After the farewell party, Sakshi and Anu returned to their apartment. Both were exhausted but happy, and they quickly got ready for bed, still giggling over the funny moments of the evening. Within minutes, sleep took over.
The next morning began early. It was a long, busy day at the university, filled with lectures, notes, and last-minute submissions. By afternoon, they headed to the library — Sakshi diving into her favorite novels while Anu focused on research. Hours slipped by quietly until they finally decided to head home.
After freshening up, they prepared a simple dinner together. While eating, they talked about their day at university and the little chaos of arranging the farewell. Between bites, Sakshi hesitated for a moment, then finally shared what had been bothering her since the party.
"Anu," she began quietly, "yesterday… when we were at the restaurant, I felt something strange. Like someone was constantly watching me. I even made eye contact with this man — black shirt, formal look, but… his eyes felt dangerous."
Anu looked up, concerned but calm. "You're overthinking, Sakshi. Maybe he was just looking around. You were performing, remember? Anyone could've been watching."
Sakshi nodded slightly, forcing a small smile. "Yeah, maybe."
After dinner, they moved to the balcony with their mugs of cold coffee. The city lights twinkled below, a soft breeze brushing against their faces. They talked for a while — about classes, home, and silly inside jokes that made them laugh again.
By 10, Anu began to feel sleepy. "I'm off to bed," she said, stretching. "Don't stay up too long reading again."
Sakshi chuckled. "Just one chapter," she promised.
Soon the apartment fell silent. Sakshi sat on the couch with her book, lost in its world. Around an hour later, she was about to close it when her phone buzzed.
A message.
From an unknown number.
> "Be ready tomorrow, my babygirl."
Her breath hitched.
She frowned, quickly typing back: "Who are you?"
No reply. The typing dots never appeared.
For a moment, she stared at the screen, her heartbeat uneven. Maybe it's a prank, she told herself. Or a wrong number.
But that same uneasy feeling from the party crept back — the sense of being watched. Her eyes darted toward the balcony door, then the window, but nothing was there. Still, her chest tightened.
Trying to shake off the anxiety, she splashed cold water on her face, took a deep breath, and went to bed. But no matter how tightly she closed her eyes, sleep refused to come.
All she could think about was that message…
and those dark eyes from the restaurant.