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Kirti hummed softly, her fingers instinctively tapping along the rickshaw's metal frame in rhythm with the music. The peaceful moment was abruptly shattered when a sharp jolt rocked the vehicle. Her phone buzzed urgently in her pocket, dragging her back to reality. She fumbled to answer, her once serene mood now on edge.
“Hello? Prash?”
Prash's voice crackled with irritation. “Why is everyone trying to come between me and Abhimanyu? It’s been a week of nothing but judgment!”
Kirti’s heart tightened, her grip on the phone instinctively growing tighter. “Maybe… maybe there’s a reason they’re saying those things.”
“They don’t know him like I do!” Prash shot back, her voice sharp with frustration. “All they care about is your dumb crush on him back in tenth grade!”
Kirti’s breath caught in her throat. The words stung like a fresh wound, dredging up memories of stolen glances and quiet longing, of a boy who once seemed untouchable. “He told you that?” she whispered, the betrayal cutting through her.
“Yeah. And honestly, Kirti, this isn’t about you. Just let us be happy.”
The line went dead, leaving Kirti staring blankly out of the rickshaw window. The buzz of the city outside faded into a blur of colors, her chest tightening with confusion and hurt. Across from her, Devika watched, concern shadowing her face.
“Are you okay?” Devika asked softly, her voice breaking through Kirti’s fog.
Kirti forced a smile, her lips heavy. “It’s just a headache,” she lied.
But Devika didn’t waver, her eyes searching Kirti’s face for the truth. “Prash ditched me yesterday,” she said quietly. “She said she had new friends. It felt like…”
“Abandonment,” Kirti finished, the word sharp and bitter on her tongue.
Devika’s eyes welled up, and she nodded. “Yeah. People change, Kirti. Sometimes, friendships just... fade away, no matter how hard you try to hold on.”
Kirti’s heart sank. Devika’s words cut too close, echoing the pain of her own fading friendship with Prithvi. Before she could stop herself, the memories bubbled to the surface, and she began to speak — of childhood laughter beneath banyan trees, whispered secrets, and the slow, painful erosion of a bond she had once thought unbreakable. Devika listened quietly, her presence offering warmth and understanding.
The school bell rang, breaking the moment of shared vulnerability. Kirti rose slowly, the weight of the past pressing down on her limbs. “Let’s get some air,” she murmured.
They walked together toward the playground swings, the sky overhead heavy with clouds. Then, through the grey, a sliver of sunlight broke through, casting a golden glow over the empty swings. For the first time in a long while, Kirti felt a small flicker of hope — perhaps, amidst the hurt and loss, there was still room for healing.
YOU ARE READING
Broken promises
Storie brevitrope - Friends to enemy Story Description: Kirti and Prithvi were inseparable, the kind of best friends who shared everything. For Kirti, Prithvi was her world-someone she would do anything for. But one fateful incident shattered their bond, leavi...
