The winter afternoon lingered softly, with a faint chill in the air. Kriti sat on the edge of a wooden bench in the campus garden, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. The sound of footsteps on the gravel made her look up, and she saw Shivika walking toward her, her ever-present energy replaced by a curious calmness.
“Hey,” Shivika said, sitting down beside her. “Mujhse baat karni thi.”
(“Hey. I wanted to talk to you.”)
Kriti gave her a small, uncertain smile. “Of course. Kya hua?”
(“Of course. What happened?”)
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Shivika’s eyes were fixed on the fountain in front of them, the sound of running water filling the silence. Finally, Shivika said, “Tu theek hai na, Kriti? Mujhe lagta hai tu... distant lag rahi hai.”
(“You’re okay, right, Kriti? You’ve been feeling... distant.”)
Kriti stiffened, her mind racing. How much does she know?
“I’m fine,” she said quickly, her tone too rehearsed to be convincing. “Bas thoda busy thi.”
(“I’m fine. Just been busy.”)
“Busy toh sab hote hain,” Shivika said, her gaze still on the fountain. “Par tu alag lag rahi hai. Jaise tu kuch chhupa rahi hai.”
(“Everyone’s busy. But you feel different. Like you’re hiding something.”)
Kriti’s heart pounded, and she forced herself to stay calm. “Main kuch nahi chhupa rahi, Shivi. Tumhe bas galat lag raha hai.”
(“I’m not hiding anything, Shivi. You’re just imagining things.”)
Shivika turned to her, her expression soft but probing. “Kriti, tu meri best friend hai. Main tujhe jaanti hoon. Aur agar tujhe kuch problem ho, toh tu mujhe bata sakti hai.”
(“Kriti, you’re my best friend. I know you. And if there’s something wrong, you can tell me.”)
Kriti looked away, guilt gnawing at her. She wanted to tell Shivika the truth, to unburden herself of the secret that had been weighing her down. But how could she, when that truth involved Siddharth?
“I’m fine,” she said again, her voice softer this time. “Tum zyada soch rahi ho.”
(“I’m fine. You’re just overthinking.”)
Shivika sighed, leaning back on the bench. “Theek hai, mat bata. Par ek baat bolun?”
(“Fine, don’t tell me. But can I say one thing?”)
“Hmm?”
“Mujhe lagta hai ki Siddharth tujhe lekar thoda zyada worried hai,” Shivika said lightly, though there was an edge to her tone. “Usne mujhe aaj poocha tha ki tu theek hai ya nahi.”
(“I think Siddharth’s a little too worried about you. He asked me earlier if you were okay.”)
Kriti’s breath caught. “Oh,” she said faintly, not trusting herself to say more.
“Par main usse samjhaungi ki tu bilkul fine hai,” Shivika added with a smile, unaware of the storm brewing in Kriti’s mind. “Waise bhi, mujhe lagta hai Siddharth aur main best friends ke alawa ek doosre ke bina reh nahi sakte.”
(“But I’ll explain to him that you’re perfectly fine. Anyway, I think Siddharth and I can’t live without each other, even if we’re just best friends.”)
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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...
