Ruh ki Thirkan

Chapter 25: Ishika's Confusion

Ishika stood outside the studio, her breath coming in uneven bursts as she tried to shake off the weight of what had just happened. Her heart was still racing from the dance, from Arav’s touch, from the closeness that left her dizzy with emotions she didn’t know how to name.

*What was that?*

She pressed a hand to her chest, trying to steady her pounding heart. Arav had always been a hard man to read—his sharp instructions, his demanding nature, his cold professionalism—but today had been different. The way he had pulled her into that dance, the way he held her so close, their faces almost touching... It had felt *intimate*, far beyond anything she had expected from him.

The whole interaction replayed in her mind: his words, laced with a vulnerability she had never heard before, the intensity in his eyes as they danced, and then, the sudden withdrawal—the way he had pushed her away at the last moment, leaving her standing in the studio, completely thrown off balance.

*Why am I feeling like this?* she wondered as she made her way down the street, away from the studio. She couldn’t shake the sensation of his hand on her waist, the heat of his breath against her skin. And yet, there was a pit in her stomach, an unease she couldn’t quite place. Arav had always been hard on her, so why did his sudden gentleness feel just as disorienting as his anger?

As she reached the main road, her phone buzzed in her pocket, snapping her out of her swirling thoughts. It was a message from Raj, asking if she wanted to meet up after her session with Arav.

*Raj.*

Her thoughts shifted to him, and she smiled to herself. Raj had become a comforting presence in her life lately, always there with an encouraging word or a shoulder to lean on. He was easy to talk to, kind, and completely different from the storm of emotions that seemed to follow her every interaction with Arav.

*Maybe I should see Raj. Maybe that’s what I need to clear my head.* She typed out a quick response, agreeing to meet him at the cafe around the corner.

---

By the time she arrived at the cozy little cafe, Raj was already there, sitting by the window with two cups of coffee waiting for them. His face broke into a warm smile when he saw her, and suddenly, the knot in her chest began to loosen.

“Hey,” Raj greeted her, pulling out a chair for her to sit down. “You look like you’ve had quite the day. Everything okay?”

Ishika slid into the seat, offering him a small, tired smile. “Yeah, it’s just… it’s been intense, to say the least.”

Raj leaned in, his eyes full of concern. “What happened? Arav giving you a hard time again?”

She hesitated, unsure of how to explain the strange shift that had happened today. “It’s complicated,” she finally said, taking a sip of her coffee. “Arav… he’s just confusing. One moment he’s lashing out at me, and the next…” She trailed off, not knowing how to describe what happened in the studio without revealing too much.

Raj’s expression softened, and he reached across the table to take her hand, his touch light and reassuring. “I’ve told you before, you don’t need to take his crap. You’re talented, Ishika, and you deserve to be treated with respect.”

His words were kind, and yet, something inside her twisted. As much as she appreciated Raj’s support, she couldn’t shake the feeling that what was happening with Arav wasn’t just about respect. There was something deeper, something she didn’t fully understand yet.

“Thanks, Raj,” she said quietly, squeezing his hand. “I know you mean well. It’s just… I feel like there’s more going on with him than I realize.”

Raj frowned, clearly unconvinced. “Don’t let him mess with your head, Ishika. Focus on your dancing, on what you want. You’ve worked too hard to let someone like him throw you off balance.”

Ishika nodded, but her mind was already drifting back to the studio, back to Arav’s intense gaze, his hands on her waist, the way he had looked at her like she was more than just a student, more than just another dancer. She knew Raj was right—she *should* be focusing on her dancing, on her dreams—but it was becoming impossible to separate her feelings from her work.

As she sat there with Raj, his comforting presence felt almost too easy, too safe. It was as if everything with him was laid out neatly, but with Arav… things were messy, unpredictable. And despite how frustrating and painful it was, she couldn’t deny the pull she felt towards Arav, the strange magnetism that made her feel alive in ways she hadn’t felt in years.

---

Later that night, after she had returned home, Ishika lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Sleep wouldn’t come, and all she could think about was the way Arav had touched her, the fire that had sparked in her chest when their bodies were so close during that dance. It had been so intense, so raw, and yet, he had pulled away like it meant nothing.

*But it did mean something.* She could feel it. There was no denying the electricity between them, no matter how much Arav tried to act like it wasn’t there.

*Why does he keep pushing me away?*

Her mind was spinning with questions, none of which had clear answers. She had spent so much time convincing herself that Arav didn’t care about her beyond her dancing, that he was just a harsh, unfeeling teacher. But after today… after that dance, after seeing the cracks in his carefully guarded exterior, she wasn’t so sure anymore.

---

The next morning, Ishika woke up with a sense of determination. She couldn’t go on like this, trapped in a confusing whirlwind of emotions. She needed to confront Arav, to figure out what was really going on between them. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for whatever truth might come from it, but she knew she couldn’t keep tiptoeing around it forever.

As she got ready to head back to the studio, her heart pounded with a mix of anticipation and fear. Something had shifted between them, and there was no turning back now.

But whether that shift would bring them closer or tear them apart—she had no idea.

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Lots of Love
-Your Author 🌼