📘 CHAPTER 14 — The Past She Never Spoke About
Riya ek bench par baith gayi, jaise uske pair ek second me itne heavy ho gaye ho ki chalna mushkil ho.
Aarav uske saamne khada tha— worried, protective, and confused.
Hawa suddenly thandi lagne lagi.
“Riya… tumne kaha tha symbol pehle bhi dekha hai?”
Aarav ki voice unusually soft ho gayi thi.
Riya ne aankhon me se thodi baal hataye.
“Aarav… main kabhi tumse ek baat share nahi kar paayi.”
Aarav simply bolo:
“You can tell me.”
Riya ne deep breath li.
✨ Scene 1 — Riya’s Past Begins to Open
“8th class me… jab main dusre school me thi,” Riya shuru hui,
“mere group me ek ladka tha — Arjun.”
Aarav ka heart suddenly tight ho gaya.
Kisi ladke ka naam sun kar koi aur reaction nahi…
bus woh natural sa protectiveness aa gayi.
“Aur…?”
Aarav ne composed tone me pucha.
“Arjun bohot intelligent tha. Har competition me top.
Lekin… usme kuch ajeeb tha.
Woh har cheez ko ek ‘game’ ki tarah leta tha.”
Aarav ne brow furrow ki.
“Kis tarah ka game?”
“Psychological games,” Riya whispered.
“Mind puzzles, hidden clues, riddles… par kabhi kabhi woh creepy ho jata tha.”
Aarav ke andar ka warning alarm bajne laga.
“Ek din usne mujhe ek note diya tha,” Riya jaise kahte-kahte lost ho gayi,
“Jisme ek symbol tha…”
Aarav ne literally breathe stop ki.
“Kya woh yehi symbol tha?”
Riya ne halki si nod ki.
“Haan Aarav…
exactly same.
Half circle, line, X… everything.”
Aarav ka face pale ho gaya.
“Then?
Arjun ne kya kiya?”
Riya ki voice thodi shaky ho gayi.
“Initially kuch nahi…
par phir usne har jagah clues chhodne shuru kar diye.
Meri desk me, library me, even washroom mirror par.”
Aarav ka anger surface ke paas aa gaya.
“Why didn’t you tell anyone?”
Riya ne aankhen jhuka di.
“Kyunki sabko laga…
Arjun bas intelligent bachcha hai.
Aur mujhe laga shayad main overreact kar rahi hoon.”
Aarav uske paas baith gaya.
“Riya… yeh tumhari galti nahi thi.”
Riya ne continue kiya:
“Phir ek competition ke baad… Arjun suddenly school chod kar chala gaya.
Parents ne bola transfer ho gaya.
But…”
“But?” Aarav leaned closer.
“Us din usne mujhe last clue diye bina nahi gaya.
Library ki koi purani kitabon me…
usne ek line likhi thi—”
Riya ruk gayi.
Aarav ne gently pucha,
“Kya line?”
Riya ki voice barely a whisper thi:
“I’ll be back when you forget me.”
Aarav ka blood literally cold ho gaya.
“Riya… tum kehna chahti ho—
yeh jo clues mil rahe hain…
ye symbol…
ye sab Arjun kar raha hai?”
Riya ne hawa me ek slow, painful sa breath li.
“Mujhe pata nahi…
but Aarav…
coincidence bohot kam hai.”
✨ Scene 2 — Aarav’s Reaction (Soft but Deep)
Aarav ne Riya ke shoulder par haath rakha.
Yeh ek safe, supportive gesture tha—
par Riya ke liye bohot comforting.
“Riya…
Arjun koi bhi ho…
main tumhare saath hoon.”
Riya ke aankhon me pani sa aa gaya.
Actual tears nahi,
bas woh emotional moist look.
“Aarav… kabhi kabhi mujhe lagta hai tum bohot zyada protect karte ho.”
Aarav ne halki si smile di.
“Main kar raha hoon kyunki koi to kare.”
Riya ne uski aankhon me directly dekha.
“Aarav… why do you care so much?”
Aarav ne jawab nahi diya.
He couldn’t.
Uske emotions uske face par clearly likhe the.
Aur Riya ko pehli baar realize hua—
Aarav’s care is not normal.
Yeh deeper hai.
✨ Scene 3 — The Unexpected Interruption (Twist Start)
Tabhi Riya ke phone ki vibration ne dono ko disturb kar diya.
Unknown number.
Same number jise Aarav ko message aaya tha.
Riya ne hesitant finger se screen swipe kiya.
Message read:
“Told you.
Your past is calling you again.”
Aur neeche…
ek blurred photo attached thi.
Aarav ne phone haath se kheech liya.
“Riya…
ye photo campus ki lag rahi hai.”
Riya ki saansein slow ho gayi.
“Kahan ki?”
Aarav ne zoom kiya.
Photo backstage ke corner ki thi.
Aur photo me 3 silhouettes the:
Riya
Aarav
Ek teesra shadow… unke peeche khada hua…
stairs ke side…
perfectly still.
Riya ki voice break hone ko thi.
“Yeh photo… kisne li?
Humne to koi nahi dekha…”
Aarav ne teeth press ki.
“Riya…
jahan hum soch rahe the ki hum usse dhoond rahe hain…
shayad woh hume dhoond raha tha.”
Riya ne haath se face cover kiya.
“Aarav, I’m scared.”
Aarav ne turant uska haath gently pakad liya.
“Riya… look at me.”
Riya ne slowly stare kiya.
“I won’t let anything happen to you.
No one— not even your past.”
Riya ki aankhon me woh trust tha jo usne kabhi kisi ko nahi diya tha.
“Aarav… I trust you.”
Aarav ke expression me softness ke sath ek sharp determination tha.
“Good.
Because tomorrow…
we start hunting him.”
✨ Scene 4 — END TWIST (Mini Reveal)
Jab Riya ghar ja rahi thi,
uske gate ke paas ek chhota white chit pada tha.
Usne uthaya.
Ek line likhi thi:
“Nice to meet you again… Riya.”
Aur neeche wohi symbol.
Riya ke pair literally freeze ho gaye.
Peeche se koi halki si whistle ki awaaz aayi.
Riya blink karne se pehle—
whistle band ho chuki thi.
Silence.
But message clear tha:
He’s back.
And he’s watching.....
And chapter end