Whispers of Love

10:: A Night to Remember

PHASE I
Chapter 10:: A Night to Remember

AUTHOR

Tanvi and Aayush went about their day as usual, attending classes and eating lunch with their friends. But as the day drew to a close, they both looked forward to their planned football match at 5 pm.

Aayush arrived at the field on time, but as the minutes ticked by, there was no sign of Tanvi. He waited patiently until 6 pm, then began to worry. By 7 pm, his concern turned to anxiety.

Where was Tanvi? Why hadn't she shown up?

Aayush decided to check on her and headed to her house. When he arrived, he asked her family about her whereabouts.

"She's upstairs, in her room," her mother replied, a hint of concern in her voice.

Aayush's anxiety grew. He knew Tanvi wouldn't miss their match without a good reason. He decided to climb up to her room through the pipe, a secret route they often used.

As he reached the balcony, he heard sobs and sniffs coming from inside. His heart raced with worry.

Slowly, he opened the sliding glass door and entered the room. Tanvi sat on the floor, her knees tucked into her chest, her head down. Red liquid stained her hands.

Aayush's mind raced with worst-case scenarios. He bent down beside her, gently caressing her hair.

"Tanvi, what's wrong?" he whispered, his voice trembling with concern.

Tanvi's eyes, red and puffy from crying, met Aayush's as she apologized profusely. "I'm so sorry, Aayush. I made you wait. I'm a terrible friend. No one deserves me."

Aayush's expression was calm and gentle as he tried to reassure her. "What are you talking about, Tanvi? You're an amazing friend. Now, tell me what happened."

Tanvi's voice cracked as she explained. "Baba stopped me from coming to the match. I tried to defy him, but he locked me in my room."

Aayush's eyes narrowed slightly. "You could have escaped through the balcony."

Tanvi shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "I tried, but he caught me every time."

Aayush pulled her into a warm embrace, holding her close as she sobbed. Her head rested on his chest, and he stroked her hair, trying to calm her down.

As he held her, Aayush noticed the red liquid on her hand again. This time, he gently took her hand in his, examining the small cut on her palm.

"Tanvi, what happened?" he asked, his voice soft with concern.

Tanvi sniffled, her voice barely audible. "I tried to break the window to escape. I didn't want to miss our match. But the glass broke, and...and I cut myself."

Aayush's expression turned tender as he pulled her into another tight hug. "Oh, Tanvi. You shouldn't have done that. You could have hurt yourself worse."

As they hugged, Aayush realized that Tanvi's struggles went far beyond her grandfather's restrictions. She was fighting against her own desperation and frustration, and he knew he had to be there for her, no matter what.

Tanvi hesitated, her eyes welling up with tears again. "I...I don't want you to see," she stammered.

Aayush's expression turned gentle but firm. "Show me, Tanvi. I need to know what's going on."

Tanvi slowly lifted her hand, revealing a small cut on her palm. The red liquid was blood.

Aayush's eyes widened in concern. "What happened? How did you cut yourself?"

Tanvi sniffled, her voice barely above a whisper. "I...I tried to break the window to escape. I didn't want to miss our match. But the glass broke, and...and I cut myself."

Aayush's face softened, and he pulled Tanvi into a tight hug. "Oh, Tanvi. You shouldn't have done that. You could have hurt yourself worse."

Tanvi buried her face in his chest, her body shaking with sobs. Aayush held her close, stroking her hair, and whispering words of comfort.

As they hugged, Aayush realized that Tanvi's struggles went beyond just her grandfather's restrictions. She was fighting against her own desperation and frustration.

And in that moment, Aayush knew he had to be there for her, no matter what...