Just A Friend?

Chapter Forty-Seven

The night draped the garden in a velvety cloak, with moonlight filtering through the foliage, casting ethereal patterns on the ground. 

Prabhas and Sweety stood still as both were caught in the heaviness of the moment. Their eyes locked with all the words they couldn't say. 

The air around them felt thick with memories clinging to their chests and making breathing hard. Everything else seemed to fade. 

The sounds, the world, as if the universe itself stepped back to give them space. 

It was just the two of them, hearts aching with the weight of what once was... and maybe still is.

But the spell was broken by Rahul's dramatic wave, which jolted them back into reality. Prabhas and Sweety quickly looked away, as if eye contact might burn. 

Prabhas's jaw tightened. He clenched his fist, trying to wrestle down the storm rising in his chest. His face stayed calm, but inside, he was anything but.

Rahul, who was completely unaware of the emotional battlefield he stepped into, grinned widely. "Well? Did I surprise you or what?" he beamed, proud of his surprise.

Sweety gave him a weak smile, the kind that barely reached her eyes. Her gaze dropped to the floor, searching for somewhere, anywhere else to be.

Rahul continued. "I've been talking to Prabhas for a while now... and now I get it. No wonder he's your favorite!"

He chuckled and threw an arm around Prabhas, pulling him into a half-hug. "He's such a gem of a person!"

Prabhas didn't react. He stood still, hollow inside, caught between guilt and grief. The warmth of Rahul's words only made the cold inside him more unbearable.

With his arm still draped around Prabhas, Rahul gently guided him a few steps closer to Sweety. "Look who's here! Your best friend!" he said, beaming, completely missing the tension steaming just underneath the exterior.

Prabhas couldn't lift his eyes. He stared at the floor, shoulders heavy with everything left unsaid. Across from him, Sweety's anxiety spiked as her hands grew sweaty, her breath a little shallow. Her eyes flicked downward too, searching for something solid to hold on to.

Some sort of awkward silence settled around them, which made every heartbeat feel louder, every breath more noticeable. Sensing the shift, Rahul finally caught on.

"Oops! Got it," he said with a grin, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Best friends need privacy, huh? It's been forever, you probably have so much to catch up on. I better leave before I start getting jealous!" He laughed, letting go of Prabhas with a dramatic gesture as he made for the exit.

As he turned away, Sweety's breath hitched. A flicker of panic crossed her face. Her eyes found Rahul's for the briefest second, awkward and unsure. It was as if she were trying to say something but couldn't get the words out. Her lips parted, then closed again.

At the door, Rahul paused with one hand on the handle. "I'll see you guys tomorrow! Have a good heart-to-heart chat," he said lightly, but there was something about his tone that didn't quite match the playfulness of his words.

Then it happened. His eyes met Sweety's one last time, just two seconds. 

But it felt longer. Something unrecognisable gleamed in his eyes that she couldn't quite understand. A strange stillness clung to the air even after he walked out.

Left behind in the dim quiet of the garden, Sweety stood frozen. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to steady the rush of emotions rising too fast inside her.