However, as Shashwat observed Akash, a strange realization hit him. Akash was laughing, talking, and engaging with everyone, but he never once glanced at Shashwat.
As Shashwat stepped outside to take a call, he walked a few steps away from the mansion, trying to focus on the conversation. His mind, however, kept drifting back to the house and the situation he found himself in. The call was brief, a quick catch-up with a friend, but as he ended the conversation, something caught his attention.
The sound of a car pulling up echoed in the still evening air. Shashwat's gaze instinctively shifted toward the driveway, his pulse quickening as a sleek black car came to a stop in front of the mansion. The car's engine hummed briefly before it was turned off. The driver's side door opened, and a girl stepped out.
She was dressed in a simple yet elegant black suit that accentuated her figure. She moved with a quiet confidence, yet there was something about the way she walked that made Shashwat's heart beat faster. His thoughts raced as he quickly recognized her.
Siya.
The world around him seemed to blur as he stood frozen in place, staring at her. She was still as beautiful as he remembered , her presence striking, even after all these years. She seemed to have aged with grace, a few changes, but somehow, she still felt like the girl he once knew so well.
Siya reached back to lock the car and was about to turn away when she suddenly stopped, sensing someone's presence. She slowly turned her head, and their eyes met.
For a moment, time stood still.
Shashwat's breath hitched as their gazes locked, and the distance between them felt like both an ocean and a heartbeat. For a moment, he debated whether to walk up to her, to break the silence that had stretched over years, but the hurt from the past held him back. What would he even say?
Siya's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't expected to run into him like this, not after all the time that had passed, all the silence. The weight of years apart seemed to hang heavily in the air between them, but despite everything, her body couldn't help but react to his presence. She stood still, unsure of how to move, unsure of what to say, just as he was.
The silence stretched, stretching the distance between them even further.
Siya took a deep breath, steadying herself as she turned towards the door, her footsteps measured and deliberate. She felt his gaze on her, a weight she couldn't shake. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she refused to let it show.
She was determined-determined to keep her composure. They had too much history, too many memories, and far too many unresolved feelings to simply fall back into old patterns. It had been years. Years of silence, of hurt, and misunderstandings. She couldn't just let it all fall away in one moment, not like this. Not after everything that had happened.
As she walked towards the door, she could feel Shashwat's presence beside her, as palpable as ever. The instinct to turn, to speak, to ask how he was, all of it tugged at her heart. But she fought it back. She had fought too hard to get here, to move on, to let herself heal.
And so, she kept her gaze ahead, ignoring the pull to look at him, to meet those warm amber eyes that once held so much love, so much trust. She passed right by him, her steps measured, her body tense as if she was walking a tightrope.
And then, without another word, she stepped inside.
Shashwat stood outside, frozen for a long moment, watching her leave without a glance. The sting of her avoidance cut deeper than he had anticipated, but he couldn't bring himself to chase after her. Not now, not like this.
Her sister pulled her into conversation, distracting her momentarily. Meanwhile, Shashwat remained on the other side of the room, speaking to anyone but her. He wanted to walk over, to say something, anything, to break the ice, but the bitter memories of their last argument stopped him. What if she doesn't have any feelings for him now?
The atmosphere by the pool was warm and relaxed as everyone settled into their seats. The air was filled with casual chatter and laughter, but there was an underlying tension that couldn't quite be ignored, especially between Siya and Shashwat.
"Yaar kitne saal baad mil rahe hain ham sab," Ritika said, her voice full of nostalgia as she looked around at everyone.
[Wow, it's been so many years since we all met.]
"Wahi to. Varna kabhi Shashwat hota, to Siya, Akash, Arushi nahi hote, aur agar ye hote, to Shashwat, Ritika nahi hoti. Aise hi ho pa raha tha 3 saal se," Arav added.
[Exactly. If Shashwat was here, Siya, Akash, and Arushi wouldn't be, and if they were here, Shashwat and Ritika wouldn't be. It's only been happening this way for the last 3 years.]
"Par yaar, time beet gaya. Pata hi nahi chala...aisa lagta hai kal hi ki baat hai jab ham mile the," Arushi said, remembering the good old days.
[But hey, time passed by so fast. It feels like it was just yesterday when we met.]
"Wahi to, ab meri shaadi ho rahi hai. Agle saal tak tum sabki bhi baat chalegi," Ritika added with a smile.
[Exactly, now I'm getting married. By next year, you all will have your talks as well.]
"Sabse pehle to Shashwat bhaiya Siya ki honi chahiye," Richa teased, looking at the pair. Her words hung in the air as Shashwat and Siya exchanged an awkward glance. Their fake smiles didn't fool anyone.
[First of all, Shashwat should marry Siya.]
"Aisa kaisa shakal bana ke rakha hai? Pehle to itna sharma jata tha," Arav continued, his voice light but sharp.
[What's with that face? You used to be so shy before.]
"Lagta hai, abhi shaadi nahi karni inhe," Arushi added with a teasing laugh, glancing at Shashwat.
[Looks like he doesn't want to get married just yet.]
"Aise kaise nahi karni? Mai to agle saal hi baat karunga shaadi ki apne," Reyansh interjected with a playful grin.
[How can he not want to get married? I'll talk about marriage next year.]
"Jyada desperate mat ho. Pehle Shashwat bhaiya karenge, phir mai karungi. Samjhe?" Arushi shot back, her tone playful yet serious.
[Don't be too desperate. First, Shashwat bhaiya will get married, then I will. Got it?]
Siya shifted in her seat, clutching her dupatta tighter, feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the attention on her and Shashwat. The laughter and teasing didn't seem to have the same lightness as before.
"Akash, tu hi bata, pehle Shashwat ko shaadi karni chahiye ya mujhe?" Reyansh asked, turning to Akash.
[Akash, you tell us, should Shashwat get married first or should I?]
"Uss se kya puch raha? Wo to Shashwat-Siya hi bolega. Issi ka to role hai dono ki love story mein. Yeh hi Shashwat ko hints deta tha," Ritika said, her words a little more pointed as she looked between the two of them.
[What are you asking him for? He'll say Shashwat and Siya. He's the one who always gave Shashwat hints for their love story.]
Akash forced a smile, but it was clear he wasn't comfortable with the direction the conversation had taken. He tried to play it cool but failed to hide the discomfort on his face.
"Aap teeno ko kya hua hai, bhai?" Darsh asked, looking at the three of them with a confused expression.
[What happened to you three, man?]
"Haan, wahi na. Jabse aaye hain muh hi bana hai," Divya added, raising an eyebrow at the trio's stiff behavior.
[Yeah, right. Since you guys came, you're all acting weird.]
"Wahi ab tak to Shashwat Siya ko chidha ke pagal kar deta, aur abhi aise baitha hua hai jaise pata nahi kya baat ho rahi ho," Ritika observed, shaking her head in mock disbelief.
[Exactly, till now, Shashwat used to tease Siya and drive her crazy, and now he's sitting like he has no idea what's going on.]
"Tu bata Akash, tum log ne koi baat hui kya? Shashwat ko kya hua hai?" Arav asked, his tone more serious now as he looked at Akash.
[You tell us, Akash. Did you guys talk about something? What's going on with Shashwat?]
"Siya ko jyada pata hoga," Akash replied, trying to make the situation sound casual, but his words caught everyone off guard.
[Siya probably knows more.]
"Kya?" Shashwat said, shaking his head.
[What?]
"Arre, mai to bas ye keh raha tha ki Shashwat ke sabse close Siya hi hai. Wo har cheez share karta hoga uss se, to maybe ye baat bhi share ki ho," Akash said, trying to sound casual but not quite pulling it off.
[No, I was just saying that Siya is the closest to Shashwat. He probably shares everything with her, so maybe he shared this with her too.]
Siya and Shashwat exchanged a brief, uneasy glance. Both tried to mask the emotions that were suddenly rising to the surface.
"Haan, ab aaya na form mein. Wahi, mai sochun bina Shashwat ko pareshan kiye reh kaise raha hai?" Ritika said, breaking the tension with a sarcastic laugh.
[Yeah, now it makes sense. I was wondering how Shashwat has been surviving without me annoying him.]
"Aur Siya aur Shashwat bhaiya, aap dono ab ye ek dusre ko ignore karne ka natak band karo, yahan papa log nahi hain," Arushi said, her voice firm but playful.
[And Siya and Shashwat, you both stop pretending to ignore each other. Papa isn't around here.]
"Haan, wahi na. Hall mein to acting thik thi, yahan bhi kar rahe," Arav added, his eyes fixed on the two of them.
[Exactly, the acting was fine in the hall, now you're still doing it here.]
Shashwat and Siya gave fake smiles, trying to brush off the awkwardness, but it was clear that neither of them was ready to confront the situation.
"Haan to, ham Shashwat bhaiya, Soya bhabhi ki shaadi ki baat kar rahe the," Darsh said, trying to shift the conversation.
[Well, we were talking about Shashwat and Soya bhaiya's wedding.]
"Vaise yaar, man na padega. Ham sab long-distance relationship mein the, except Akash-Richa... phir bhi hamare relationship mein ek percent bhi daraar nahi aayi. Mai to khud se hi inspire ho gayi," Ritika said dramatically.
[Seriously, you have to admit, we were all in long-distance relationships, except Akash and Richa... yet there was not even a percent of trouble in our relationships. I've become inspired by it myself.]
"Wahi na, varna to logon mein aisi misunderstanding aa jati hai, like communication problem ya koi argument ki wajah se relationship khatam ho jana... par thankfully hamare case mein aisa nahi hua," Arav said with a grin.
[Exactly, otherwise people would think there's some communication problem or an argument leading to a breakup... but thankfully that didn't happen in our case.]
"Yaa, specially Siya and Shashwat bhaiya. I mean, ham to 2 saal se vapas saath aa gaye hain, par inka to abhi bhi long-distance hi hai. Aur maybe aage bhi rahe, kyunki army life to sabko pata hi hai. Phir bhi inke beech sab kuch pehle jaisa hi hai," Arushi said, her voice softened.
[Yeah, especially Siya and Shashwat bhaiya. I mean, we've been together again for 2 years, but they're still in a long-distance relationship. And maybe it will stay that way because of the army life, but still, everything between them is just like it was before.]
"Mujhe pyaas lagi hai," Siya muttered, her voice barely audible as she stood up from her seat, eager to escape the conversation.
[I'm thirsty,] Siya muttered, her voice barely audible.
She walked toward the other side of the pool area, her steps quick and determined. Once she was out of sight, she pressed her palm to her mouth, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. The weight of the past few years, of the hurt, the silence, and everything unsaid,crashed over her.
She wiped her tears quickly, trying to compose herself before returning.
"Itna late tak pani kon peeta hai?" Richa asked .
"Arre, wo aunty se baat karne lage the," Siya said, trying to sound casual, but her voice was a little shaky.
"Acha, tum log hi batao. Shaadi ka plan agle saal tak, ya aur time loge?" Arav asked seriously, his tone light but insistent.
"Bachon, khana kha lo," Kirti's voice came from the hall, calling everyone to dinner.
"Chalo, dinner ready hai," Arav said, standing up. The group began to move toward the hall, but Shashwat, lost in his own thoughts, took his phone and walked away without sparing a glance at Siya.
Siya watched him go, her chest tightening with emotions she wasn't ready to face.
*****************************************
The evening was winding down, after dinner everyone settled. Siya sat in the corner of the living room, quietly observing the conversations unfolding around her. The laughter and chatter of her family filled the room, but the sound felt distant, like she was outside of it all. Shashwat, too, had become a part of the background , just another figure among the group, but with a noticeable distance between them.
The air between them was thick, the tension palpable. They were strangers in the same room, caught in the suffocating web of their unresolved past.
Siya avoided looking in his direction. She didn't want to feel the ache that came with seeing him, yet at the same time, she couldn't help but notice how much he had changed. He no longer wore that easy smile, the one that used to make her heart race. Instead, his expression was guarded, his eyes distant. He was no longer the boy who had once shared everything with her now, he was just a man , a stranger, even though he was only a few feet away.
Shashwat sat on the opposite side of the room, lost in his own thoughts. His posture was stiff, the casual ease he once had around her replaced by an unspoken discomfort. Every now and then, he glanced at Siya, but it was quick, fleeting, as if afraid that even the briefest glance would betray the emotions he was trying so hard to suppress.
When their gazes did meet by accident, there was no recognition of the bond they once shared , only awkwardness. He looked away almost immediately, as though trying to distance himself from the weight of their past, from the things left unsaid.
Siya moved to stand, pushing herself out of the silence that had become suffocating. She brushed past him, feeling the air grow even thicker. His body tensed as she came near, but he didn't look at her. He didn't even acknowledge her presence. Just like a stranger.
As Siya moved toward the door, she caught one last fleeting glance of him from the corner of her eye. He was talking to Arav, his tone light and casual, completely ignoring her presence. Her heart twisted painfully, but she didn't let herself stop
The garden was dimly lit, the soft glow of fairy lights strung across the trees casting a warm ambiance. Siya was pacing, her phone pressed to her ear as she spoke in hushed tones.
As she turned around abruptly, she collided with someone. The phone slipped from her hand, and her heart skipped a beat. Slowly, she looked up, her breath hitching as her eyes met Shashwat. He was standing there, his gaze steady yet unreadable. Her immediate instinct was to step back, but the universe seemed to have other plans.
Her hair had caught in one of the buttons of his shirt.
"Ow," she winced softly, her cheeks flushing as she looked away. Her hands shot up to untangle the strands, her fingers trembling slightly, but she couldn't manage it. The situation was far too awkward, and the silence between them was deafening.
Shashwat stood still, his eyes averted as if he was unsure how to navigate the moment. Siya clenched her jaw, her teeth gritting in annoyance. She tried once again to free her hair, but it only seemed to make the situation worse.
A shiver ran down her spine when she felt Shashwat's hands gently cover hers. Her movements froze, and she glanced up at him. His expression was calm but intense, and for a moment, the world around them seemed to fade away.
And then, she felt it.
A touch-light, deliberate, and familiar.
Shashwat's hand rested over hers, his fingers steadying her frantic movements. Siya froze, a shiver rippling through her body at the contact. Her breath caught in her throat as his presence loomed closer.
She couldn't remember the last time she had felt this way-so exposed, so vulnerable, yet so alive. His fingers, calloused and warm, brushed against hers with a tenderness that stirred something deep inside her.
He could feel her breath, shallow and quick, the soft tremor in her body as she struggled to control the emotions that had resurfaced in her. Her skin was warm beneath his fingertips, and for a brief moment, he was overcome with the memory of how it felt to hold her, to touch her, to be a part of her life.
"Let me," he said softly, his voice low and unlike anything she'd heard from him before. It was different-gentler, almost vulnerable. She blinked at him, caught off guard by the tone, before quickly pulling her hands away, letting him take over.
Shashwat's fingers moved carefully, untangling her hair from the button with a precision that spoke of his restraint. Siya stood still, her heart racing as she felt the faint brush of his fingers against her strands. Neither of them spoke, but the silence was heavy with unspoken emotions.
She closed her eyes briefly, trying to steady herself, but the memories of their past rushed back in. This closeness, this touch-it was something they had both missed, even if they wouldn't admit it.
Just then, they heard a voice from behind.
"Oyeee hoyee hoyee!" Arushi's teasing voice cut through the quiet. "Toh yahan chori chori romance chal raha hai! Aur wahan kaise behave kar rahe the dono, jaise ki strangers ho! Continue, continue!" she added, her giggles echoing in the garden as she walked away, leaving Siya and Shashwat in even more awkwardness.
Shashwat untangled Siya's hair with careful fingers, his touch hesitant as though he were afraid of crossing an invisible line.
"Only if, we could be strangers again." He whispered, his voice a low whisper.
Siya's heart stopped for a moment, his words slicing through her. She looked up at him, her lips parted in shock, her eyes brimming with unspoken questions. "Why?" she whispered, her voice barely audible, but the weight of that single word carried all the pain and longing she had tried to hide.
For a fleeting moment, their eyes locked, and Shashwat's walls seemed to crumble just a little. His lips curved into a faint, heartbreaking smile, one that didn't reach his eyes.
"Because," he said softly, his voice heavy with unspoken emotions, "if we were strangers... maybe it wouldn't hurt this much to stand this close and feel this far away."
Siya's chest tightened as his words sank in, leaving a hollow ache in their wake. She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came, only a quiet gasp as her eyes welled up with tears.
His fingers worked quickly now, the last knot slipping free, and he pulled back, stepping away just enough to make the space between them feel more noticeable.
Without another word, he turned and started to walk away.
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