Chapter 18

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This is chapter 18 do like and comment

The room was dim, the fan circling above slow and lazy, as if even it was tired of carrying her sadness. Shivika sat on the floor of her room, knees pulled to her chest, a cloth pressed gently against her bruised elbow. Her knees stung, but her heart? That was beyond repair.

No one had asked. No one had noticed.

Maybe because she’d made sure they wouldn’t.

She was tired of the silence.
But more tired of the words that never mattered.

---

The next morning, Shivika finally stood up.

She washed her face, tied her hair back, and stepped out of her room.

Her mother turned in surprise. “Tu thik hai na, beta?”

“I need to talk to you both,” Shivika said softly.

Her parents looked at each other and sat down.

“I want to go abroad. For studies. I need… a fresh start.”

Her father blinked. “Abroad?”

Shivika nodded. “I’ve already looked into programs. Applications are open.”

Her mother tilted her head. “Shivika, achanak?”

Shivika smiled — the fake kind she’d mastered. “Kuch aur seekhna chahti hoon. Mere liye.”

Her father exhaled slowly, as if weighing invisible burdens. “Thik hai. Agar yehi chahti ho, toh hum saath hain.”

And just like that, the biggest lie of her life was accepted as truth.

---

Later that day, her elder sister, Kritika walked into her room and shut the door behind her.

“You really expect me to believe this is about studies?”

Shivika didn’t reply.

Kritika  sat beside her. “Shivi, please. Just tell me. Kya hua hai?”

" Nothing" she said not facing her sister

Her sister stood up and turned her to her side

" Kya huya hai " she said looking at shivika who was not looking at her

Shivika’s lips quivered, but no words came. Just tears — soft, hesitant, ashamed.

Kritika pulled her into a hug.

" mujhe door jaana hai , sab bhoolna hai " she said while sobbinyhard on kritika shoulders

Shivika sobbed into her shoulder, holding on like a drowning girl to the last piece of floating wood.

" Kritika broke the hug and pulled her face with both hands gently

" Me tere saath hi agar abhi nhi btaana to koi ni par jab theek Lage mujhse baat zaraur kariyo theek hai " she said smiling at her as she pulled shivika in a hug again

---

As dusk fell, she sat at the edge of her bed, phone in hand, her thumb hovering over Aman’s name in her contacts.

He deserved to know.

She called.

“Shivi?” Aman answered quickly, voice a mix of surprise and cautious hope.

ISHQ VISHQ|| COMPLETED ✅||Where stories live. Discover now