Aarohi never expected him to notice her. Not the way he did.
She was just a quiet girl who barely passed her classes, stuck between textbooks and late-night tea. And he was Agastya —star footballer, straight-A genius, cold-hearted legend. The guy everyone whispered about. The boy no one truly knew.
But somehow, in the silence between lectures and the spaces no one else saw… he chose her.
And now, she didn’t know if she should feel lucky—or terrified.
PRESENT DAY
It had only been two days.
Two days since Agastya had touched her cheek in that quiet way that made her feel like the most precious thing in the world—and the most fragile. Two days since he whispered, “You’re mine, Aarohi. Say it.”
She hadn’t.
She couldn’t.
But that didn’t stop him from acting like she had.
Now, here she was—heart racing, throat tight—walking down the hallway of the engineering block, clutching her bag like a shield. Her phone buzzed in her hand. Again. And again.
Agastya.
18 missed calls. 27 texts.
Her hands were shaking.
She turned the corner and froze. He was there—leaning against the wall like he belonged to the shadows. His varsity jacket hung open, his jaw tight, eyes burning into her.
He didn’t speak.
He didn’t need to.
The silence between them was louder than anything.
She tried to keep walking.
“Aarohi,” he said, voice low.
She didn’t stop.
“Aarohi,” he said again—louder this time.
She froze.
He walked toward her, slow, steady, like a storm in human form. Her heart pounded so loud, she could barely hear herself breathe.
“Why didn’t you answer?” he asked.
“I—I was busy,” she whispered.
“Too busy for me?” His voice cracked just slightly, like he was holding something in.
“I was with friends,” she said, trying to sound stronger than she felt.
Agastya’s jaw tightened. “Which ones?”
She looked away.
“Which ones, Aarohi?” His voice dropped, hard and cold.
She hated this. The way he looked at her like he owned her soul. Like no one else had the right to even say her name.
“Why does it matter?” she asked.
“Because you’re mine.”
“You keep saying that,” she snapped. “But I’m not some thing you can lock away. I’m not yours, Agastya.”
Something flickered in his eyes. Not anger. Not yet. But something worse.
Hurt.
Then rage.
He stepped closer. Too close.
“You don’t get to walk away,” he said, voice trembling. “Not after everything. Not after the way you look at me like I’m the only person in the world who sees you.”
“I never asked you to see me.”
“No,” he whispered, “but you let me.”
And that was the problem.
He had seen her—really seen her. All her weaknesses. All her fears. And somewhere in between, she’d let him in. Too far in.
Now he was everywhere.
In her phone. In her thoughts. In her dreams.
And right now, in front of her, looking like he might fall apart or burn down the whole world trying to keep her.
“Aarohi,” he said softly, “don’t make me crazy.”
Her voice cracked. “Maybe you already are.”
He laughed—just once. A sharp, broken sound.
“Then pray you never leave,” he whispered, stepping back, eyes still locked on hers. “Because if I lose you, Aarohi… I won’t be the only one who breaks.”
Aarohi
She didn’t remember walking back to her hostel.
She just remembered him.
His voice echoing in her ears. His words—sharp and soft at the same time—choking her heart.
“Don’t make me crazy.”
“Then pray you never leave.”
“Because if I lose you… I won’t be the only one who breaks.”
She closed the door to her room and locked it.
Her breath caught in her throat as she leaned against the wall, eyes shut, chest rising and falling too fast. She dropped her phone onto the bed like it burned her fingers.
He hadn’t messaged again. Not yet.
But she knew he would.
He always did.
Flashback: Two months ago
The day it all began.
It started with a pen.
She dropped hers in the lecture hall, and before she could even bend down, he had picked it up.
“You always forget things, don’t you?” he’d said, handing it over with the ghost of a smile.
She’d blinked at him. Agastya . Talking to her.
“You know my name?” she asked, stunned.
He didn’t answer. Just looked at her like he was already memorizing everything.
Present Day-
Now here she was. Caught in a story she didn’t know how to stop. Or escape.
There were moments when he made her feel like the center of his universe. When his hand wrapped around hers like it was made to fit. When his eyes softened, and she swore she could see the boy he once was—the one who never had anyone to hold on to.
But then there were other moments.
Moments like today.
Where love started to feel like a trap.
Where his gaze didn’t feel warm—it felt like a cage.
Where his love wasn’t gentle—it was possessive. Dangerous. Desperate.
There was a knock on the door.
She jumped.
Her heart dropped.
Another knock. Harder.
“Aarohi,” a voice said through the wood.
It wasn’t Agastya.
She let out a shaky breath.
“Who is it?”
“It’s Meera. Open up, idiot.”
Relief flooded her as she unbolted the door. Her best friend stepped inside, holding two milkshakes and a worried expression.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Meera said. “Wait—is this about him again?”
Aarohi didn’t speak. She just sat down on the bed, staring at the floor.
Meera sighed. “You need to be careful with Agastya, He’s… not normal.”
“I know.”
“I mean it. He watches you like you’re air and he’s drowning. That kind of love isn’t healthy.”
“I know,” she whispered again.
“But you still love him.”
Aarohi looked up. Her eyes stung, but she didn’t cry.
“I don’t know if I love him,” she said softly. “But I can’t un-feel him.”
Ahhh...... okay now lets leave him and focus on our milkshake.
Later that night, when the hostel lights dimmed and the hallway fell quiet, Aarohi finally picked up her phone.
New message from Agastya.
I’m sorry.
I didn’t mean to scare you.
I just… I can’t lose you. I don’t know how to be without you.
She stared at the screen, heart aching.
Another message came in.
Please, Aarohi. Just say something. Anything.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard.
She should ignore him.
She should block him.
But instead, she typed:
I need space, Agastya. Please.
Three dots appeared immediately.
Then disappeared.
Then came back.
But no reply came.
She stared at the screen for a long time before putting it face down and turning off the light.
And still… in the silence of her room, she could feel him.
Like his presence had seeped into her skin.
Like even when he was gone—he was everywhere.
Hey there, Let me know how you like the story and please be kind as it's my first time writing anything.
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