EPISODE 4:“Between Past and Present”

Vihaan...? Ridha said.

You remember my name. He has smile on his face.

The same smile, but softer now. Almost… regretful.

Vihaan tilted his head slightly, watching her.

Ridha took a small step back.

“Yes, I remember,” she said, her voice shaking but firm.

“We were good friends,” she said, her voice shaking slightly but firm.

Her eyes filled with something deeper—hurt, anger, confusion.

“Then why did you do that?”

A pause.

“Why did you break everything?” she said, louder this time.

“You are the reason for all of this.”

Her breath grew uneven.

“You are the reason for all of this.”

“I know I did something…” he continued slowly, “something you’ll never be able to trust me for again.”

Headlights flashed.

A car stopped right beside them.

Ridha blinked, the moment breaking instantly.

She turned.

Aryan was in the driver’s seat.

Watching.

The tension snapped.

Without saying another word, Ridha quickly opened the car door and got inside.

She didn’t look back.

Didn’t give Vihaan another second.

As if she didn’t want to hear anything more.

And as the car started moving—

Vihaan didn’t follow.

He just stood there.

Watching.

Aryan glanced at her.

Something was off.

He could see it clearly.

She looked tense… distant… lost somewhere else.

He wanted to ask.

Who was that?

Are you okay?

But he didn’t.

They weren’t close enough for that.

So he stayed quiet.

The car moved.

Silence filled the space between them.

The car moved through the quiet night.

After a few minutes, Ridha slowly leaned her head back.

Her eyes grew heavy.

And without realizing… she fell asleep.

Aryan noticed.

He glanced at her briefly.

And for a moment—

he forgot to look back at the road.

The car stopped in front of her house.

“Ridha…” he said gently.

No response.

He tried again.

“Ridha, we’re here.”

Still nothing.

But then he paused.

For a few seconds… he just looked at her.

Her face looked calm now.

Peaceful.

Completely different from the tense girl sitting beside him minutes ago.

“Ridha…” he said again, softer this time.

She stirred slightly.

Her eyes slowly opened.

The moment broke.

Reality returned.

She sat up quickly, slightly confused.

“Oh… I’m sorry,” she said, adjusting herself.

Aryan leaned back in his seat.

“It’s fine,” he said casually.

She reached to open the door—

But stopped.

The seatbelt.

It was stuck.

She pulled it once.

“It’s stuck…”

Before she could try again—

Aryan leaned closer.

“Wait,” he said softly.

He reached over.

Too close.

Again.

Ridha froze.

Her breath hitched slightly.

Her heartbeat started racing again.

His hand reached near her shoulder, fingers brushing slightly as he tried to unlock the seatbelt.

Their faces were just inches apart.

Neither of them spoke.

For a moment—

everything felt still.

Then—

click.

The seatbelt released.

But neither of them moved immediately.

Then suddenly—

Ridha pulled back.

She opened the door and stepped out of the car.

“Good night,” she said, not looking back properly.

But even as she walked away…

her heartbeat didn’t slow down.

Inside the car, Aryan watched her leave.

And a small smile appeared on his face.

“Why…” she whispered to herself,

“Why do I feel like this…?”

ARYAN'S POV:

She’s strange…

First she fights… then she agrees… then she falls asleep like nothing happened.

He exhaled slowly.

Who was that guy?

He tightened his grip on the steering wheel slightly.

She wasn’t like that before…

Even when she argued with him, she was sharp, confident.

But today—

she looked shaken.

Who is he…? Aryan said.

And why did it bother him more than it should have?

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