that had begun in tears now ended in smiles, and she realized she wasn’t as alone as she had thought.

The party was winding down, and as Aria prepared to leave, she caught sight of Ayan entering the hall. He had been searching for her for what felt like an eternity, and his eyes immediately found her in the midst of his friends. The moment he saw her, Ayan froze, his face a mask of shock and confusion. It was clear he was misinterpreting the scene before him, seeing Aria with his friends in a way that made him uneasy.

Kavya and Priya noticed the tension and came over with concerned expressions. “Aria, are you okay? What’s going on?” they asked gently. Their concern was evident, and Aria, still processing the evening’s events, explained briefly. The three of them decided to head back to the hostel, leaving the party behind.

As they walked together, Aria recounted the night’s events, her voice reflecting the mix of emotions she felt. She described Ayan’s unexpected arrival and the misunderstanding that seemed to have unfolded. The night had been a whirlwind of emotions, and she couldn’t shake the feeling of confusion and unease. The chapter closed with Aria arriving at the hostel, her thoughts racing as she tried to make sense of everything that had happened and what it might mean for her future interactions with Ayan and her friends.

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