Silent Connections

~ Echoes of what-ifs ~

Chapter 9

Dev's POV :-

The moment I stepped out of the examination hall, a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. Finally, I was done with my boards, and boy, did it feel amazing! My last paper had gone surprisingly well, considering it was my favorite subject..Maths. As I emerged into the sunlight, I spotted Rohit waving from a distance, a grin plastered across his face. I could tell by his smile that his paper had gone well too—my dude was practically glowing!

“Hey! Great exam, right?” he shouted as he approached me, his backpack bouncing with every step.

“Yeah, definitely! I’m just happy it’s over!” I replied, chuckling as I noticed him rummaging through his bag.

“What’s up, man? Lost something?” I teased, looking over his shoulder.

“Dude, I can’t find my pen!” he said, digging deeper into the abyss of his backpack. “You wouldn’t believe how important my lucky pen is! I think I left it in the hall.”

“Lucky pen? More like lucky charm for good grades! You should’ve worn it as a necklace,” I laughed, nudging him playfully.

He shot me a mock glare before finally pulling out a crumpled-up piece of paper. I’ll look for it later. "Let's hit the temple, I need peace after all that brain-racking."

As we made our way to the Shiv temple—a place of peace amidst the chaos—I couldn’t help but feel the cool breeze brushing against my face. The vibrant flowers surrounding the temple looked like they’d been kissed by the sun. I could see the big, old trees swaying in the gentle wind, their leaves rustling like they were whispering secrets of the universe. The temple itself had an aura, a calming vibe that washed over me as soon as I stepped inside.

“Man, look at that! Nature knows how to calm down a stressed-out soul,” I mused, taking in the view of the lush greenery that hugged the temple.

“Yeah, and so do we!” Rohit replied, plopping down on the steps, letting out a sigh of relief. “Okay, so what's next for the great Dev?”

“ I dunno man, college hunting, career choices...adulting stuff,” I replied, my mind wandering.

He chuckled, "And you still have no idea what you want to be when you grow up huh?"

"Shut up! We just got through the biggest hurdle of our lives!" I retorted shoving him lightly.

Then, out of nowhere, he shifted the topic to school crushes. "Speaking of hurdles there's this girl I have my eye on.. total knockout."

"The typical Rohit scenario," I teased, nudging him again.

As he rambled on about this girl, I couldn’t help but think of Harshna. The guilt hit me like a truck. I hadn’t said goodbye. I hadn’t even acknowledged how great she was before leaving. Sure, I knew she had a crush on me, and somewhere deep down, I had feelings for her too, but… I had run away. Stupid, right?

“Hey, Rohit,” I said hesitantly, biting my lip. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure, shoot.”

“I… I messed up with this girl at school. Harshna. I didn't say goodbye or anything." My voice came out a bit shaky. So, I took a deep breath while continuing, “She, like, totally has a crush on me. I mean, I think I might have a crush on her too, but I didn’t say goodbye when I left… I just ghosted her.”

“Wow, the emotional ghosting? Nice move, Dev,” he teased, now leaning forward, clearly invested. “What’s wrong with you? You’re like a horror movie! Any good girl would be scared to come near you now.”

“Shut up!” I smirked, but his words hit home. “I feel guilty. She was always nice to me, and I don’t even know how she’s doing now. I was too caught up in my own crap to notice.”

Rohit raised an eyebrow, “So, are you just running away from the responsibilities that come with a two-sided situation? Because that’s a classic Dev move.”

“I mean, I get it, but I want to text her or something. We had a dance group together, and her number is in there…” I trailed off, conflicted. “But is it too late now? What if she’s moved on?”

“Or what if she’s like, pining over you while binge-watching dramas?” Rohit suggested, dramatically fanning himself like he was about to faint. “You could be the romantic hero! Text her already, dude!”

“Romantic hero, huh? More like clueless idiot,” I countered, shaking my head. “But I really want to meet her, hear her voice… It's killing me.”

“Then do something, Dev! You can’t just sit here contemplating your life choices like a philosopher,” he said, half-laughing and half-serious.

I closed my eyes for a moment, picturing her smile, those friendly laughs we shared during rehearsals. “What if she thinks I’m a weirdo for reaching out after all this time?”

“Who cares? You’ll always be a weirdo. Lean into it!” Rohit laughed. “Seriously though, just text her. You’d regret not doing it more than you’d ever regret actually doing it.”

With a sigh, I pulled out my phone, my heart racing as I thought of what to say. “Okay, you’re right. I’ll first think about it. But if this goes south, I’m coming to you for sympathy ice cream.”

“Deal!” Rohit grinned, nudging my arm. “And you know I’m always ready for that. Let’s just not make this another horror movie moment, alright?”

We both laughed, and As we sat there in the temple, I stared out at the peaceful surroundings, but my mind was anything but calm. What if I texted her? What if she replied? What if she didn’t? I had no idea what I wanted to do, but I knew one thing for sure—I couldn’t stop thinking about Harshna.

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