Layers of Us

Chapter 7: Echoes of the Past

Tripura walked out to the balcony, gazing at the sunrise, steadying her breath as she tried to calm herself from the night’s chaotic events.

She felt the weight of Ram’s words, his vulnerability, lingering in her mind.

Moments later, Vikram approached her quietly, carrying a cup of coffee for her and tea for himself.

“Bhabhi… coffee,” he said softly, handing her the cup.

Tripura accepted it with a quiet nod, grateful for the warmth in her hands.

She took a sip, allowing herself a moment to gather her thoughts, and Vikram stood by her, both of them watching the sunrise in companionable silence. Finally, Vikram broke it.

“Ram wasn’t like this, bhabhi…” he began, his voice filled with an unspoken sadness. Tripura glanced over at him, her attention drawn by the weight in his words.

He pulled out his phone, swiped to a photo, and handed it to her. Tripura looked down, seeing a picture of a young, carefree Ram — grinning, surrounded by friends, looking unburdened and happy.

She swiped through more photos, noticing the warmth and innocence that seemed almost foreign to the guarded, intense man she knew now.

A small smile crept onto her face as she studied the images, feeling as if she were glimpsing a side of him lost to time.

Vikram continued, his voice quiet. “He was unlucky with his first love, bhabhi…”

Tripura looked up, surprised, and Vikram met her gaze, sighing as he recalled the past. “He loved deeply once, but... it didn’t end well.”

Vikram’s voice cracked slightly, the memories seeming to affect him too.
He took a sip of tea, eyes distant, before returning his gaze to Tripura, as if waiting for her reaction.

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Tripura watched Vikram carefully, her expression silently urging him to go on.

She sensed the weight of what he was saying, and her heart felt unexpectedly heavy as he revealed more about Ram’s past, this deeply hidden wound that had shaped him.

Vikram took a breath, as if pulling himself back into the memories. “We were just first - year students, bhabhi.
Ram was... different. Apart from being the son of a very successful businessman, he was honestly one of the kindest and most genuine people I’d ever met. His life was easy on the surface, sure. Wealth, looks, charm… but none of that went to his head. He’d always respected people, especially women. He treated everyone like they were someone.”

He paused, glancing at Tripura. “Every girl on campus wanted to be with him. They’d openly try to get his attention for all the usual reasons — fame, power, money. I’d seen so many just throw themselves at him, desperate to be ‘Ram Kapoor’s girlfriend.’ But… he never once disrespected them. Ram believed in decency, in treating people with dignity. And then... that’s when she came into his life.”

Vikram took a shaky breath. “Isha was beautiful. The kind of beautiful that made people stop and stare.
But it wasn’t just her looks — she was smart, too. She was beauty and brains, and every guy on campus wanted her. Ram was no exception… he fell for her the moment he saw her. He was smitten, completely and totally. But Ram was shy, hesitant to even approach her. He would admire her from afar, never daring to express his feelings.”