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Sritama's voice quivered with a mixture of annoyance and hurt as the door finally swung open. Why isn't he answering? Has he forgotten that I matter to him? The humid air clung to her skin, beads of sweat slipping down her temple, but the tightness in her chest wasn't from the heat-it was from the cold way he stood in the doorway.

Gaurav's eyes flickered with irritation the moment he saw her. She always turns up unannounced. She doesn't understand-life isn't like it used to be. I have... other priorities now. His words came out sharper than he'd intended:

"I was busy. What did you think-that I'm like you, with no work at all, just running pointless errands?"

The jab landed, and Sritama frowned. He never spoke to me like this before. Not when we spent those long afternoons together, lost in our own little world. She stepped forward, pushing him inside almost instinctively, closing the door as if that would shut out the distance growing between them.

Gaurav stiffened. Why does she always assume she has that right?

"What's all this you've started? There's no one else at home right now, and you went and closed the door!!"

She met his gaze with a mix of defiance and hurt.

"You're saying all this just because I closed the door? You're changing, Gaurav da."

Her voice trembled with memory. We used to talk for hours... I could tell him anything. How could he pretend those days meant nothing?

"Can I know the reason for such a change? Will you tell me or not?"

He gave a sarcastic smile, but inside, there was unease. The reason? She wouldn't understand. Or maybe I just don't want to say it aloud.

"Isn't it normal to change with time? And why bring up the past anyway?"

Her next words came with urgency, as if they'd been waiting on the tip of her tongue for days.

"Talks about my marriage are going on at home. Did you know that?"

Gaurav's answer was dismissive, but behind it was something harder-maybe a defense mechanism. Marriage... she's still imagining it could be with me.

"At a certain age, everyone's marriage gets discussed. What's new in that?"

"Why are you saying it like this?" She stepped closer, searching his face for cracks in the wall he was building. Don't hide from me. You said you loved me. I remember the way you looked at me that night.

"You always said you loved me. Or do you not love me anymore? Say it... say it!"

Gaurav felt her hands on his chest and hated how a small part of him still remembered the warmth. But no... better to cut this clean. Shaking her off, he said,

"For God's sake, Sri... how many times do I have to tell you? I can't marry you. I can't love you!!"

Her voice broke. "And what about our love, Gaurav?" Don't erase it. Don't tell me it wasn't real.

"There's no love or anything like that for you," he said firmly, though deep down he felt the echo of guilt. The truth is, I've moved on-and I'm trying to make her move on too.

"Stop singing love songs. Don't you have studies to do? Instead of studying, you've come here to stage some drama about love. Does your sister know all this?"

Sritama's eyes widened. Why my sister? Why drag her into this?

"Why are you dragging my sister into this, Gaurav?"

"Why wouldn't I? I love your sister."

The words hit her like a slap. No... he's lying. He has to be lying.

"Why are you lying? You're trying to fool me because I'm younger."

She clung to his shirt collar, shaking him as if she could rattle the truth loose.

But Gaurav's voice stayed steady.

"I'm not lying to you. And you listen carefully-I don't love you. What is there in you that I would love? Have you ever looked at your own face in the mirror?"

Her mind reeled. How could he...? The man who once called me beautiful is now saying this?

"No... this is a lie. You're trying to deceive me. You do love me... that's why you told me the other day that you had feelings for me. And you said you loved me, over and over! Didn't you? Tell me, Gaurav, tell me!" Tears blurred her vision.

"I've told you before-that was just an accident. That day I wasn't in my senses. I was drunk. And you also have to accept that I wasn't myself. Still, you chose to believe those words."

She whispered his name. "Gaurav..."

"No... I don't want to hear my name from your mouth. I can't believe how you ever thought I loved you. Really. I mean, it's laughable."

He let out a mocking laugh, though deep down, something about her tears twisted in his chest.

"Tell me-what qualities do you have that I'd love you?"

The contempt cut deeper than any outright rejection. So this is how much I meant to him? Her tears, kept at bay for so long, now spilled freely.

"No... I mean, tell me-do you think there's any match between you and me?" he pressed.

Her voice hardened. You may throw away my love, but I will not let you strip me of my dignity.

"You may choose not to accept my love, but you cannot insult me like this!"

He sneered.

"Hmph... respect and insult! You've learned to joke a lot, haven't you? What, are they teaching you this in college instead of studying? From today, if you have even a shred of self-respect left, never give me the chance to see your face again. Keep that in mind. Baldy fool!!!"

And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving her in the heavy silence of the hallway-her heart pounding, her cheeks wet, and the echo of his cruelty still burning in her ears.

To be continued........