Ghosts of the past
Author's pov-
Purv gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white as he stared out at the empty parking lot. The night was silent, but inside him, a storm raged.
He let out a deep breath, resting his head against the seat. His heart was still pounding-not from the kiss, but from the way Divya had looked at him. Like she believed in him. Like she wasn't afraid of him.
But she should be.
He closed his eyes, and just like that, he was back in 10th grade.
-
Vaani was laughing about something, her voice blending with the classroom chatter as purv walked in after the break. He wasn't looking for her-his eyes naturally found her, just like they always did.
And then, he saw it.
Vivaan. Standing way too close. His fingers near vaani's neck, their faces inches apart.
Something inside purv snapped.
Before he even registered what he was doing, he had grabbed vivaan by the collar and thrown him to the floor. The classroom went silent as gasps echoed around them, but he didn't care. He didn't stop.
Punch after punch, his knuckles met vivaan's face. His mind was blank, filled only with rage.
"Purv, stop!"
He barely registered vaani's voice, her hands trying to pull him away.
"You're misunderstanding! There's nothing like that!" She pleaded.
But he didn't listen.
It took three guys to pull him off vivaan. His breathing was ragged, his fists bloodied. And then, he saw her-vaani, standing there, looking at him like he was a monster.
The realisation hit him like a slap.
Later, in the principal's office, everything became clear.
The CCTV footage played, showing exactly what had happened.
Vivaan wasn't kissing vaani.
He was fixing the clasp of her necklace.
That was it. That was all.
Purv felt sick. He had broken a guy's nose for nothing.
He turned to vaani, ready to explain, to apologise-to beg if he had to.
But she wasn't looking at him with love anymore.
There was only hatred in her eyes.
And that night, she was sent away to boarding school. Just like that, she was gone.
He never saw her again.
-
Purv opened his eyes, blinking away the memories. His chest felt tight, his fingers trembling as he exhaled sharply.
Years had passed, but that day still haunted him.
He had destroyed the one person who meant the world to him.
And now, here he was, drown to someone else. To Divya.
But what if history repeated itself?
What if he hurt her too?
His anger was a beast, caged but never tamed. He had spent years trying to control it, but what if one day, he lost himself again?
What if he saw something, misunderstood something, and ruined everything all over again?
Purv shut his eyes, trying to shake off the fear clawing at his chest.
He had kissed Divya tonight. He had let his guard down, let himself feel something real.
And now, he wished he hadn't.
Because she deserved better.
And he?
He was nothing but a ticking time bomb.