~7~

March, 2015

Darsh's POV:

"You have to believe me! She rolled her eyes at me when I kissed you," Ava said, glaring at my dog with all the conviction in the world. She sat on my lap, arms wrapped around me, her pout making me laugh suppressively.

I never thought I'd find myself so eager, so patient to listen to someone talk endlessly. I've always hated listening to people blabber. I still do except when it's her.

I always act uninterested when she's talking, but the truth is, I hang onto every word that comes out of her mouth. Even now, I remember the first time I saw her. Her eyes twinkled with mischief, and a little drool on the corner of her lips made me chuckle. She was adorable and still is.

Ava tries to be the world's best actor, but she's terrible at it. She gets caught every time she pulls one of her silly pranks on any girl who gets too close to me.

This crazy girlfriend of mine has been stalking me since the day we met. She knew my entire schedule: what shirt I'd wear, what I'd crave for lunch, even which manga I'd read next. It didn't freak me out. If anything, it made me feel like the luckiest bastard alive. How many people can say their partner knows them in and out?

She thinks I don't know about her antics. But I do. Like the time she threw a mixture of paint and glue on Ashu when she tried to kiss me. Or the times she left gifts in front of my door—my favorite manga, a cricket bat signed by Dhoni all with an "A" etched somewhere as her signature.

I don't know what stopped her from asking me out, but I didn't want to wait. So, I made the first move. What she doesn't realize is that the attraction has always been mutual.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked, her voice pulling me back from my thoughts.

"Nothing," I said, leaning in to peck her lips. "Have you packed everything yet?"

"Oh, I almost forgot I need to buy a new charger," she said, starting to get up from my lap. But I tightened my grip around her waist, not ready to let go just yet.

"Someone will have the same charger as you," I murmured against her neck, my lips brushing her skin. "But we may not get to be alone for the entire week, Ava..." I trailed off, rolling my lips down her neck, stopping just where I knew her weak spot was. She arched her back, just as I expected. Smirking, I kissed her again, savoring every second.

Just when things were getting good, the doorbell rang. Of course. Everyone seems to have impeccable timing when it comes to interrupting us.

Grumbling under my breath, I opened the door just enough to see who it was. My cousin Priti barged in, shouting, "Ava, emergency! Come with me now."

Ava looked at me, confused, before Priti dragged her out. I sighed, promising to get her charger before morning and grabbing my car keys.

Driving back with the charger, I realized it was past 10 p.m. the town's closing time. The roads were quiet, and it would only take about six minutes to get home.

My phone buzzed. I reached over to answer it, taking my eyes off the road for just a second.

What happened next shattered everything.

The world seemed to slow down as my headlights illuminated a figure darting into the road. My heart stopped. Adrenaline surged through me as I slammed the brakes, the tires screeching in protest. The car lurched violently to a halt, the smell of burnt rubber filling the air.

I sat frozen, gripping the steering wheel as my breathing turned ragged. My hands trembled as I unbuckled the seatbelt, dread pooling in my stomach. When I stepped out, my legs felt like they'd give away beneath me.

And then I saw her.

Kyra.

Her body lay crumpled on the ground, blood streaking her forehead, and pooling beneath her. For a moment, I couldn't breathe. The sight knocked the wind out of me, leaving my chest hollow. My knees hit the pavement as I scrambled to her side.

"Kyra?! Kyra!" I shouted, my voice breaking. I shook her gently, slapping her cheeks in a desperate attempt to wake her. Her skin felt clammy, lifeless.

I pressed my fingers to her neck, searching for a pulse. Relief hit me like a tidal wave when I found it, faint but steady. She was still alive.

Panic kicked in, giving my shaky limbs the strength to act. I scooped her up and carried her to the car, my mind racing with a hundred questions. Why was she here? What happened?

The drive to the hospital was a blur of flashing lights and blaring horns as I ran every red light. My hands were slick on the wheel, my heart hammering against my ribs. My breath came in short, shallow bursts as I dialed everyone I could think of.

At the hospital, chaos erupted. Doctors swarmed Kyra, whisking her away to the emergency room. The police arrived soon after, bombarding me with questions. I tried to explain, but my mind was spinning. I told them everything I knew.

Her family arrived, their faces etched with fear and anger. Her mother's wails pierced the air as her father's icy glare bore into me. Virin clung to Abhi, his expression torn between rage and despair.

I couldn't take it anymore. The walls felt like they were closing in. I nodded at Abhi, who seemed to understand and slipped outside.

Sitting on a bench outside the hospital, I buried my face in my hands. We were supposed to be packing right now. Tomorrow, we'd be sitting around a bonfire, laughing, and playing stupid games. And now everything had changed in just one hour.

"Darsh," her voice called, trembling yet comforting.

I ran to her, pulling her into the tightest hug I'd ever given. "Ava, I... I..." My words caught in my throat. I didn't know how to explain. Didn't know how to face her.

But she gripped me back, her sobs muffled against my chest. Her tears broke through the wall of guilt I'd built around myself. She needed me as much as I needed her. I held her close, whispering reassurances I wasn't even sure I believed.

We went back to the ICU. My mom had a mini panic attack until I reassured her the blood on my shirt wasn't mine. The tension was suffocating as everyone leaned against the walls, waiting for any news.

Finally, the doctor emerged, and we all swarmed around him.

"She was stabbed twice in the stomach," he began. Everyone gasped, their confusion turning to panic. Except for the police no one else seemed to hear past the phrase, "She came out of nowhere in front of my car."

Accusatory glares landed on me, but I stood frozen, guilt tightening like a noose around my neck.

"She lost a lot of blood," the doctor continued, "but no vital organs were damaged except for a severe concussion. She's out of danger for now, but we'll keep her under observation for 24 hours."

It took 37 hours for Kyra to wake up. Once she was stable, the police took her statement.

She recalled walking to Priti's house when someone placed a cloth over her nose. After that, she didn't remember anything. But before she passed out, she managed to grab something: a keychain with the letter "D" on it.

When the police showed it to me, my blood ran cold. Virin's disbelieving gaze burned into me, and Ava gasped. They both knew it was mine because they both selected it together.

Could this get any worse?

                                                                                                 ~~***~~