Whisper's of destiny

Chapter 23: The Thorn in the Path

The morning sun filtered through the window as Ishani entered her classroom. She clutched her books tightly, her steps quick and deliberate. She was determined to keep her mind focused today.
Kabir was already there.

His eyes immediately found her, filled with an emotion she couldn’t quite place—guilt, perhaps. He shifted in his seat as if trying to gather the courage to speak to her, but Ishani didn’t spare him a glance. She moved past him without hesitation, her face calm but her heart in turmoil.

Settling into her chair, she placed her books on the desk, trying to distract herself by flipping through pages she wasn’t really reading. The weight of Kabir’s gaze was impossible to ignore.

The lecture began, but Kabir’s mind wasn’t on the professor’s words. His thoughts were consumed by the events of the previous night.
During a brief pause in the lecture, he leaned forward, whispering, “Ishani.”

She froze, her fingers tightening on her pen. She heard him, but she didn’t respond.

“Ishani, please,” he whispered again, his tone almost pleading.

Still, she didn’t turn around.

Her silence spoke louder than any words. It wasn’t the fiery anger he was used to—it was colder, heavier, and it hit him harder than he expected.

Ishani kept her eyes fixed on the professor, but her mind was elsewhere. Every fiber of her being wanted to turn around, to let him explain, to hear his apology. But she couldn’t.

No, she told herself firmly. This isn’t okay. I can’t keep letting him treat me like this.

Her chest felt tight, and she blinked back the sting of tears. She wasn’t angry anymore. She was hurt. Hurt by the boy she thought cared for her, by the boy she believed would never leave her stranded, literally or emotionally.

When the lecture finally ended, Ishani gathered her things quickly. She could sense Kabir standing up, his intentions clear, but she didn’t wait for him.

“Ishani, wait—”
But she was already out the door. But as she walked through the corridor, a hand gently grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks.

“Ishani, please,” Kabir’s voice was soft, almost desperate.

She turned, her expression neutral, her arms crossing over her chest. “What?”

“I need to explain,” he said, his eyes searching hers. “I know I messed up last night. I shouldn’t have left you there. I—I don’t even know what I was thinking.”

She stood there silently, her face unreadable.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “How… how did you get home?”

Her lips curled into a small, bitter smile. “Why do you care, Kabir? You left me alone. I managed my way.”

Kabir blinked, her words cutting through him. “Just tell me… did you go alone?”

Ishani’s gaze hardened. “Sameer,” she said simply.

The name seemed to hang in the air between them. Kabir’s face shifted, his brows furrowing in confusion and something else—something darker. “Sameer?” he repeated, his voice a mix of disbelief and unease. “Why him? Why didn’t you call your brother?”

Ishani let out a dry laugh, her anger bubbling to the surface. “How does it matter, Kabir?” she snapped. “Aren’t you happy I reached home safely? Or is that too much to ask from you?”

His jaw tightened, but before he could respond, she took a step closer, her eyes narrowing. “Don’t tell me you’re jealous of Sameer.”

The flicker in his expression told her everything she needed to know.