Shadows Of The Stumps

Chapter - 102

As the room fell silent, the dancers quietly gathered their belongings and slipped out, leaving behind only the faint scent of dhoop and lavender.

Rahul looked at Harry, his eyes shadowed with worry and exhaustion. "I don't know what you're trying to do," he began, his voice trembling slightly. "I know you'd never hurt her. She's your best friend too. But what if this is too much, Harry? What if this pushes her over the edge? What if I lose her again? I'm not ready for that to happen. Not again."

Harry opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Tanistha's calm yet commanding voice cut through the tension. "I'll go check on her," she said, her expression unreadable.

Arjun, who had been silently observing from the corner, stood up. "I'll come too. She might need the medicines," he said, his tone even but laced with a quiet urgency.

Rahul didn't respond; he simply turned on his heel and walked out of the room, the suffocating atmosphere driving him to seek air. Virat followed after him, a steadying presence as always, leaving Harry and Shubman behind in the dimly lit room.

Harry exhaled sharply, running his hand through his hair. The mask of confidence he had worn earlier was cracking, and a faint tremor betrayed the emotions simmering beneath the surface.

"Bhai..." Shubman started, his voice hesitant, unsure if he should say more.

Harry shook his head, cutting him off gently. "I don't know if I did the right thing, Shubman," he admitted, his voice low and raw. "I thought... I thought this was what she needed. A push to confront it. But now..." He trailed off, his gaze fixed on the floor.

Shubman placed a tentative hand on Harry's arm. "You're trying to help. That counts for something, doesn't it?"

Harry gave a bitter chuckle, shaking his head. "Not if it ends up breaking her even more. What if I just dragged her back into it."

"She'll come back," Shubman said finally, his voice soft but firm as they sat in silence.

____

Rahul leaned against the cold metal railing of the balcony, his hands gripping it tightly as if it were the only thing keeping him grounded.

Behind him, Virat stepped onto the balcony, his footsteps measured and deliberate. He stopped a few paces away, giving Rahul space but letting his presence be known. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence was heavy, yet familiar-a language they had long shared.

"What if she breaks down more?" Rahul finally said, his voice cracking under the strain of suppressed emotion. "What if this... ruins her completely? I can't-I can't see her like that again, Virat. I can't lose her again."

Virat took a step closer, resting a firm hand on Rahul's shoulder. "And what if she doesn't?" he countered softly, his tone steady but with a quiet strength that only he could wield. "What if this is what she needs to start healing? To stop running from whatever she's been carrying all this time?"

Rahul shook his head, his grip tightening on the railing. "I don't know, bhai. She's already so fragile. What if this is too much for her? What if Harry pushed her too far?"

Virat gently turned Rahul to face him, his dark eyes calm yet piercing as they met Rahul's frantic gaze. "I get it, Rahuliya You're scared. You've been carrying this fear for her like it's your own, and I know how much you love her. But you've got to trust her strength too."

He exhaled shakily, lowering his head as his shoulders sagged under the weight of his emotions. "I just don't want her to hate us for this," he admitted, his voice barely audible.

Virat tilted his head, a faint, reassuring smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "She won't hate us, Rahul. She might be angry, hurt even. But deep down, she knows why we're here. Why Harry did this. She'll come back. And when she does, we'll be here-together."