THE LOCKED HEARTS

Chapter 3: The House of Strangers

The next morning, the house felt different. The initial shock of the lockdown had somewhat faded, but the tension in the air was still thick. The four of them sat around the dining table, each lost in their thoughts, the clinking of spoons against plates the only sound breaking the silence.

Kavya had made breakfast—scrambled eggs, toast, and coffee. It was a simple meal, but it brought a semblance of normalcy to an otherwise surreal situation. She had always been the type to focus on what she could control, and cooking, for now, was something she could manage.

"Thanks for breakfast," Rohit said quietly, pushing his plate forward after a few bites. He wasn't much of a morning person, and the unease of being in a stranger's house didn't help his appetite.

"Yeah, it's really good," Aarav added, trying to sound more upbeat than he felt. He had a natural charm about him, always the one to lighten the mood in tough situations, but even his smile felt forced today.

Siddharth, on the other hand, was silent. He had been the quietest of the three boys since they'd arrived, watching more than speaking, observing every detail of the house, and of Kavya. She intrigued him. There was something about her calm, collected exterior that seemed... fragile, as if she was holding something deep within that she didn't want anyone to see.

Kavya, sensing the quiet tension, stood up from the table. "I'll clean up. You guys can figure out what you want to do today."

"Do?" Aarav asked with a wry grin. "There's not much we can do, is there? We're stuck."

"I mean, we can explore the house, set some ground rules, make a plan for how to get through the next few months," Kavya replied, stacking the dishes. She had always been pragmatic, even in the worst of situations. Planning gave her a sense of control.

"We should probably figure out who's responsible for what around here," Rohit suggested, his law student instincts kicking in. "Cleaning, cooking, organizing groceries — stuff like that."

Siddharth glanced at Kavya. "You've already done so much by letting us stay here. We'll pull our weight."

Kavya waved off his comment. "It's fine. We're all in this together."

There was a beat of silence before Rohit asked, "So, you mentioned last night that you had enough supplies for a few months. What happens after that?"

Kavya paused, her hands still in the sink. She hadn't wanted to think that far ahead yet. "Every three months, two people will be allowed to go out for essentials. For now, we'll just have to ration what we have and hope for the best."

Aarav leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "That's a long time to be stuck indoors. I've never been good with staying still."

"We'll figure it out," Siddharth said, his tone reassuring. "We're not the only ones in this. The whole city—hell, the whole country—is dealing with this lockdown. We'll get through it."

Kavya appreciated his calm confidence, but the weight of the situation still bore down on her. This was her home, but it didn't feel like it anymore. It felt like a prison. And despite the boys' best efforts to be respectful and supportive, she couldn't shake the feeling of being trapped with people she barely knew.

As the day stretched on, they all found their own corners of the house. Aarav and Rohit played cards in the living room, their competitive banter filling the space with a bit of normalcy. Kavya spent most of the afternoon on the terrace, lost in thought, staring at the pool's still waters, trying to make sense of everything.

Siddharth found her there later, his footsteps soft as he approached.

"You okay?" he asked, sitting down beside her on the lounge chair.

Kavya didn't answer immediately. She glanced at him, noting the way his eyes searched hers, genuinely concerned. It was a rare moment of vulnerability for her. She had always prided herself on keeping it together, especially after her family's death. But something about Siddharth's quiet presence made her feel like she didn't have to pretend to be strong.

"I'm fine," she said, though her voice lacked conviction.

He didn't push, just nodded and leaned back, watching the sky as it turned from blue to the soft orange of dusk. The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable. In fact, it felt... peaceful.

"Thanks for letting us stay here," Siddharth finally said. "I know it wasn't what you signed up for."

Kavya shrugged, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "It's not like any of us had a choice."

"No, but you didn't have to open your home to us," he replied softly, his eyes fixed on her. "You could've easily just left us to figure it out on our own."

She met his gaze, something unspoken passing between them. It was true. She could have. But deep down, Kavya knew she couldn't have lived with herself if she'd abandoned them.

"You're not as cold as you try to seem," Siddharth added, his voice teasing but gentle.

Kavya snorted softly, shaking her head. "I'm not trying to seem cold. I'm just trying to survive."

Siddharth's eyes lingered on her for a moment longer, something unspoken simmering beneath the surface. "We all are."

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the pool. Kavya and Siddharth sat in companionable silence, two strangers bound together by circumstance, both wondering how they would survive not just the lockdown, but the emotions starting to surface between them.