Chapter 15
Nisha
Even the early morning sun slipping through the sheer curtains isn’t enough to pull me out of bed. I lie there, staring at the ceiling as the memory of last night plays over and over in my mind. God… that kiss.
The way his lips met mine, gentle yet all-consuming, still tingles on my lips, enough to make my toes curl. And my heart isn’t just beating anymore; it’s fluttering, racing, betraying every bit of caution I promised myself I’d hold onto where my emotions are concerned.
Everything between Sidharth and me is shifting. Fast. Too damn fast. But strangely, it doesn’t scare me. If anything, it makes me feel oddly at ease.
And that doesn’t make any sense to me. He’s been in my life for such a short time, and the truth is that I hardly know him.
I don’t know the little details, the things that usually matter…
his likes, his dislikes. We haven’t even had a conversation deep enough to call ourselves friends who truly understand each other.
And yet, somehow, when he’s around, the noise in my head quiets.
Even now, with everything still swirling around me, with the email and the meeting with Prakash, I don’t feel quite as tormented.
How easily Sidharth has slipped past my defenses. How naturally he fits into the cracks I’ve been hiding for so long. How I find myself drawn to him in this crazy, inexplicable, and beautifully overwhelming way—all at once.
Closing my eyes tightly, I try to rein in my raging hormones and let my logical brain take over, to make sense of all these mixed emotions I’m feeling.
Damn, I shouldn’t even be thinking about getting into a relationship.
I need to protect my heart. It’s already been through enough.
Especially after what I’ve just come out of.
But almost instantly, my heart pushes back with quiet defiance.
Sidharth is not Prakash. Not even close.
What I’m feeling for Sidharth can’t be tainted by Prakash.
And this time, my mind agrees with my heart.
Maybe I’ve been too hard on it, keeping it on a tight leash for something it didn’t deserve.
Come to think of it, my heart never reacted like this with Prakash.
There was no breathless pull, no racing heartbeat.
What I had with Prakash wasn’t love. And, I think deep down, I always knew that.
Maybe that’s why we never shared anything truly meaningful.
Just a few stolen kisses, and even those don’t come close to how one kiss from Sidharth shook me to my core.
Looking back, my time with Prakash feels more like a childish crush I mistook for something serious.
Something that only left me with regret and a lesson I won’t ever forget.
The ring of my phone snaps me out of my spiraling thoughts. My heart skips a beat, and instantly, I cross my fingers, hoping that it shouldn’t be Sidharth. I know it’s silly of me to avoid him, but I’m just not ready to face him yet.
Sitting up in my bed, my hands tremble slightly as I reach for my phone on the nightstand. But the moment Kavya’s name flashes on the screen, my heart starts pounding even harder.
Did she find out about my meeting with Prakash? Does she know about the email? God, how am I supposed to explain any of this without scaring her off?
With a shaky breath and fingers that don’t quite feel steady, I swipe to answer.
“I’m damn upset with you. How dare you?” Kavya snaps immediately, her tone laced more with anger than worry.
I feel a lump form in my throat. “Kavya… I’m sorry. I… I—” But she cuts me off.
“No. Your sorry is not accepted,” she huffs.
“How could you not call for two whole days? And when I tried reaching you, my calls went unanswered. Do you even know what that did to me? I was this close to losing my mind. Thank God for Sidharth, he kept me updated. If it weren’t for him, I swear I would’ve taken the next flight to Bangalore. ”
I let out a breath of relief. She doesn’t know. About the email. About Prakash.
“I’m sorry, Kavya,” I whisper, voice barely holding steady.
“Things have just been… a little busy.” It’s not a lie.
The last two days have been a blur of emotions—the doctor’s appointments, college searches, and then that damn email.
Every time I thought about calling her, I was already too drained.
Emotionally and physically. And honestly, I didn’t want to call only for her to hear how worked up I really was.
She sighs on the other end, her tone gentler now. “Yeah, Sidharth told me. I heard you’re thinking about starting your studies again. God, I can’t tell you how happy that makes me.”
I smile faintly. “It’s just the start, but it feels good to have something to look forward to.”
“That’s my girl,” she says quietly.
“And you? How are you feeling?”
She groans dramatically. “Don’t even ask.
Morning sickness is kicking my butt. Reyansh tries to act all calm and composed, but the second he thinks I’m not listening, he’s on the phone with the doctor, giving them a hard time, demanding to know when my morning sickness will go away, and even threatening that if they don’t make me feel better soon, he’ll have them all fired. ”
I giggle, leaning my head back against the headboard. “He did not.”
“Oh, he did,” she insists, and I can hear the smile in her voice. “He’s a total wreck, but in the most adorable way. He’s been amazing through it all. But in all this.” Her voice falters. “I miss you. I miss having you and Sunita Aunty around.”
“I miss you too. Every single day,” I say, pulling my knees up and hugging them to my chest. Her absence tugs at me, though a small part of me is relieved she’s not here. Especially now, with all the mess resurfacing.
“I know we’re both building different lives now, but that doesn’t mean we have to drift apart. I want to be included in your life. I want you to keep me updated. Every single detail. No more disappearing acts.”
I blink fast to stop the tears. “Promise.”
“Good,” she says with a sniff. “Because if you ghost me again, I’m coming over there and dragging you back with me.”
A watery laugh escapes me. “Noted, ma’am.”
“Okay, now go eat your breakfast. And call me later. I want a full report on what colleges and subjects you’re looking at.”
“Deal,” I say, smiling.
“Love you.”
“Love you more.”
The moment I hang up the phone, the ache in my chest tightens, because I won’t be able to keep the promise I made to keep her in the loop and tell her everything.
Not because I want to lie to her, but because I love her.
And there are things I still need to protect her from.
In her condition, she deserves peace, not the chaos I’m barely beginning to understand myself.
And maybe, somewhere deep down, I’m holding on to the hope that we’ll find whoever’s behind all this before it reaches a point where I can’t protect the people I care about.
There’s a knock at the door, and assuming it’s Sunita Aunty, I call out, “Come in.”
But when the door opens, my heart skips a beat as Sidharth steps in. I gulp, shifting slightly, and let my legs fall to the floor, but I don’t stand. My eyes sweep over him, taking in the dark jeans and crisp white shirt, and just like that, I forget how to breathe.
God, please help me act normal. Please.
“Hey,” he says, his gaze so soft it makes my stomach twist in the most nerve-wracking way.
“Hi,” I manage to say, trying to steady my nerves.
“You just woke up?” he asks, as he pulls a chair close to my bed and sits down.
“Yup,” I nod, aiming for casual, though my pulse is anything but.
“Nisha,” he begins, eyes flicking to mine before lowering slightly, “there’s something I need to talk to you about.”
Something in the way he says it, his almost hesitant tone, tells me this isn’t just a friendly check-in.
This is about last night. About the kiss.
About him realizing it was a mistake. The mere thought of it unsettles me.
Yes, the kiss took me by surprise, but it wasn’t a mistake.
It wasn’t a lapse in judgment. Instead, it was the only moment I truly felt something beautiful.
But I can’t say that. So instead, I sit up a little straighter, force a small smile that doesn’t quite reach my eyes, and cut in quickly, trying to beat him to it before he can say the words out loud. The ones I know will only sting deeper.
“Relax,” I say, trying to force a lightness into my voice. “I know you want to apologize for the kiss. That we should just forget it ever happened.” I let out a hollow laugh to shield myself from the rising embarrassment. “In fact, consider it already forgotten.”
His eyes narrow, and I can’t tell if it’s hurt, angry, or both. “Forgotten?”
I open my mouth to reply, but he lifts a hand, stopping me.
“That kiss isn’t something I’ll forget. And I don’t regret it, not even for a second. I’m not here to apologise for that,” he says bluntly, making my breath catch.
My breath catches as he leans forward slightly, the space between us charged with unspoken tension.
“I’m not here to apologize for that,” he continues, his gaze locking with mine.
“And even if I had to apologize, it wouldn’t be for the kiss.
The only thing I’d say sorry for is how I went about it, the impulsiveness and the timing.
The way I rushed in without giving you the space you might have needed. ”
I don’t move. I don’t speak. His words crash into me, making whatever I feel for him a hundred times stronger.
“I know you’ve got a thousand things running through your mind right now,” he says, gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
“And I also know you’re nowhere near ready for anything more.
I should’ve respected that. I should’ve shown patience.
Should’ve waited until you were ready to meet me halfway. ”
His eyes don’t leave mine as his fingers trail a light path along my cheek. “I never meant to push you, Nisha. But the truth is, I wanted that kiss. It’s just so damn hard not to show how much I want you.”
“Sidharth…” I whisper the words on the tip of my tongue, though I’m not even sure how to admit I feel the same. But before I can find the courage, he speaks again.
“Don’t trouble that beautiful head of yours. Let’s table this talk for later, when you’re ready, and when you feel comfortable.” He leans back slightly, his hand dropping as his expression shifts, more serious now, more tense. “There’s something I need to talk to you about.”
A knot forms in my chest. “What is it?”
He hesitates for a bit, like he doesn’t want to tell me. Then finally, he says, “It’s about Prakash.”
My stomach drops, dread curling in my chest, but I force the words out anyway. “What about him?”
He studies me for a few long seconds, then says quietly, “He’s escaped from jail.”
My eyes widen and my breathing stutters as I clutch the blanket tighter. “No… no, that can’t…” I stop mid-sentence, unable to finish as panic clogs my throat.
“Nisha, breathe,” Sidharth urges, suddenly right beside me, his hands gently but firmly cupping my face. “Look at me, Nisha.”
“He… he’s going to hurt me,” I choke out the words, tears slipping down my cheeks as I look into his eyes.
“Nothing’s going to happen to you,” he replies firmly, his thumbs gently brushing my cheeks. “I won’t let anything touch you. I swear it. I’ll burn the world down to keep you safe.”
His words steady me, but barely. They’re not enough. My chest still feels too tight, my breaths too shallow.
Sidharth doesn’t miss the panic in my eyes, or the way my shoulders tremble with every uneven breath. That’s when he continues, his voice tender now. “I’ve already put things in motion. I won’t let him anywhere near you again.”
I nod slowly, the fear beginning to ebb as his words start to sink in. My breathing evens out, and the weight on my chest eases, just enough to let the air in.
He lets out a quiet sigh of relief and watches me for a moment, like he’s making sure I’m back to being myself. And then, to my surprise, a small smile curves his lips.
“So will you have dinner with me tonight?”
I blink at him, thrown completely by the sudden shift. “Dinner?”
His smile widens mischievously. “Yes, dinner. You know where two people sit across from each other, talk about everything and nothing, and laugh?”
I stare at him, still trying to process how he can even think about dinner when we have a serious problem to deal with.
“Sidharth, we need to figure out what Prakash is up to and how he managed to get out,” I remind him.
He leans in just slightly, his eyes holding mine with a quiet intensity. “Let me do the worrying. That’s my job, not yours. You just need to trust me and focus on getting back to normal. I’ve got this.”
“I trust you, but we can’t just go for dinner like nothing’s happened.”
“Why can’t we?” he asks, tilting his head.
“I don’t see anything wrong with it.” He shakes his head before continuing.
“Nisha, by now you know that I’ve fallen for you.
Hard. There’s no turning back for me. And if you’re ever going to catch up, you need to know the real me.
All of me.” He grins, soft but sure. “The dinner that’s just part of that.
And I won’t let that bastard take this away from me.
” He pauses, his eyes locked with mine. “So will you give me a chance and come to dinner with me tonight?”
I stare at him for a long beat, my heart lurching in my chest. How can someone be so perfect? And how did I even get this lucky to have him walk into my life right when I’m at my lowest, when I needed someone the most?
“Yes,” I finally nod.
His smile deepens, and at the same time, there’s a quiet knock in my heart. A soft whisper that tells me that whatever this is with Sidharth, it’s something good... something that might just be the only road to happiness.