It had been a month.
Kabir and Rhea were closer than ever, yet not a word of love had passed between them. But they didn’t need to say it. Their eyes spoke volumes every time they met.
That morning was like any other.
They greeted each other at the college gate.
Kabir, holding her gaze a moment longer than usual.
Rhea, brushing her hair back nervously, trying to hide the heat rising to her cheeks.
They sat together during lectures. Shared small notes. Laughed quietly at silly jokes. Arjun and Anaya watched them like an ongoing rom-com that refused to end.
During break, they all headed toward the canteen, but midway Rhea suddenly stopped.
“Shit!” she whispered, smacking her forehead.
Kabir, walking beside her, asked softly, “Kya hua?”
“Administration office jaana tha… documents sign karwane the,” she said. “Main bhool gayi.”
“Chalo, main chalun saath?” Kabir offered instantly.
Rhea looked at him, hesitated, and then smiled. “Nahi… tum khana khao , main bas 5-10 min mei aayi.”
Kabir nodded slowly, but his eyes followed her until she disappeared down the corridor.
He didn’t even realize he had stopped walking.
Arjun, behind him, teased, “Tu jaanta hai na yeh pyaar hai?”
Kabir turned, smirking, “Pata nahi, lekin uske jaane se canteen ka maza nahi aa raha.”
Arjun rolled his eyes, “Keh do na ek baar.”
“Waqt aane do…” Kabir whispered, almost to himself.
Rhea had gone to the administration office to submit some scholarship documents. The door was slightly ajar. As she stepped closer, she heard familiar voices.
> “Sir, Kabir Malhotra is attending literature lectures these days.”
“Malhotra? The owner's son?”
“Yes. Everyone says it's because of a girl… a scholarship student from middle class.”
“These things don’t last. Boys like him… they play and then walk away. Girls like her should know their place.”
Rhea froze outside the room. Her heart pounded in her chest. "They were talking about me… and him."
She took a few steps back. Everything around her felt like it was spinning. Her ears rang, not from the noise — but from the silence after those words.
Her own insecurities came flooding back —
“He’s rich. I’m just a name on a scholarship list.”
“What if they’re right? What if I’m just another distraction in his world?”
She walked out, her mind clouded with doubt. She didn’t see Kabir waiting at the stairs, holding a book he thought she might like. When he called her name, she looked at him — but her eyes were distant, unsure.
> “Rhea… kya hua?”
“Kuch nahi… mujhe jaldi hai.”
She walked away.
Kabir stood frozen, watching her leave.
> He felt it — the shift.
Something had broken before it even had a name.
---
The sky outside was painted in midnight blue.
Soft moonlight poured in through the window, and Rhea sat silently, knees hugged to her chest, staring into the distance.
Her heart was loud, her eyes quiet.
She kept replaying what she’d overheard at the administration office earlier that day.
> “Malhotra Group ke heir ka affair chal raha hai kisi scholarship waali ladki se.”
“Pata nahi ladki kaun hai, par itna toh pakka hai — woh match nahi karti uss level se.”
Rhea’s fingers gripped the edge of the window.
They weren’t wrong.
She whispered to herself, “Unka kehna galat nahi hai… mujhme aur usme jameen asmaan ka farak hai.”
Her eyes stung with unshed tears.
“Main ek middle-class ladki… jo sirf apne marks aur scholarship pe yeh college tak aayi hai.”
“Aur Kabir Malhotra? Uska naam hi kaafi hai. Usse meri tarah ki ladkiyon ki zarurat nahi. Usse toh hazaar ladkiyan mil jaayengi — khubsurat, classy… uske status ki.”
A painful pause.
Her heart clenched.
“Lekin… jo maine feel kiya… kya woh bhi jhooth tha?”
She bit her lip to stop the sob from escaping.
“Woh har baat... har nazar... har smile... sab fake thi kya?”
“Kya Kabir mujhse pyaar nahi karta?”
The wind outside blew softly, but inside her heart, a storm was rising.
She closed her eyes, a silent tear rolling down her cheek.
“Main bas ek lamha thi… ya uski story ka ek page?”
And in that moment, even the stars seemed a little dimmer.
The wind was cool that night, brushing softly against Rhea’s face as she sat by the window, lost in thought. Her eyes stared blankly outside, but her mind was caught in a storm of emotions.
Just then, Anaya entered the room and noticed her friend unusually quiet.
“Rhea?” she said gently. “Are you okay?”
Rhea didn’t respond. She kept her gaze fixed on the night sky.
Anaya walked closer and sat beside her. “What happened? You’ve been quiet since you came back from the admin office.”
Rhea finally looked at her, eyes clouded. “Nothing… Just tired.”
Anaya wasn’t convinced. “Don’t lie to me. I know you. Something’s bothering you. Tell me.”
After a pause, Rhea whispered, “They were right… the people at the admin office.”
Anaya frowned. “What do you mean?”
Rhea sighed. “That there’s a world of difference between me and him. That someone like me… can never belong with someone like him.”
“Rhea…” Anaya’s tone turned serious. “Are you seriously listening to that nonsense?”
“It’s not nonsense!” Rhea snapped, her voice rising. “They weren’t wrong. Look at me! I’m just a middle-class girl, here on a scholarship. And Kabir? He’s rich, handsome, from a powerful family. We’re not the same, Anaya.”
Anaya shook her head. “So what? Since when did love start needing a status certificate?”
Rhea looked away. “I’m just being realistic.”
“No,” Anaya said firmly. “You’re being scared.”
Rhea clenched her jaw. “Just stop, Anaya. Please.”
Anaya stared at her for a moment. Then she softly asked, “Do you love him?”
Rhea’s breath hitched. She didn’t answer.
“Rhea… tell me. Do you love Kabir?”
Silence filled the room for a long moment before Rhea finally whispered, eyes glassy with emotion—
“…Yes.”
Anaya gave a soft smile, reached out and held her hand. “Then trust that your love matters more than your fear.”
Anaya had tried to console her, but Rhea’s eyes were filled with a storm of doubt.
Rhea whispered, “You say love matters more than fear, Anaya… but what if he doesn’t love me at all? The entire college thinks I’m just a timepass for Kabir. That he talks to me just to pass time, nothing else.”
Anaya’s face turned serious. “Do you really believe that Kabir is like that?”
Rhea looked away.
Anaya leaned forward and held her shoulders. “Have you ever looked into his eyes? The way he cares for you, the way he looks at you—it’s full of love. You can hear what the whole college says, but what about what your heart is saying? Why are you ignoring that because of others?”
Rhea sighed deeply. “Maybe… maybe he does love me. But Anaya, there are so many differences between us. He’s so rich. And I… I’m just a middle-class girl. He gets whatever he wants in a second, while I… I spend months longing for the smallest things.”
She paused and looked down.
“Our status is different, our lives are different. You think love is enough? What about everything else? Do you think his parents would ever agree? And even if Kabir does… what if his family doesn’t? Will he really stand against them for me? Will our relationship survive that?”
Anaya didn’t speak for a minute. She took a deep breath and then said softly, “I don’t have all the answers, Rhea. But one thing I know—if you tell Kabir how you feel, he will find the solution. And if he truly loves you, he’ll do anything for you. That’s what love is.”
Rhea looked uncertain. “I don’t know, Anaya… But everything they said today, it felt true. There are too many differences between us.”
Anaya gently said, “I won’t force you to go to him. But if one day, your heart feels it's the right thing to do… don’t hold back. Tell him. Let him decide what your love means to him.”
Rhea didn’t reply, but her silence held a storm of emotion. Anaya hugged her tightly and whispered, “Now stop overthinking, okay? Get some sleep. You still have to see your lover tomorrow.”
She chuckled.
Rhea playfully slapped her arm. “Shut up.”
They both laughed softly and curled up to sleep, with a thousand unspoken thoughts floating in the air between them.
The next morning felt no different to anyone else—classes, campus chatter, the same corridors. But for Kabir, something felt… off.
As usual, he waited near the entrance, expecting to catch a glimpse of Rhea. She always smiled when she saw him. But today… she didn’t even look up. She walked past him with Anaya, talking about something, her eyes carefully avoiding his.
Kabir frowned, confused.
He followed behind them to class. When he entered, his eyes automatically searched for her. She was there—two rows ahead, seated beside Anaya.
He smiled softly and walked toward them, “Hey, good morning.”
Rhea didn’t turn. Anaya smiled politely. Rhea just gave a small nod without looking at him. “Morning,” she said, flat and distant.
Kabir’s heart dipped.
During the lecture, he noticed her not turning even once. Not a glance, not a note passed like always, not even her usual soft laugh at his whispered comments. She sat still, focused, silent. Kabir kept watching her from behind, trying to read her body language.
What happened? Did I do something wrong?
During break, he quickly followed them to the canteen. But again, Rhea sat on the opposite side of the table, talking only to Anaya. Kabir tried to join in, but Rhea’s replies were short, polite, but cold.
He couldn’t take it anymore.
When Anaya got up to take a call, Kabir leaned forward and asked gently, “Rhea… is everything okay?”
Rhea avoided his eyes. “Yes, everything’s fine.”
“But you’re acting… different,” he said softly.
“I’m just tired, that’s all,” she replied, forcing a smile.
Kabir knew she was lying. Her eyes were distant. Her smile didn’t reach them.
Before he could say more, she stood up. “I have some work in the library.”
And just like that… she walked away.
Kabir sat there, staring at the half-drunk coffee she left behind. Everything inside him felt restless, like he was about to lose something he hadn’t even fully gotten yet.
What changed overnight? Why is she pulling away?
He didn’t have the answers. But he knew one thing—he couldn’t just let her drift away without finding out the truth.
The day dragged on painfully. In every class they shared, Kabir tried to catch her eye. But she never looked his way. Not once.
During literature class, when he sat behind her, she shifted her seat slightly toward Anaya — just enough to break the line of connection they used to silently share.
When the professor asked a question, and Kabir instinctively turned to joke with her like he always did, she didn’t even glance at him. She scribbled in her notebook, her smile long vanished.
During lunch break, Kabir waited outside the cafeteria, hoping to catch her before she disappeared again. But when she saw him, she turned to Anaya and said, “I’m not hungry… let’s go to the library.”
His heart ached watching her walk away.
---
By afternoon, Kabir felt like a stranger in her world.
He cornered Anaya near the staircase. “Please… at least tell me what’s going on. Why is she doing this?”
Anaya looked at him with sympathy but shook her head. “Kabir… I think you should ask her yourself.”
“I have been trying!” he said, his voice strained. “She won’t even look at me.”
Anaya sighed. “Maybe she’s scared. Hurt. I don’t know. But whatever she’s feeling… it’s not easy for her either.”
Kabir nodded slowly, his chest tightening. “I’ll wait,” he said quietly. “But not forever. She deserves to know how I feel — even if she’s not ready to tell me how she feels.”
---
As the final lecture ended, Kabir stood outside the class, waiting once again. When Rhea walked out, their eyes finally met — just for a split second.
He saw it then — a flicker. A storm behind those lashes. Pain, conflict… love, maybe?
He stepped forward. “Rhea—”
But she turned away before he could say another word, leaving Kabir with silence and the heavy weight of feelings unspoken.
---
That night, as he sat on his bed, staring at the unread message thread they once shared endless conversations in, Kabir typed one line and deleted it.
Then typed again.
> “I miss talking to you.”
He didn’t send it.
Because maybe… tomorrow, he would say it to her face.
Even if she kept walking away — he was done staying silent.
That night, Kabir sat alone on the balcony outside his room, the cool breeze brushing against his face, but doing nothing to soothe the storm inside him. The stars above blinked in silence, as if they, too, had no answer to the ache blooming in his chest.
His thoughts spun only in one direction — Rhea.
She had never ignored him. Never once avoided his gaze or skipped their light banter. But today… today had felt different. Off. Painful.
It wasn’t just silence — it was distance. A distance Rhea had chosen.
He leaned back against the chair, rubbing his temple, frustrated. He couldn’t understand why.
Was she angry?
Did he hurt her without knowing?
Did someone say something to her?
Lost in thought, Kabir dialed Arjun. The phone barely rang once before Arjun picked up.
“What’s up?” Arjun’s voice came through.
“Something’s wrong,” Kabir said softly.
“With Rhea?”
Kabir nodded, though his friend couldn’t see. “She’s ignoring me, yaar. And not in a usual way… she’s completely avoiding me. No eye contact. No texts. She walked away from me twice today.”
Arjun paused for a moment before saying, “Bhai… lagta hai kisi ne kuch bol diya usse.”
Kabir frowned. “But who? And what would they say?”
“You know how college people are. They gossip. Maybe someone told her something about you… your status, your family… something that shook her.”
Kabir was quiet for a beat, his jaw tightening. “If someone has poisoned her mind… I’ll—”
“Relax,” Arjun interrupted. “We won’t assume. You need to talk to her. There’s no other way.”
Kabir exhaled slowly. “You’re right. Main kal baat karunga usse. Poochunga ki kya hua.”
Arjun’s voice turned serious. “And… Kabir… maybe it’s time.”
Kabir stayed silent.
“You should tell her how you feel,” Arjun continued. “Before it’s too late. Before she walks away for good. Sometimes, pyaar ko kehna padta hai... warna doosre keh dete hain, aur sab khatam ho jata hai.”
Kabir looked out into the quiet sky, his heart pounding. “You’re right. I won’t wait anymore. Kal… kal main sab keh dunga. Jo hoga dekha jayega. But I won’t let her go without a fight.”
A small smile touched Arjun’s lips on the other end. “Good. That’s the Kabir I know.”
They ended the call.
Kabir walked slowly back to his room, determination blooming in his heart like fire.
He looked at Rhea’s contact on his phone, his thumb hovering over it — but he didn’t call. Not tonight.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow, he would ask her.
Tomorrow, he would tell her.
Because now, waiting was no longer an option.
He lay down on his bed, clutching the edge of his pillow, staring into the darkness as one final thought echoed in his mind:
“I just hope… I’m not already too late.”
Then he slept.
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