Whispers of desires

Chapter 10: Shadows of Doubt

Shadows of doubt

The air was thick with soft music and vibrant chatter as Yuvika moved gracefully across the dance floor, her hand held gently by Advik. The soft lighting illuminated his eyes, intense and mesmerizing as they focused solely on her. She felt a rare warmth in his presence, a contrast to the colder demeanor she usually wore.

Just as she let herself relax into the music, a voice—soft, sinister, and chilling—whispered in her ear.

“Don’t dance with him…”

Yuvika’s heart skipped a beat, her head darting to look around, but the faces surrounding her were all lost in their own world of rhythm and laughter. She blinked, unsure if she’d really heard it or if it was just her mind playing tricks. Swallowing hard, she let go of Advik’s hand.

“Yuvika?” Advik’s gaze narrowed, a hint of confusion in his voice.

“Oh, I... I just need a drink,” she replied, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’ll be right back.”

Without waiting for a response, she made her way to the bar, her mind replaying the strange voice. She poured herself a glass of lemonade, her eyes occasionally flickering to the dance floor where Advik was looking around, puzzled.

Taking a sip, she reached for her phone and thought about texting Advik to join her away from the crowd. But as her fingers hovered over the screen, there it was again—an unsettling whisper in her ear.

“Stay away from him…”

Yuvika shuddered, her heart pounding as she spun around to find...no one. Just empty space, filled with the din of laughter and conversation. Anxiety clawed at her, and she quickly dialed her friend Meera.

“Meera, can we leave? Now?”

Moments later, Meera appeared, sensing the tension on Yuvika’s face. She didn’t ask questions but immediately called the driver. The two waited outside under the night sky, a cool breeze brushing against them, as Yuvika tried to shake off the feeling of unease.

Suddenly, the quiet street came alive with a line of black cars rolling past, one after the other. They moved in smooth synchronization, their sleek bodies gleaming under the streetlights. Yuvika’s eyes followed them, intrigued.

“Meera, wouldn’t this look even better if they were Scorpios?” Yuvika asked, attempting to lighten her own mood.

Meera laughed, nudging her. “Come on, I thought you were all about bikes. Did you suddenly switch to cars?”

“Of course not!” Yuvika grinned. “But...if it’s cars, I’d pick a Scorpio. You know, that powerful presence.”

Their driver pulled up, and they climbed into the car, but Yuvika’s thoughts remained clouded with a mix of excitement and dread as they headed home.

---

The next morning, Yuvika walked into campus, her gaze instinctively searching for Advik. A part of her longed to see him, to tell him about the eerie whispers from the night before. But as the hours ticked by, his face was nowhere to be found.

She stopped one of his friends in the corridor, concern etched on her face. “Hey, have you seen Advik? I…he didn’t respond to my messages.”

The friend looked at her with equal confusion. “No, I haven’t seen him today. Strange, he didn’t say anything about not coming.”

Yuvika’s worry deepened, her thoughts swirling with unease as she waited for him. But the day dragged on, and there was no sign of Advik. Just before her last class, Professor Vinit Rai—a man known for his strict teaching methods and unique perspective—called out.