The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the college campus in hues of orange and pink. The air was cooler now, and the energy of the cultural festival had started to settle into a more subdued rhythm. The sound of distant laughter and music from the auditorium echoed faintly through the corridors.
Shivika walked aimlessly toward the library, her mind still preoccupied with the conversation she’d had with Siddharth earlier. She didn’t know why, but something about his demeanor had left her unsettled. Siddharth wasn’t one to hide things, especially not from her. But today, he had felt distant, guarded in a way she hadn’t seen before.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the faint sound of footsteps behind her. She turned to find Aman jogging up to her, a mischievous grin plastered across his face.
“Arre, Shivi! Itni lost kyun lag rahi ho? Siddharth ki yaadon mein kho gayi kya?” Aman teased, falling into step beside her.
(Why do you look so lost? Are you lost in thoughts of Siddharth?)
“Shut up, Aman,” Shivika muttered, shoving her hands into her jacket pockets.
“Arre, mazaak kar raha hoon,” Aman said, throwing an arm around her shoulders. “Par sach bata, kuch toh gadbad hai na? Tumhare Siddharth aur Kriti ke beech?”
(I’m just kidding. But tell me the truth—there’s something going on between your Siddharth and Kriti, right?)
Shivika stopped in her tracks and glared at him. “Pehli baat, woh mera Siddharth nahi hai. Dusri baat, tumhare random theories mujh par chhod do, Aman. Mujhe kisi ki life mein ghusne ka shauk nahi hai.”
(First of all, he’s not my Siddharth. Second, leave your random theories to yourself. I’m not interested in interfering in anyone’s life.)
Aman raised his hands in mock surrender. “Fine, fine. Chill. Main bas bol raha tha ki mujhe kuch toh suspicious lagta hai.”
(Fine, fine. Chill. I was just saying I find something suspicious.)
Shivika shook her head, resuming her walk. “Tumhaari suspicion ki wajah se mujhe unnecessary drama mein nahi ghusna hai. Main already kaafi busy hoon.”
(I don’t want to get dragged into unnecessary drama because of your suspicions. I’m already busy.)
“Busy?” Aman smirked. “Busy kya? Samose khane mein?”
(Busy? Busy doing what? Eating samosas?)
Shivika rolled her eyes. “Agar tum meri samose ki obsession ka mazaak udhaana band karoge, toh tumhari life mein thoda positivity aa jayegi, Aman.”
(If you stop making fun of my obsession with samosas, you might actually find some positivity in your life, Aman.)
“Positivity ke liye tumse dosti todni padegi,” Aman shot back, grinning.
(To find positivity, I’ll have to end my friendship with you.)
“Tum jao, Aman,” Shivika said with a smirk. “Aur kisi aur ke life ka hero banne ki koshish karo. Mera kaam mat bigado.”
(Go, Aman. Try being the hero in someone else’s life. Don’t ruin my plans.)
“Tum ho toh villain hi,” Aman muttered dramatically, earning a light slap on the shoulder from Shivika.
Shivika laughed, but as Aman walked away, her thoughts drifted back to Siddharth and Kriti. She hated to admit it, but Aman’s words had struck a nerve. Something had felt off between them lately. But was it really her place to question it?
---
Kriti: Torn Between Truths
Kriti sat at her usual spot on the edge of the campus fountain, staring at the still water. Her sketchpad rested on her lap, but the pages were blank. She couldn’t bring herself to draw, not when her thoughts were such a tangled mess.
Rohan’s kindness lingered in her mind like an uninvited guest. Their lunch earlier had been fine, even pleasant at times. But the entire time, she’d felt like she was betraying herself.
And then there was Siddharth.
Her heart clenched as she remembered the way he’d looked at her earlier, the raw emotion in his eyes as he confessed his feelings. She hadn’t meant to hurt him, but she couldn’t give him what he wanted. She couldn’t give him the truth, not when it would only complicate things further.
“Kriti?”
She jumped at the sound of his voice and turned to see Siddharth standing a few feet away, his hands shoved into his jacket pockets. He looked hesitant, almost unsure of himself—a rare sight for someone as confident as him.
“Siddharth,” she said softly, closing her sketchpad. “What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing,” he said, stepping closer. “You’ve been avoiding me all day.”
“I haven’t been—” she began, but he cut her off.
“Don’t,” he said, his voice gentle but firm. “Don’t lie to me, Kriti. Not again.”
She looked away, guilt twisting in her stomach. “I’m sorry,” she said quietly.
Siddharth sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Kriti, I’m not here to push you. I just... I need to know. Are you okay?”
The question caught her off guard. She looked up at him, her eyes searching his face. There was no judgment there, no anger—just concern.
“I don’t know,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Siddharth took a seat beside her, leaving enough space between them to make her feel comfortable. “You know you can tell me anything, right?”
She nodded but didn’t say anything. The silence stretched between them, heavy with words left unsaid.
Finally, Kriti broke the silence. “Siddharth... you deserve someone who can be honest with you. Someone who isn’t... like me.”
“What does that even mean?” he asked, frowning.
“It means I’m a mess,” she said, her voice trembling. “And you shouldn’t have to deal with that.”
Siddharth stared at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he said softly, “You don’t get to decide what I can or can’t handle, Kriti. That’s my choice.”
Her breath hitched, and she looked away, unable to hold his gaze.
---
Shivika: A Moment of Suspicion
Across campus, Shivika sat in the library, flipping through her notes. But no matter how hard she tried to focus, her mind kept wandering. She thought about the way Siddharth had been earlier, the sadness in his eyes. And Kriti—she’d barely spoken to her all day.
Something wasn’t adding up.
Shivika sighed, running a hand through her hair. Maybe she was overthinking. Maybe Aman’s ridiculous theories had gotten into her head.
But then she remembered the way Kriti had fled the cultural show the other day. And the way Siddharth had followed her, only to return looking... broken.
Her stomach twisted.
“No,” she muttered to herself, shaking her head. “They wouldn’t. They’re my best friends. I trust them.”
But even as she tried to convince herself, a small voice in the back of her mind whispered: What if you’re wrong?
This is all for this chapter
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ISHQ VISHQ|| COMPLETED ✅||
Fantasia💔 "She waited her whole life to confess... but he kissed someone else." SHIVIKA MALHOTRA - 22, hopeless romantic, secretly in love with her childhood best friend SIDDHARTH SINGHANIA. She had loved him for years - through every heartbreak, every lat...
