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The morning felt like any other.

Quiet. Routine. Unremarkable.

Prisha stepped out of her apartment, adjusting her bag as she prepared to leave for work. Her life had become predictable—days filled with work, silence, and a routine she had learned to live with.

Just as she locked the door, her phone rang.

An unknown number.

She paused for a moment, staring at the screen… then answered.

“Hello… who is this?”

There was a brief silence.

Then a male voice spoke—

“Did you recognize me… or have you already forgotten?”

Prisha frowned slightly.

Something about that voice felt familiar… but distant.

“No… I’m sorry, I don’t remember. Who are you?”

A light laugh came from the other side.

“Wow, Prisha. So you really forgot me? It’s me… Laksh.”

Her expression changed.

“Laksh? Wait—how did you even get my number?”

“Oh please,” he said casually. “You got a job and disappeared. We had to find you somehow.”

A small smile appeared on her face.

“I didn’t disappear… I’ve just been busy with work.”

“Hmm, busy,” he said jokingly. “So how are you? All good?”

“Yeah… I’m fine. Work keeps me busy. What about you?”

“Same here. Just managing things,” he replied. “Life goes on, I guess.”

There was a brief pause.

Then he continued—

“Anyway, tell me—are you coming?”

“Coming? Where?” she asked.

“Don’t tell me you forgot this too. We decided to have a reunion, remember? It’s in fifteen days.”

For a moment, she went silent.

And then—

“Oh… right,” she said. “I remember now. I’ve been so caught up with work, I didn’t even realize how much time has passed. Who all are coming?”

“We’ll see. I haven’t talked to everyone yet. You’re the first one I called. There are still fifteen days—we’ll manage.”

Prisha looked ahead, thinking.

“Okay… I’ll come.”

“Good. I’ll call the others now. Take care.”

“Hmm… you too. Bye.”

The call ended.

Prisha lowered her phone slowly.

Friends…

A faint, almost ironic smile crossed her lips.

I don’t really have any friends anymore…

Still…

Maybe meeting them one last time wouldn’t hurt.

The day passed like any other.

Work. Deadlines. Silence.

She kept herself busy—so busy that she didn’t have to think.

By evening, she returned home.

The house was quiet.

Too quiet.

She made dinner, finished everything, and walked out to the terrace.

The night air was calm.

She sat down, looking up at the sky.

And for the first time in a long while…

She felt it again.

Loneliness.

Her thoughts slowly deepened.

Everyone has only ever seen me happy…

They only saw what I chose to show them.

A faint smile appeared, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

No one knows my past…

No one knows what my relationship with my parents is really like…

She looked away.

To everyone, my life always looked simple… like everything was fine.

A quiet breath escaped her.

But it was never really that simple.

To them, I was just the happiest girl in the room.

And maybe… it was easier that way.

Her gaze turned distant.

She hated thinking about the past.

I don’t like my past.

Not at all.

But then…

There was one memory she couldn’t ignore.

One person she couldn’t forget.

The only exception.

The one she was about to meet again… after all this time.

Something about this reunion felt…

Different.

🔥 To be continued…

Fifteen days.

They passed so quickly that Prisha barely noticed.

Work had kept her busy—just like always.

But somehow, in between deadlines and long days, the thought of the reunion stayed quietly in the back of her mind.

And then—

The day finally arrived.

After so long… all her classmates would be together again.

For the first time in years.

And for the first time in a long while…

Prisha felt genuinely happy.

That morning was different.

There was a strange excitement in her.

Something she hadn’t felt in a long time.

She stood in front of her wardrobe, thinking for a moment… and then chose something carefully.

Not casually. Not like every other day.

She actually got ready.

Properly.

After days—no, after months—she made an effort.

When she finally stood in front of the mirror, she paused.

For a second, she just looked at herself.

And then…

A soft smile appeared on her lips.

As if a memory had quietly crossed her mind.

She picked up her phone.

There were messages from Laksh.

He had sent the location of the place where everyone was supposed to meet, along with a simple line—

“Be there on time.”

Prisha opened the location.

Her brows furrowed slightly.

It’s far…

Really far.

Without wasting another second, she quickly grabbed her bag.

Before leaving, she typed a message—

“I might get a little late. The place is quite far.”

The reply came quickly.

“No problem. We’ll wait.”

She looked at the screen for a second… then smiled faintly.

Prisha booked a cab and left.

The city moved past her window as she sat quietly, lost in her thoughts.

And slowly…

Her mind began to drift.

Memories.

One after another.

Small moments.

Classroom laughter.

Random conversations.

Silly fights.

Everything.

It all came back so clearly, as if it had happened just yesterday.

A quiet happiness filled her.

Maybe they weren’t her friends anymore.

Maybe life had taken everyone in different directions.

But once…

They were.

And those memories?

They were real.

And beautiful.

She leaned her head slightly against the seat, smiling to herself.

And then…

One thought stood out.

One person.

A classmate.

Someone who had once been—

Her best friend.

Then just a friend.

And at times… just another classmate.

But even now…

Thinking about him felt different.

Something about it made her heart feel lighter.

Warmer.

And without realizing it—

Her smile grew wider.

I’ll see him today…

That thought alone made her unexpectedly happy.

The cab continued moving forward.

And so did her thoughts—

somewhere between the past…

and what was about to come next.

The cab kept moving.

And before she even realized it—

They had arrived.

“Ma’am, we’ve reached.”

The driver’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

Prisha blinked, as if returning from somewhere far away.

“Oh… yeah,” she said softly.

She quickly checked the time.

4:30 PM.

Half an hour late.

“Great…” she murmured under her breath.

Without wasting another second, she hurriedly stepped out of the cab.

“Thank you,” she said, paying the driver quickly.

And then—

She looked up.

A hotel stood right in front of her.

Not too fancy… but not simple either.

The kind of place meant for quiet gatherings.

For moments like this.

For reunions.

Prisha took a deep breath.

After all this time…

And then—

She walked inside.

The soft hum of conversations and light music filled the air.

For a second, she paused near the entrance, scanning the place.

And then—

She saw them.

All of them.

Her classmates.

Together.

After years.

Laughing. Talking. Just like before.

For a moment…

Everything felt the same.

Like time hadn’t passed at all.

But then—

Her eyes stopped.

On one person.

The world around her seemed to fade.

Voices blurred.

Everything else disappeared.

Her gaze stayed fixed.

It was him.

Her heartbeat slowed… and then quickened again.

She didn’t move.

Didn’t say anything.

Just stood there…

Looking at him.

After all this time…

Nothing had really changed.

Or maybe—

Everything had.

And in that moment—

Prisha realized something.

No matter how far she had come…

Some feelings never really leave.

🔥 To be continued…

..Someone waved loudly.

“Prisha! Over here!”

She blinked.

Looked again.

And froze.

The seat she had been staring at—

Was empty.

Completely empty.

Her chest tightened with embarrassment.

Great.

Now I’m imagining him too.

She walked toward the group anyway, smiling as if nothing had happened.

“Finally!” Laksh said dramatically. “Madam decided to show up.”

“Half an hour late,” Sara added.

“And still acting like we should be grateful she came,” Riva teased.

Prisha laughed.

“I came, didn’t I? Be thankful.”

Everyone burst into laughter.

She greeted everyone one by one and sat down.

Then casually—

Trying very hard to sound casual—

She asked,

“So… everyone’s here?”

Laksh shook his head.

“Almost. Nivan couldn’t come.”

Her smile paused for the smallest second.

“Oh?”

“Work emergency,” he said. “Something urgent came up.”

“He texted in the morning,” Janvi added. “Couldn’t get out of it.”

Prisha nodded.

“Makes sense.”

Her voice sounded normal.

Steady.

As if it didn’t matter.

As if her heart hadn’t quietly sunk.

The evening went on.

And honestly—

It was fun.

They laughed harder than expected.

Shared embarrassing school memories.

Made fun of each other’s old crushes.

Argued over who had changed the most.

Played games.

Ate too much.

Took countless pictures.

And for a while—

Prisha genuinely forgot what she had been disappointed about.

But every now and then—

Her eyes still drifted to the empty seat.

The one no one else noticed.

The one she noticed every time.

By the end of the night, everyone stood outside the hotel saying their goodbyes.

Promises to meet again.

Promises to stay in touch.

Promises everyone made but few kept.

Prisha reached home later than usual.

The house was quiet.

She changed, tied her hair up, and sat on her bed.

The night replayed in her head.

The laughter.

The memories.

The people.

The empty chair.

And the strange heaviness she still carried.

Her phone buzzed.

She picked it up.

A notification.

Laksh created a group chat.

Right.

He had mentioned he would.

Prisha opened it.

Everyone was already sending messages.

Photos from tonight.

Jokes.

Voice notes.

Random chaos.

A smile tugged at her lips.

Then—

A thought hit her.

If he’s in the group…

His number is here.

Her heartbeat changed.

Slowly—

She opened the member list.

Her eyes scanned down.

Until—

They stopped.

Nivan.

She stared at the screen for several seconds.

Then saved the number.

Then opened his chat.

Blank.

Empty.

Silent.

Her thumb hovered over the keyboard.

Should I text him?

Immediately—

Her mind started arguing with itself.

No. Why would you text him?

Because maybe it’s normal—

Normal? After years?

It’s just one message—

Then why are you nervous?

She stared at the screen.

Typed—

Hey

And stopped.

Her thumb hovered over send.

Her heartbeat quickened.

One message.

That was all it would take.

One tap—

And years of silence would break.

But would she do it?

🔥 To be continued…

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