Incomplete Love

The Hostel Gossip

Ishita sat on the edge of her bed, flipping through her notes as the evening wore on. Her roommates, Nisha and Anjali, were chatting, as usual, about the latest campus gossip.

“Ishita, don’t you ever take a break?” Nisha teased, lounging on her bed. “You’re always with those books!”

Ishita smiled but kept her head down. “There’s a lot to cover. I’ll rest later.”

Anjali, leaning against the window, suddenly perked up. “Hey, look down there. Isn’t that Preethi?”

At the mention of Preethi, Ishita’s attention wavered. She had heard about Preethi in passing but hadn’t paid much attention until now.

“Preethi?” Ishita asked, her curiosity piqued.

Anjali smirked. “Yeah, Arjun’s girlfriend. She’s like his shadow.”

Ishita felt a flicker of surprise. Arjun’s girlfriend? He never mentioned her, and it puzzled Ishita, considering how distant he had always seemed.

Nisha chuckled and joined in, “Yeah, Preethi’s weird, though. She never talks to anyone unless it’s Arjun. She’s always with him but... I don’t know, it’s like she’s there but not really there, you know?”

Anjali nodded, a bit more animated. “Totally. I’ve seen them around, and she never says much. It’s almost like she just agrees with whatever Arjun tells her to do. It’s strange. She seems like a robot sometimes.”

Ishita frowned. “A robot?”

“Yeah,” Anjali continued. “She’s super quiet, like she has no personality outside of Arjun. She never disagrees with him. It’s almost like... she just follows whatever he says without thinking. And Arjun? He’s totally fine with it.”

“But they’re not like those toxic couples who keep fighting,” Nisha added. “It’s more like... I don’t know... she’s just really submissive, and he’s protective.”

Ishita felt a strange unease at this new information. Preethi’s really that quiet? She had expected some drama or toxicity, but the idea of someone so compliant with Arjun was unsettling in a different way. It was hard to imagine someone being that emotionally absent, even in a relationship.

That night, Ishita found it hard to sleep. The conversation about Preethi stayed in her mind. She couldn’t help but wonder if what the girls had said was true—was Preethi really just a quiet, compliant figure next to Arjun?

Feeling restless, she decided to take a walk. The hostel halls were quiet, with only a few dim lights guiding the way. As she moved closer to the exit, she heard soft voices nearby. Curiosity piqued, she followed the sound down the corridor.

And then, she saw them.

There, in the dim light of the hostel’s corridor, was Arjun, lying with his head on Preethi’s lap. Preethi sat still, her face emotionless, her hand gently stroking his hair. Arjun looked peaceful, his eyes closed, as if this was the only place in the world where he could rest.

But Preethi’s expression was what caught Ishita off guard. She didn’t look sad or happy—she just seemed... blank. As if this was a routine for her, something she did because Arjun expected it, not because she genuinely wanted to.

Ishita’s heart sank. Is this what they meant? Preethi wasn’t like most people in relationships. There was no warmth, no spark in her eyes, no sign of her own desires. She seemed like a shadow, existing only for Arjun’s sake.

Arjun mumbled something, and Preethi leaned down, whispering back to him in a soft, obedient tone. Her movements were robotic, devoid of any true affection or passion.

Ishita felt a pang of sadness. She really is like a robot...

It was clear now. Preethi wasn’t a loud, dramatic presence in Arjun’s life. Instead, she was silent, submissive, and completely molded to fit whatever Arjun wanted her to be. Yet, it wasn’t toxic—there was no visible conflict. It was simply... empty. Arjun cared for her, and Preethi quietly accepted it, without resistance, without expression.

Unable to watch any longer, Ishita turned away and walked back to her room, her emotions swirling in confusion. She had thought maybe the girls were exaggerating, but what she had just seen only confirmed their words.

Preethi loves him... but it’s like she’s not really there at all.

The Next Morning

The following day, Ishita found it hard to focus in class. The image of Arjun and Preethi together—so close yet so detached—kept replaying in her mind.

During lunch, she overheard her roommates talking with a group of students.

“Preethi’s so strange, right?” one girl said, shaking her head. “I don’t get how she can just sit there like that with Arjun. She never even smiles or talks.”

“Yeah, I saw them last night,” another added. “She didn’t say a word. It’s like she’s programmed or something. Arjun was the only one talking, and she just sat there, nodding.”

“They’re not toxic, though,” a third voice chimed in. “It’s just how they are. He’s intense, and she’s... well, she’s Preethi. Quiet, but not unhappy, you know?”

Ishita bit her lip as she listened, unsure how to feel. She didn’t know what kind of relationship this was. It wasn’t toxic, and yet it didn’t seem entirely healthy either. Arjun and Preethi shared a connection, but it was a quiet, subdued bond—one where Preethi seemed to have lost herself.