Episode 3: Reunion

..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…

Thank you for reading....

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