Chapter 12 - Unsaid Feelings & A Secret Mark

📘 CHAPTER 12 — Unsaid Feelings & A Secret Mark

Shaam ka time school me hamesha thoda magical lagta tha:

na poora andhera, na poori roshni… bas ek ajeeb si calmness.

Par aaj woh calmness Aarav ke andar bilkul nahi thi.

Woh Riya ke saath corridor me chal raha tha, magar uska dimaag abhi bhi Kabir wale moment me atka hua tha.

Jab Kabir Riya ke thoda zyada paas aagaya tha.

Jab Riya uski kisi baat par sach me cute sa laugh kar rahi thi.

Us waqt Aarav ko samajh nahi aaya ki usse itni jaln kyun hui.

Riya ne uske shoulder ko lightly poke kiya.

“Are you sure you're okay?

Poora din tum ajeeb behave kar rahe ho.”

Aarav ne nazar churai.

“I'm fine. Bas soch raha hoon.”

Riya ne seedhi uski aankhon me dekha.

“Tum jealous ho?”

Voice soft… teasing… but serious.

Aarav ka heart literal skip hua.

“Jealous? Main? Kis se— Kabir se?”

Woh awkwardly hansa. “Please.”

Riya ne arms fold kiye.

“Aarav… kab se tum aise baatein hide karne lage?”

Aarav silent.

Usne pehli baar realize kiya —

Riya usse kitna achha se samajhti hai.

✨ The Discovery — New Clue Appears

Riya ne ek paper fold karke Aarav ko diya.

“Main tumse important baat karne wali thi… Kabir aa gaya beech me.”

Paper purana lag raha tha.

Edges burnt, jaise kisi ne jaan-bujhkar jalaya ho.

Aarav ne unfold kiya.

Page ke beech me ek strange symbol tha:

Half circle + straight line + tiny “X”.

“Yeh symbol… kahaan se mila?” Aarav ne poocha.

Riya ne dheere se kaha,

“Auditorium ke backstage, curtains ke peeche.

Paint ke neeche hidden tha.”

Aarav stunned.

“Tumne mujhe pehle kyun nahi bataya?”

Riya thoda hesitant hui.

“Kyunki… mujhe laga tum pehle se bohot stressed ho.

Aur… Kabir wahan pehle hi tha.”

Aarav ka expression thoda tight hua.

“Woh wahan tha? Alone?”

Riya ne nod kiya.

“Haan. Aur pata hai? Jab maine symbol ko touch kiya…

wall ke peeche se metal scratch ki awaaz aayi.”

Aarav ke body me goosebumps aa gaye.

“Scratch? Matlab koi…?

Wahan koi tha?”

Riya ne halki si awaaz me kaha,

“Mujhe laga main kuch sun rahi hoon… jaise koi humari footsteps notice kar raha ho.”

Aarav turant alert mode me aa gaya.

“Kisi ne tumhe follow kiya ho sakta hai.”

Riya ne uska wrist pakad liya —

instinctively, softly, scared.

“Aarav… mujhe ajeeb sa feel hua.

Jaise koi ab humse ek step aage chal raha ho.”

Aarav ko pata nahi kyun —

uske andar ka fear instantly protective anger me shift ho gaya.

🔥 The Jealousy Moment — This Time Clear

Jab woh dono backstage se nikle,

Kabir saamne aa gaya.

“Riya! Main tumhe hi dhoond raha tha.

You left your notebook—”

Aarav ne quick step le kar Riya ke saamne position le li.

Not aggressive, bas… natural protective.

Kabir thoda ruk gaya.

“Oh… tum log saath ho.”

Riya ne normal tone me kaha,

“Haan. Hum ek clue discuss kar rahe the.”

Kabir ne eyebrow raise kiya.

“Riya, tumne mujhe toh bataya hi nahi.”

Riya casually boli,

“Aarav ko batana zyada zaroori tha.”

Aarav ne uska yeh line dil me 10 baar repeat kiya.

Kabir ka face ek second ke liye stiff hua.

“Cool,” Kabir ne smile force ki.

“Waise main help kar sakta hoon—”

Aarav ne directly uski aankhon me dekha.

“Hum handle kar lenge.”

Riya ne Kabir ko politely smile diya.

“Thanks Kabir… but it’s fine. Hum teenon kal milkar decide karenge.”

Kabir halkan sa lean hua,

“Aur tum… theek ho?

Aaj somewhat lost lag rahi ho.”

Before Riya answer karti —

Aarav ne softly but firm tone me bola:

“She’s fine. Really.”

Riya ne Aarav ki taraf quick glance maara—

mixed of surprise + soft warmth.

Kabir halka sa awkward laugh de kar chala gaya.

Riya ne Aarav ko tease kiya,

“Tum… possessive lag rahe the thodi der ke liye.”

Aarav ne usse side-eye diya.

“I wasn’t.”

Riya smiled wide.

“Of course not.”

🌙 Final Twist (Most Important Clue)

Dono building se bahar nikal rahe the ki Riya ruk gayi.

“Hear that?”

Aarav ne hawa me ek halki si metallic “tink” suna.

Same awaaz jo usne us raat corridor me suni thi.

Vo log staircase ke corner par gaye.

Aur wahan —

floor par chhoda hua ek black keychain ring pada tha.

Uspe ek chhota charm latak raha tha:

Wahi symbol.

Jo Riya ne wall pe dekha tha.

Exactly same.

Aarav ke haath thande pad gaye.

“Riya…”

“Aarav… this means someone overheard us.”

Riya ne dheere se kaha,

“Jo bhi yeh kar raha hai… woh humare BOHOT paas hai.”

Aarav ne uska haath halki si firm grip me pakda.

(This is normal safe contact — supportive.)

“I promise,” Aarav ne low voice me kaha,

“jab tak main hoon… koi tumhe hurt nahi karega.

Us symbol ka truth hum milke nikaalenge.”

Riya uske face ko dekh kar silent ho gayi.

Us pal me do baatein clear thi:

Aarav jealous tha — aur woh deny nahi kar pa raha.

Mystery ab personal ho chuki thi.

And the game?

Ab bas shuru hua tha.aur chapter end....