Author pov..

Divya finally spoke, her voice trembling but firm."Aunty. Now you have to protect me—from my own parents.”

Malini ji looked at her, startled.“Rani ji and Devnath ji don’t know about this, do they?”

“No,” Divya replied softly, “but now they will have to know. Please… come with me. Save me from dad.”

For the first time, fear flickered in Malini’s eyes.

What would Divya’s parents think? That because of her children, Divya had gotten trapped in matters involving goons?

“I’ll come too,” Vaibhav said immediately.

“I’m coming as well,” Ishani added.

All four of them headed toward Divya’s house.

But the moment they stepped out, they froze.

Several luxury cars were parked outside the house.

Bodyguards stood alert near the gate.

Ishani whispered, confused, “Divya… who has come to your house?”

“I don’t know myself,” Divya said, her heart pounding.

“Let’s go inside and see,” Vaibhav said.

They walked in and what they saw made everything clear.

Anand Thakur, Pushpa Thakur, and Rajvardhan Thakur were already there.

Vaibhav and Malini recognized them instantly.

“Who are these people?” Divya asked, unaware.

Devnath sat with them, while Rani stood beside him. Grandmother sat quietly near Rani, her face tense.

Anand Thakur spoke calmly but sharply.“You must already know who we are.”

Devnath nodded. “Yes, I do.”

Anand’s voice hardened.“Your daughter has filed an FIR against my son.”

Devnath and Rani froze.

Shock washed over their faces.

Only then did Divya understand this man is Raj’s father.

Anand continued bitterly,“You’ve given your daughter far too much freedom. This kind of liberty never ends well.”

Divya couldn’t stay silent anymore.

She stepped forward, her eyes blazing.“So what should I have done? Not filed an FIR? When your son harassed girls across the entire college, did you ever stop him? Did you ever control him?”

Rajvardhan looked at Divya closely.

He knew Raj had made a mistake.

But he loved his grandson.

That love had brought him here, hoping to persuade them to withdraw the FIR.

Anand glared at Divya.

“So you’re the one behind all this?”

“Yes,” Divya said without hesitation. “I am.”

Devnath’s voice thundered, “What is all this, Divya?”

Fear gripped her but before she could speak, Vaibhav stepped forward and explained everything.

Every detail. Every truth.

Devnath, Rani, and grandmother stood stunned.

Devnath rushed to Divya.“He didn’t do anything to you personally, did he?”

Divya met his eyes."Papa, if he had done something like this to me, he would have been in hell by now."

Pushpa snapped the moment she heard this.“How dare you talk about my son like that!”

Divya didn’t flinch.“Yes, I will talk. What will you do?”

Pushpa sneered, threatening,“You don’t know who I am. I’ll ruin you so badly that you won’t even be able to show your face anywhere.”

That was it.

Devnath lost his temper completely.

“Get out. All three of you leave my house right now! You can’t see your son’s mistakes, but you have the nerve to threaten my daughter, inside my own home?”

Upstairs, Rahul heard the shouting.

When the noise grew louder, he came downstairs.

Many people were gathered.

His eyes searched and stopped on Ishani.

She was clinging to her mother, crying.

Why is Ishani crying? he wondered.

Rajvardhan folded his hands and spoke quietly,“Please listen to me. I admit my grandson made a mistake. Forgive him. I will talk to him. This will never happen again. He has already been punished so many people beat him, and took out their anger. Please… let this go.”

But Devnath refused to listen.

“Leave my house immediately. The FIR will not be withdrawn. Go.”

Rajvardhan understood then these were not people who could be silenced by fear.

Anand, furious, snapped,“Keep your daughter under control. If anything happens next, I won’t be responsible.”

He stormed out. Pushpa followed him.

As Rajvardhan turned to leave, his eyes fell on Rahul.

Isn’t he Deeksha’s classmate? he thought.

Rahul noticed Rajvardhan staring at him and panic surged through him.

What if he tells Papa about the cheating today?

But Rajvardhan walked away without saying a word.

Rahul finally let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.

Devnath walked toward Ishani and gently asked,“Why are you crying, Ishani? The ones who should be crying are those who wronged you.”

Ishani broke down even more. Through her tears, she said,“But uncle… because of me, Divya got trapped in all this mess. Those people are powerful. They can do anything.”

Rahul stood there, completely confused, unable to understand what was happening around him.

Devnath spoke again, his voice calm yet firm.“Just like Divya is my daughter, you are also like my daughter. Divya did the right thing by standing with you. Now stop crying.”

He gently wiped Ishani’s tears and said softly,“Ishani, none of this is your fault. Okay?”

Ishani nodded and managed a small, trembling smile.

Malini spoke hesitantly, guilt heavy in her voice.“Still, bhaishab… because of my children, Divya has gotten caught in all this.”

Devnath replied without a second thought,“If my daughter stands for the truth and gets trapped because of it, I have no problem. And all of you are my family too.”

Malini opened her mouth to say something more, but stopped.

Rani, however, was worried about Divya and about Ishani.

No matter what, they were girls.

If anything happened to either of them, she thought, their lives would be ruined.

No proposals, no marriage… no future free of questions.

But she didn’t say any of this out loud.

If she spoke now, it might hurt Malini ji.

So she stayed silent, carrying her fear quietly in her heart.

Four days had passed, yet Rani still hadn’t allowed Divya to step out of the house.

Fear had wrapped itself tightly around her heart, and that fear showed in every decision she made.

Watching her mother behave this way made Divya restless and irritable, as if the walls themselves were closing in on her.

The next day, when Rahul went to school, his mind was filled with dread.

He was sure he would be scolded.

He hadn’t told his parents about the cheating incident mainly because Devnath and Rani were already worried sick about Divya.

But when he reached school, nothing happened. No scolding. No punishment.

For a moment, relief flooded his chest.

He felt light, almost happy.

That feeling didn’t last long.

When the test papers were returned,

Rahul froze.

A big, merciless zero stared back at him from the page.

Worse there was a space below for his parents’ signature.

Fear crept into his veins. If Mom and Dad see this… they’ll destroy me, he thought.

His mind raced, and suddenly an idea struck him.

What if I get Divya to sign it?

With cautious steps, Rahul walked toward Divya’s room.

For the first time in his life, he knocked on the door.

Divya said "come in."

When he entered, Divya looked at him as if she’d seen a ghost.

“Since when did you start knocking before entering my room?” she asked in shock. “You usually roam around here like a monkey without any permission.”

Rahul felt anger rise inside him, but he swallowed it down.

He needed her help this wasn’t the time to fight.

Putting on his sweetest smile, he spoke gently.“Didi… Divya didi.”

Divya’s eyes widened.“What did you just say?” she asked sharply.

Rahul didn’t stop. “My lovely didi… my sweetest didi. Is there anyone better than my didi? She’s so kind, so wonderful.”

Each word landed like a surprise attack.

Divya stood there, stunned, completely thrown off balance by this sudden shower of affection.

Finally, she narrowed her eyes and said, “Why are you showing me so much love all of a sudden? Tell me the truth first.”

“Didi… I need a signature on my test paper. Mom and Dad’s,” Rahul said hesitantly. “Please, can you sign it for me?”

Divya burst out laughing. A sharp, teasing laugh.

“So this is the reason,” she said, shaking her head. “I was wondering when my brother started respecting me and showering me with so much love. Idiot. I’m not doing any of this. Now get out of here.”

But Rahul refused to give up.

In one sudden move, he went straight to her and grabbed her feet.

“Please, didi. My sweet didi,” he pleaded desperately. “I won’t let go of your feet until you sign it.”

Divya glared at him. “Then keep holding them,” she said coldly. “I still won’t sign.”

Rahul stayed right there, clutching her feet, then slowly sat down on the floor, refusing to move.

His voice kept breaking as he repeated the same words again and again“Please… please…”

His stubbornness filled the room, and with every passing second, his desperation grew heavier, pressing on Divya’s heart.

An entire hour had passed, yet Rahul still hadn’t gotten up from the floor.

Finally, Divya sighed. “Okay,” she said at last, “I’ll sign it but on one condition. You’ll have to do everything I say.”

Rahul’s face lit up instantly. “Okay! Whatever you say,” he agreed without a second thought.

Divya smirked. “Go. Make Maggi for me.”

Rahul stared at her in shock. “But didi… you’re the one who always makes Maggi.”

She raised an eyebrow. “So what? I used to make it does that mean you can’t make it for me even once?”

Rahul scratched his head, then broke into a grin. “Why not, didi? Of course I will. I’ll definitely make Maggi.”

With that, he rushed out of her room.

In the kitchen, he searched everywhere, opening cabinets and drawers, but there was no Maggi packet in sight.

Looks like I’ll have to buy it, he thought.

He ran back to his room, grabbed some money, and headed straight to the shop.

Meanwhile, Divya lay back, scrolling through her phone, a satisfied smile playing on her lips.

Nice, she thought.

Today, I finally made Mom’s beloved son do some work.

Just then, Divya’s phone started ringing.

An unknown number flashed on the screen.

She hesitated for a second before answering.“Hello?” she said softly.

From the other side came a teasing voice. “You haven’t been coming to college for days, Divya.”

Her heart skipped. A nervous chill ran through her. “Who’s speaking?” she asked, her voice tight.

The boy chuckled. “You forgot me so quickly?”

A hint of fear crept in. “This isn’t

funny,” Divya said firmly. “Who are you?”

Virendra immediately realized she must be scared of an unknown number, an unexpected call.

His tone softened. “It’s me. Virendra Pandey.”

Only then did Divya finally breathe.

“You almost scared me to death,” she said. “Have you lost your mind or what?”

“Oh, sorry,” Virendra replied lightly. “I was just joking a little.”

Divya frowned. “And where did you even get my number from?”

“In a college this big, you can find a number from anywhere,” he said casually.

Then, with a hint of pride in his voice, he added, “Though getting your number wasn’t easy. You know… you’ve become quite famous these days. All of Banaras know you now.”

She let out a small, uneasy laugh. “I never wanted to be that famous.”

Virendra smiled on the other end. “Maybe not. But because of you, other girls found the courage to speak up. I couldn’t take my eyes off you that day in the auditorium, when you raised your voice. I’ve never seen a girl as strong as you.”

Divya smiled, a little embarrassed. “Well… now you’ve seen one.”

“Yes,” he said softly. “Now I have seen one.”

Then she asked, “So why did you call me?”

“That day, because of the police mess, our football match didn’t happen,”

Virendra explained. “It’s happening tomorrow. You’ll come, right?”

Only then did Divya remember. Her expression fell. “I won’t be able to,” she said. “My mom isn’t letting me step outside. She’s too scared.”

There was a pause before Virendra said, “Okay. I’ll come to pick you up. You can come with me then you won’t be scared.”

Divya froze. “Have you gone crazy?” she blurted out. “My mom will kill me if she sees me with a boy.”

Virendra smiled softly and said, “Alright… but you have to come tomorrow. I have a match.”

Divya didn’t hesitate. “Okay, I’ll come no matter what.”

Hearing that, Virendra’s face lit up with happiness. “Okay, bye. I’ve got some work to do.”

“Bye,” Divya replied, and the call ended.

On the other side of the house, Rahul stood in the kitchen, staring at a packet of Maggi as if it were some impossible challenge.

He had never cooked in his life.

Divya was always the one who made food for him especially this.

Still, he tried.

With clumsy hands, he somehow turned on the gas, poured water into a pan, and placed it on the stove, watching it nervously.

Just then, Ishani walked in.

As usual, she went straight toward Divya’s room, but the faint sounds coming from the kitchen made her stop.

Rani aunty must be there, she thought.

But the moment she stepped inside the kitchen, she froze.

Rahul… in the kitchen?

Shock turned into laughter as she looked at him.

“Rahul, what on earth are you doing?” she asked, amused.

Rahul looked up at her and suddenly his heart began to race.

Why does my heart beat so fast every time I see Ishani? he wondered, confused by his own feelings.

“Rahul… Rahul?” she called again. “Where did you disappear?”

Rahul blinked and replied softly, “Nowhere.”

He turned back to the stove, still trying to make his Maggi.

“You’re making Maggi?” Ishani asked, surprised.

Rahul nodded. “You were the one who said the other day that everyone should learn to do their own work. So… I’m trying to cook for myself.”

Ishani laughed, shaking her head.

“Oh my God! But you’ve never even heated water in the kitchen before. How are you planning to make Maggi today?”

Her laughter echoed in the kitchen, while Rahul stood there awkward, determined, and strangely aware of her presence beside him.

“Give it to me, I’ll make it,” Ishani offered gently.

Rahul immediately shook his head. “No. I’ll make it myself. You’ll eat it too.”

Ishani raised an eyebrow, half-smiling. “If you make it, then yes, I’ll definitely eat it.”

Rahul’s ears turned pink.

Flustered, he said quickly, “Okay… you go. I’ll make it and bring it.”

“Alright,” Ishani replied teasingly. “But if it doesn’t turn out right, call me. And don’t hurt yourself.”

Rahul nodded silently as Ishani walked away toward Divya’s room.

Inside the room, Divya sat comfortably, finishing her notes from Ishani’s notebook.

Her handwriting was neat, but her hand had started to ache.

“Are you done with the notes?” Ishani asked as she entered.

“Not yet,” Divya sighed. “My hand is starting to hurt.”

“Give it to me, I’ll complete it,” Ishani said at once.

“No, leave it,” Divya replied softly. “You have to finish your own notes too.”

Ishani nodded. “Yeah… there was so much taught today.”

Divya smiled faintly. “Lucky you. You’re going to college so easily, and I’m stuck here.”

Guilt washed over Ishani’s face. “I’m sorry… all of this is happening because of me.”

Divya looked at her and shook her head. “No, it’s not because of you. I don’t even know what my mom is so scared of she won’t even let me step outside.”

“I understand aunty’s worries,” Ishani said quietly. “My mom also refused at first. But my brother said he’d drop me himself and that nothing would go wrong. That’s why she agreed.”

Divya’s eyes lit up with hope. “Should I talk to your brother too? Maybe he can convince my mom as well.”

“Okay, let’s do that,” Ishani agreed. “Come on, right now.”

Divya laughed. “How can I go right now? My dear brother is making Maggi for me.”

Ishani stared at her in shock. “Oh wow… so you managed to send him into the kitchen today? The poor guy couldn’t even manage anything.”

Divya laughed. “Then when will he ever learn? Mom has spoiled him completely. When I was his age, I used to manage the entire house.”

“Come on,” Ishani said lightly. “He’s still young and he’s a boy. Boys don’t understand these things so early.”

Divya smirked. “You leave it. I know my brother. He’s very sensible. Just watch he’ll bring perfectly made Maggi in a little while.”

Ishani laughed and shook her head.

“You’re really terrible,” she said, smiling.

Rani came down from the terrace and stopped shortly when she reached the kitchen.

Rahul was standing there, trying to cook something, and the entire kitchen looked like a battlefield utensils scattered everywhere, ingredients lying around as if a storm had passed through.

She walked closer, her voice sharp with surprise.“Rahul, what are you doing? You’ve turned the whole kitchen upside down!”

Rahul looked at her innocently and replied, “Mummy, I’m making Maggi.”

Rani’s eyes widened. “What? You should have told me! I would’ve cooked it myself.”

Rahul lowered his gaze slightly. “I didn’t want to trouble you, Mummy.”

Rani sighed, looking around at the mess. “Trouble? After seeing the state of my kitchen, I’m already in trouble, beta.”

Rahul glanced around too and said, confused, “What happened, Mummy? Everything looks clean to me.”

She shook her head, half amused and half exasperated. “Go on, you. I’ll make the Maggi and bring it.”

But Rahul immediately protested, “No, Mummy. Today I’ll make it myself.”

Rani looked at him, surprised. “What kind of stubbornness is this?”

With quiet confidence, Rahul said, “Mummy, I’ve grown up now. I can handle things. Don’t worry.”

Rani raised her eyebrows and smiled faintly. “Oh really? You’ve grown so big now? Fine then, go on do whatever you want. Call me when it’s done.”

“Okay,” Rahul replied cheerfully.

Somehow, after much effort, Rahul managed to make the Maggi.

He carefully poured it into two bowls and placed a fork in each one for Ishani and one for Divya.

Holding the bowls with care, he walked toward Divya’s room, a small sense of pride glowing on his face.

Rahul walked in and said softly, with genuine affection, “Divya didi, I made Maggi for you.”

The moment Ishani heard didi come out of Rahul’s mouth, she froze.

For a second, she wondered if her ears had betrayed her.

Divya looked at him in and smiled.

“Wow,” she said warmly, “my brother made Maggi just for me?”

Rahul carefully placed the bowl on the table and added, “Ishani… and Divya didi, this Maggi is for both of you.”

The two girls exchanged a look and smiled. “Alright,” they said, “let’s see what Rahul has made today.”

Rahul didn’t move from his spot.

He stood there nervously, watching every little reaction.

Divya and Ishani sat down on the sofa and looked into the bowls.

The Maggi was simple and soupy, with no vegetables at all.

Divya picked up her fork, twirled some noodles, and took a bite.

Ishani followed. Both of them thought the same thing at least it’s edible.

Rahul asked anxiously, “How is it?”

Ishani immediately smiled and said, “Wow, Rahul, you’ve done a miracle today. Maggi is really good.”

Divya raised an eyebrow and said calmly, “Don’t exaggerate so much, Ishani, or he’ll reach the seventh heaven. But yes, it’s edible. You’ll manage.aur jyada makkhan mat laga ab I don’t like that.”

Ishani frowned slightly."Makkhan....Makkhan kyu laga raha hai?”

Rahul’s eyes widened in panic as he looked at Divya, silently pleading with her not to let the secret slip.

Divya understood his signal instantly and said casually, “Oh that? He had to draw a figure in his notebook and needed my help, so that’s why he was using so much makkhan laga raha hai and ended up making Maggi too.” She lied smoothly.

Ishani laughed. “That’s exactly what I was thinking. How did Rahul change so much in just one day?”

Rahul protested quickly, “But I’m good! I don’t do anything wrong.”

Ishani laughed again and said teasingly, “Yes, yes, you’re very good.”

Hearing Ishani praise him, Rahul’s face lit up with happiness, pride quietly shining in his eyes.

“Just keep cooking tasty food like this for me,” Divya said with a playful smile, her eyes full of mischief, “and when your wife comes into your life one day, she’ll always stay happy with you.”

The words hit Rahul instantly.

His ears turned red, his cheeks warmed, and before he could stop himself, he staIshani noticed it at once and laughed softly.“Hey… look at him,” she teased. “He’s blushing!”

Divya followed Ishani’s gaze and chuckled. “Oh ho, so this is how it is. Looks like he’ll become a full-time joru ka gulaam. The day his wife comes, he’ll forget both of us completely.”

Rahul heard every word.

Embarrassment mixed with mock anger, and without thinking, he snapped back,“I’ll forget you first.”  you witch!

Divya’s expression changed instantly.

She raised her eyebrow and said slowly, “What did you just say? Your work isn’t over yet, mister.”

Only then did Rahul realize his mistake.

His confidence vanished in a blink.

He hurriedly clasped his hands, eyes wide with panic.“Oh sorry, sorry, didi. Sweet, lovely didi. It just slipped out by mistake.”

Divya crossed her arms, pretending to be offended, though a smile tugged at her lips. “I see, beta. For this invisible wife of yours, you’re already ready to forget me. Wow… very impressive.”

Rahul lowered his head, half-embarrassed, half-amused, while Ishani watched the scene with a fond smile.

“No, didi… I could never forget my sweet didi,” Rahul said softly, his voice full of emotion. “You’re the best.”

With a smile, he walked up to Divya, slipped an arm around her in a side hug, and kissed her gently on the cheek.

“Ew, chi! Go away,” Divya protested, pushing him lightly. “Don’t cling to me like that. Move.”

Rahul refused to let go. “You’re not angry with me, right?”

Divya looked away. “I am angry.”

“Then I won’t leave you,” Rahul said stubbornly. “I won’t let go until you forgive me.”

Divya sighed. “Alright, leave me. I’m not angry.”

Rahul searched her face. “Really? You’re not angry?”

“No. Now move away from me,” Divya said.

Reluctantly, Rahul stepped back.

Divya then added casually, “Go and get me a chocolate. Only then will your work be done.”

Rahul frowned. “What kind of condition is that? I made Maggi for you, and I even bought everything with my own money. You said if I made Maggi, you’d do my work.”

Divya raised her eyebrows. “When did I say that? You were the one who said, whatever you say, I’ll do. So go and do the work.”

Rahul shot her an angry look, then turned and walked away without another word.

Watching him leave, Ishani asked softly, “Why do you trouble him so much?”

Divya smiled faintly and replied, “Oh, you don’t know yet… he troubles me even more than this.”

Ishani smiled and said, "Okay, let's go to bhaiya's place."

Divya nodded. "Alright, let's go."

Together, they walked to Ishani's house.

Inside, Vaibhav was busy teaching his tuition students, completely focused on his lessons.

When he noticed Ishani and Divya arriving, Divya whispered, "But he's still taking tuition."

Ishani sighed softly. "Yeah... what can we do now?"

Divya thought for a moment and said, "Let's go to your room. We'll talk after he's done teaching."

"Okay," Ishani agreed.

Meanwhile, Rahul stood quietly, looking at the money in his hand.

Only a hundred rupees were left, but he needed to get a signature.

After a brief pause, he went to the shop and bought a Dairy Milk chocolate for Divya.

Holding it carefully, he returned home.

But Divya wasn't there.

He searched around the house, his eyes moving anxiously from one corner to another.

When he still couldn't find her, a thought crossed his mind Ishani had come earlier... maybe Divya went to her house?

Without wasting another second,

Rahul headed toward Vaibhav's house.

On the road, a big car suddenly caught his attention.

The door opened, and Deeksha stepped out.

Rahul froze.

Seeing her there shocked him.

His heart began to race, fear creeping in.

What if Deeksha has come to complain about me to my parents?

The thought made him uneasy especially since she hadn't been coming to school for the past two or three days.

Deeksha noticed him too.

Standing there with her bag on her shoulder, she asked casually, "What are you doing here?"

Rahul panicked. "I-I-I'm not doing anything," he stammered, then quickly added, "What are you doing here?"

Deeksha replied calmly, "I've come for coaching. To study from Vaibhav sir. Do you know him? Which house is his?"

At that moment, Rahul finally breathed in relief."Yes... yes, I know," he said quickly. "That house is right in front."

"Oh," Deeksha said, a little surprised. "Do you study from Vaibhav sir too?"

"No," Rahul shook his head. "I don't. I'm just his neighbor, that's why I was going to his house."

Deeksha nodded. "Oh... okay then. I'll go inside."

"Hm," Rahul replied softly, watching her walk away, his heartbeat slowly returning to normal.

Deeksha stepped inside the house.

The moment Vaibhav saw her, he froze in shock. "Deeksha? What are you doing here?" he asked, disbelief clear in his voice.

Deeksha answered calmly, "Sir, you had refused to come, so Nanu sent me to your house for tuition."

Vaibhav hesitated. "But... your mami and mama had already said no, didn't they?"

She gave a small, determined smile. "That doesn't matter, sir. I want to study. Since you can't come to my house, I came here instead."

Vaibhav studied her face for a second, then sighed. "Alright, no problem. But earlier I used to teach you alone. Now you'll be studying with all these students. Will you be okay with that?"

"Yes, sir," Deeksha replied confidently. "I'll manage."

"Okay then," Vaibhav said gently. "Have a seat."

Just then, Rahul arrived.

Malini noticed him and smiled. "Oh, Rahul! What brings you here today?"

Rahul asked a little nervously, "Aunty... has Divya didi come?"

"Yes," Malini replied. "She's in Ishani's room."

"Oh, okay," Rahul said, relief washing over his face.

Rahul stood there, unsure.

How am I supposed to go into Ishani's room? the thought made him nervous.

Instead, he turned back, deciding to head home.

"Rahul, where are you going?" Malini called out. "Ishani's room is this way."

Rahul paused and replied softly, "Aunty... I'll talk later, when Divya didi comes home."

"Oh, okay," Malini said.

Rahul walked away.

From a distance, Deeksha kept watching him, her eyes following his retreating figure until he disappeared from sight.

An hour passed.

Slowly, one by one, all the tuition students began to leave.

The house grew quieter.

Vaibhav felt a sudden urge to meet Divya.

But he couldn't figure out what excuse to use, what words would sound natural.

Confused and restless, he finally walked toward Ishani's room without any reason at all.

Inside, Ishani and Divya were sitting together, laughing and chatting softly.

Vaibhav cleared his throat. "Ishani... I can't find my shirt."

Ishani looked up, surprised. "Which shirt, bhaiya?"

"The black one," he replied casually. "You know... the black-colored shirt."

Ishani frowned, trying to remember. "I really don't recall any shirt like that, bhaiya."

"Oh... okay," Vaibhav said, forcing a smile.

He stood there awkwardly, thinking, Now what excuse do I make?

Just as he was about to speak again,

Divya suddenly said, "I need to talk to you."

Ishani nodded eagerly. "Yes, bhaiya."

Vaibhav's face lit up with quiet happiness. "Yes," he said warmly, "tell me. What is it?"

Divya spoke at once, her voice trembling with desperation."You'll have to talk to my mummy and papa... please. I'm exhausted living inside the house all the time. How long am I supposed to stay locked within these walls? I want to go to college now. Please... only you can help me."

Before Vaibhav could respond, she suddenly held his hand.

Vaibhav froze.

He looked down at Divya's hand resting in his own, his heart skipping a beat.

A rush of nervousness spread through him, his mind going blank.

Ishani added softly, "Bhaiya, you're listening, right? Only you can do something now."

But Vaibhav seemed lost in a different world altogether, caught between the warmth of Divya's touch and the weight of her words.

Divya gently shook his hand, bringing him back to reality. "You understand what I'm saying, don't you?"

Vaibhav swallowed and nodded.

"Yes... I understand," he said quietly.

"I'll talk to uncle and aunty."

In that moment, Divya's grip loosened but hope remained, shining softly in her eyes.

"No," Divya said firmly. "You have to come now. We need to talk today-right now."

She held his hand and tugged gently, urging him to move.

Vaibhav swallowed and replied nervously, "You go ahead for now. I'll come later and talk, okay?"

But Divya shook her head. "No. Come now," she insisted, pulling his hand again.

Vaibhav looked down at her hand wrapped around his.

His heart began to race uncontrollably.

At this rate, this girl is going to kill me today, he thought, half-panicked, half-lost.

"O-okay, I'm coming," he said quickly. "But first... let go of my hand."

That's when Divya realized what she was doing.

Her eyes widened.

She immediately released his hand.

A sudden, heavy awkwardness settled between them, thick and uncomfortable.

Ishani glanced back and asked, "Come on, Divya. What happened?"

"Nothing," Divya replied too quickly. "Let's go."

She walked ahead, pretending nothing had happened.

Behind her, Ishani and Vaibhav followed in silence.

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