vardhinixauthors
Date: 28/7/2026
POV:
The sky is surrounded by clouds, as if announcing the upcoming storm. Drizzling rain soaks Bhopal, droplets clinging to leaves as if trying to defy their destiny of merging with the ground. Meanwhile, protestors march towards National Law Institute University, demanding the officials take back their statement on social media.
Posters and slogans mock the hypocrisy of suspending two students.
For what? For loving each other? For being true to each other? Is it wrong to have feelings?
In a dimly lit room, Vyom sits beside the window, watching the rain slide down the glass. Somewhere in the room lies the suspension letter, mocking his existence and reminding him of his mother's tears and venomous words that still echo in his ears-the same mother who had always been his shelter.
Slowly, he walks towards the mirror. His reflection looks like a ghost-hollow eyes and an empty face.
"Does love have any gender?"
The words are blurred, yet painfully alive, staring back at him from the screen.
Parthiv sits beneath the same tree where Vyom used to sit, scrolling through the endless posts. With every post, one name is etched deeper into his numb mind-*Vyom*.
People call them names, throwing vile words at them, as if their love itself is something filthy-a taboo that deserves to be hated.
Then Parthiv sees a comment.
His breath stops.
Someone asks Vyom if he is available on Sundays, followed by a disgusting emoji. The comment has several likes.
Something inside Parthiv breaks.
The person he breathes for, the person he worships with every ounce of his being, has been reduced to something filthy in the eyes of strangers. His eyes turn red with anger and self-loathing.
His fingers tighten around the phone.
He whispers, his voice trembling with hatred for himself.
"What kind of love is this... if it destroys the very person you worship?"