"I don't want you. I don't even want to see you again in my life," I whined.
My heart pounded as he leaned in close to my face. My chest heaved as I struggled to catch my breath, feeling his warm breath on my skin.
"You'll come to my room yourself s...
Dedicating this chapter to @melophile01_01 , @rdrr999 , @DhrutyMody , @love_riansh8 for the constant support and comments for the book.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I met Tara when she was just 4 years old, and I was 10. She and her twin brother, Rivan, were Malini Aunt's best friend's kids. I remember the first time her doe-shaped eyes glanced at me. Even then, I wanted her as a friend, but Dhruv managed to ruin that perfectly.
If I think about my life like a battery, I'm the anode, Tara is the cathode, and Dhruv acts like the separator between us.
This year, my birthday was special because of Tara's mom. She invited me to bake the cake with her and Tara. Tara's mom is an amazing baker, always so calm. While we were preparing the cake, I accidentally got flour all over my cheeks. Tara, with her tiny hands, wiped the flour away and giggled.
In that moment, I liked her even more. But when we were around our friends, I pretended to hate her. The swimming pool incident still haunts me. I can't shake the image of her trembling, her small hands shivering. I panicked, terrified something might happen to her.
Oh God, nothing should ever happen to Tara. She has to be happy, always.
-from Ishaan's diary written at the age of 14
Tara's POV
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I brushed through Ishaan's teenage diary, wanting to read more, but it was late for work. I quickly snapped photos on my phone to read later, placed everything back in the storeroom, and headed to the kitchen.
I helped Aunt with breakfast, and just as we were finishing up, I saw Ishaan returning from his morning jog. Determined to interact with him, I went to his room.
"How's your health? Will you be able to go to the office?" Ishaan asked as soon as I stepped in.
"Yes, I'm fine. I'll be going to the office," I mumbled, and he nodded without even looking at me.
"I'll drop you off today in my car. Get ready quickly," he declared, without even asking if I wanted to ride with him.
Uncle's words echoed in my mind. I needed to keep my distance from Ishaan.
