Suhani was nowhere to be seen for the rest of the day's classes.
She had left college early and taken refuge by the lake nearby. Sitting with her knees drawn to her chest and her bag resting on the grass beside her, she looked utterly lost in thought.
What had triggered her so badly that she'd nearly cried in front of everyone?
She hadn't been that emotional in years. Back in school, Suhani had been underconfident and relentlessly bullied. But she had overcome all that—or at least she thought she had. So why now? Why here?
Maybe it wasn't about what happened. Maybe it was about not wanting people to know what she used to be. But even that explanation didn't sit right with her. Frustrated and overstimulated, she stood up, dusted off her jeans, hailed a taxi, and headed home.
---
At home, she changed into a loose white t-shirt and black shorts, tied her hair into a bun, and curled up on her bed. Just as her head hit the pillow, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Anaya:
"Where are you? Are you okay?"
"At home. Just too tired to attend the rest of the classes," she replied.
"Should I come by?"
"It's alright. I'll see you tomorrow."
And with that, she dozed off.
---
When Suhani woke up, it was already 10 p.m. Her dad was home from work, and her mom had returned from visiting some friends. They were both downstairs, getting ready for dinner.
She walked into the dining lobby and sat down, pouring herself a glass of water.
"Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad."
Her father gave a slight nod. Her mother smiled faintly.
Suhani wasn't exactly close to her parents. Once upon a time, they had been a happy trio. Her dad had been the life of every room—funny, loud, magnetic. Her mom had been bubbly and warm, always humming some tune or chatting with someone. But as her dad's business began to grow, he started to change—he became quieter, distant, obsessed with work. And somewhere along the way, her mother had slowly retreated into herself too. Silence became a norm in their house. Playtimes disappeared. Sunday eat-outs were replaced with excuses and fatigue.
She didn't even know what she was supposed to complain about. Nothing happened. And yet... everything had changed.
"How was college?" her dad asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.
"Alright. I left early, didn't feel too well," she mumbled.
"What happened?" her mom asked between bites.
"Nothing big. Just a bad headache. I couldn't concentrate."
"Oh, okay," her mom replied, without pressing further.
Over the clatter of cutlery, her dad spoke again.
"I received an invitation from Mr. Khanna. His daughter's wedding is on Tuesday. He came over personally to invite the three of us."
Suhani groaned inwardly. The Singhanias would definitely be there. But she didn't say anything—she knew when her dad brought up an event like this, it wasn't really a question. It meant they were going.
As her parents continued talking about business, Suhani drifted again, worrying about tomorrow and the awkward stares she might receive. She hoped no one would ask her about today.
After dinner, she said goodnight and headed upstairs. She tried to shut her thoughts off and focused on studying.
---
The next morning
The harsh buzz of her alarm clock jolted her awake. 8:30 a.m.
Crap. She was late.
She rushed to the bathroom, got dressed, packed her bag, and dashed out to catch a cab. It was 8:50, and her class started at 9. She prayed the professor would be late today.
To her relief, as she hurried down the hallway, Anaya was waving at her—Professor Dixit hadn't arrived yet.
"Hey! Slept too much?" Anaya teased.
"Yeah," Suhani muttered, dropping into the seat beside her.
There was a piece of paper lying face down on her desk.
"I didn't see who left it," Anaya said as Suhani stared at it, puzzled.
Suhani picked it up and turned it over.
"I'm sorry."
She didn't need a name. She knew exactly who it was from.
Her jaw tightened. She crushed the note in her fist and tossed it into the dustbin.
From behind the classroom door, Vidyut saw it all. He had expected this.
Before anything else could happen, the professor entered and began teaching without missing a beat.
---
After class, as students filed out, Vidyut stood waiting just outside.
When Suhani exited, still talking to Anaya, she saw him. Her expression changed, and she began to walk faster, ignoring him.
As Anaya split off toward another corridor, Vidyut tried again.
"Hey. Listen—I didn't mean to offend you or anything."
Suhani didn't slow down.
"Suhani, please—can you just stop for a second?" he called, his voice rising in frustration.
Finally, as they turned into a quieter hallway, he reached out and grabbed her arm.
She yanked it away instantly, spinning around to face him, eyes blazing.
"What do you think you're doing?" she spat.
"Why are you not listening to me?"
"Why should I? You did what you had to do. Now leave me alone!"
"You're the one who overreacted! Stop acting like I did something terrible. It was just a photo!"
"Right," she said breathlessly. "A pushover. That's what you think I am, huh?"
"Then why are you even apologizing?" Her voice cracked with emotion.
Vidyut was silent. Agitated. Confused. He didn't know what to say. He didn't understand why it had cut her this deep.
"Don't follow me again," she said coldly.
She turned on her heel and walked off toward her next class, leaving him behind in the hallway, stunned.