The night was too quiet.
Aarya had always hated silence—it made her thoughts louder, sharper… unbearable.
She walked faster, hugging herself as the streetlights flickered above. Something felt off.
And then she saw him.
Leaning against the shadows like he belonged there. Watching her. Waiting.
Her breath hitched.
"You shouldn't be here," she whispered.
He stepped forward, slow and dangerous, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
"And yet," he said softly, "you came anyway."
Her heart pounded against her chest, each beat louder than the last. Something about him felt wrong… yet impossible to ignore.
"Who are you?" she asked, her voice barely steady.
He didn't answer immediately. Instead, his gaze moved over her like he was memorizing every detail.
"Someone you won't be able to forget," he finally said.
A chill ran down her spine.
She should leave. She knew she should. But her feet refused to move.
Because deep down, she felt it—
This wasn't just a coincidence.
It was the beginning of something dangerous.
Something she might never escape.