CHAPTER45 [WHEN HE CALLED HER FAKE]
The next morning...
Aarohi slowly opened her eyes.
And the moment she looked in the mirror-
her own reflection scared her.
Her eyes were swollen badly from crying the entire night.
Her nose was red.
Dried tears were still stuck on her cheeks.
But strangely-
none of that mattered to her anymore.
Because right now, she only cared about one thing.
Vihaan.
---
She had to tell him the truth.
Had to make him understand that her feelings were never fake.
Not anymore.
---
After somehow getting ready, Aarohi left for college.
The moment she entered the campus-
whispers started again.
---
"Dekho aa gayi..."
(Look, she's here...)
"Challenge wali ladki..."
(The challenge girl...)
"Kal toh bohot confidence tha."
(Yesterday she looked so confident.)
---
Some people laughed.
Some mocked her openly.
But Aarohi ignored everyone completely.
As if none of their voices could reach her anymore.
---
Her eyes were only searching for one person.
Vihaan.
---
And then-
she finally saw him.
---
The moment Aarohi looked at him-
it felt like the ground disappeared beneath her feet.
---
Vihaan was walking through the corridor while holding another girl's hand.
As if she belonged beside him.
As if yesterday meant nothing.
---
Aarohi's breathing stopped for a second.
Pain shot straight through her chest.
---
Without thinking-
she immediately started walking towards him.
But before she could reach him-
someone held her arm.
---
Sana.
---
"Aarohi, tu pagal ho gayi hai kya?"
(Aarohi, have you gone crazy?)
"Kya kar rahi hai tu?"
(What are you doing?)
"Agar usse parwah nahi hai toh chhod de."
(If he doesn't care, then let him go.)
---
But Aarohi instantly hugged Sana tightly.
And the moment she did-
she broke down again.
---
"Main nahi kar paungi..."
(I won't be able to do this...)
"Usse sab jhooth lag raha hai..."
(He thinks everything was a lie...)
"Aur main andar se mar rahi hoon..."
(And I'm dying from inside...)
"Please Sana... kuch toh kar..."
(Please Sana... do something...)
---
Sana's heart broke seeing her condition.
Just yesterday morning-
Aarohi was laughing brightly like sunshine.
And today-
she looked completely shattered.
---
Sana softly held her face.
"Theek hai..."
(Okay...)
"Tu Vihaan ki class me jaakar baith."
(You go sit in Vihaan's classroom.)
"Main usse kisi bhi bahane se waha bhej dungi."
(I'll send him there somehow.)
---
A tiny hope appeared in Aarohi's tear-filled eyes instantly.
"Pakka na...?"
(Really...?)
---
Sana nodded softly.
"Haan meri jaan, pakka."
(Yes sweetheart, I promise.)
"Ab jaa... aur rona band kar."
(Now go... and stop crying.)
---
Aarohi quickly wiped her tears and nodded.
Then slowly-
she walked towards Vihaan's classroom.
---
The classroom was completely empty.
Silent.
---
Aarohi walked inside slowly and sat on one of the seats quietly.
Her hands were trembling badly.
Her heartbeat was uncontrollable.
---
Because she knew-
the next few minutes would decide whether her love story survived...
or ended forever.
Vihaan entered the classroom angrily.
The moment his eyes landed on Aarohi sitting there-
his expression turned cold instantly.
---
As soon as Aarohi saw him-
she quickly stood up.
Her eyes immediately filled with hope again.
"Vihaan meri baat suno please..."
(Vihaan, please listen to me...)
---
But before she could say anything else-
Vihaan walked closer to her slowly.
His eyes filled with anger and hurt.
---
"Tum khud ko samajhti kya ho?"
(What do you think of yourself?)
"Mujhe yaha apni jhooti baate sunane bulaya hai?"
(You called me here to tell me more lies?)
---
Aarohi's eyes widened instantly.
"Vihaan please-"
---
But he cut her off coldly.
"Ainda mujhe apni shakal bhi mat dikhana."
(Don't ever show me your face again.)
---
Those words completely shattered something inside Aarohi.
Her breathing got stuck painfully.
---
Before she could say anything-
the classroom door suddenly opened.
A few girls entered inside talking loudly.
But the moment they noticed Aarohi-
their expressions changed.
---
One of the girls quickly walked towards her bag kept near the desk.
Then suddenly-
she froze.
---
"Mere paise kaha gaye?"
(Where did my money go?)
---
Everyone looked at her in confusion.
The girl immediately turned towards Aarohi.
Her expression full of accusation.
---
"Tum yaha baithi thi na?"
(You were sitting here, right?)
"Mere bag me ek lakh rupees the."
(There was one lakh rupees in my bag.)
"Kaha gaye paise?"
(Where is the money?)
---
Aarohi looked at her completely confused.
"What...?"
---
The girl stepped closer aggressively.
"Tumhe hi bol rahi hoon!"
(I'm talking to you!)
"Kaha hai mere paise?"
(Where's my money?)
---
Aarohi's throat dried instantly.
"Mujhe nahi pata..."
(I don't know...)
"Maine nahi dekha..."
(I didn't see anything...)
---
The girl suddenly slapped her hard.
The sound echoed inside the classroom.
---
"Jhooth mat bolo!"
(Don't lie!)
"Tu hi yaha thi!"
(You were the only one here!)
"Bol kya kiya mere paise ka?"
(Tell me what you did with my money!)
---
Tears immediately rolled down Aarohi's cheeks.
Shock.
Humiliation.
Fear.
Everything hit her together.
---
And throughout all this-
Vihaan stood there silently.
Watching.
---
Aarohi looked at him desperately.
Hoping.
Begging silently through her eyes for him to say something.
Because he knew her.
He knew she could never steal.
---
But Vihaan looked away coldly.
As if none of this mattered to him.
---
Within minutes, teachers also arrived after hearing the commotion.
Everyone started accusing Aarohi.
Calling her a liar.
A thief.
---
Aarohi kept trying to explain herself.
"Maine kuch nahi kiya..."
(I didn't do anything...)
"Mujhe sach me nahi pata..."
(I really don't know...)
---
But nobody believed her.
Nobody.
---
Finally, crying uncontrollably, Aarohi spoke weakly-
"Main yaha sirf Vihaan se milne aayi thi..."
(I came here only to meet Vihaan...)
---
Instantly, everyone turned towards Vihaan.
Waiting for him to say something.
Anything.
---
Because if Vihaan wanted-
he could end all this within seconds.
He knew Aarohi didn't do it.
Somewhere deep inside-
he knew it.
---
But even then-
he stayed silent.
---
And that silence...
destroyed Aarohi completely.
---
She kept waiting for him to speak.
To defend her.
To trust her just once.
But he never did.
---
At that moment-
something inside Aarohi died forever.
---
Later, her parents were called to college.
Aarohi still had one year left before graduation.
But despite everything-
the college handed her the L.C.
Expelling her completely.
---
Her parents kept questioning her on the way home.
"Kya hua tha?"
(What happened?)
"Sach batao Aarohi!"
(Tell us the truth, Aarohi!)
---
But Aarohi stayed completely silent.
As if she had already died from inside.
---
Her parents even begged the college management to reconsider.
But nobody listened.
Everyone only saw Aarohi as-
a thief.
And just like that-
she was thrown out of the college completely.
Present...
Morning sunlight slowly entered through the large glass windows of the room.
The soft golden rays fell gently on Aarohi's face.
For the first time in many days-
she was sleeping peacefully.
As if her body had finally given up after carrying pain for too long.
---
Vihaan was already awake.
But instead of getting ready for office-
he was quietly sitting beside her on the bed.
Watching her silently.
---
Aarohi was sleeping curled slightly towards his side unconsciously.
Her swollen eyes still showed signs of yesterday's breakdown.
Even in sleep-
she looked tired.
Broken.
---
Vihaan slowly moved a strand of hair away from her face carefully.
As if scared his touch would wake her up.
---
His eyes softened painfully while looking at her.
Because last night-
for the first time-
he had truly understood how much damage both of them had caused each other.
---
And somewhere deep inside-
the guilt was slowly eating him alive.
---
Aarohi moved slightly in her sleep.
Her fingers unknowingly clutched the bedsheet softly.
And suddenly-
in a very low voice-
she whispered something.
"Papa..."
---
Vihaan's expression changed instantly.
Pain crossed his eyes.
---
Even after everything-
the little girl inside Aarohi was still searching for her father.
Still broken because of him.
Still hurting.
---
Without realizing it-
Vihaan gently held her hand in his.
Almost protectively.
---
"Kash uss din tumhari baat sun leta..."
(I wish I had listened to you that day...)
He whispered quietly.
More to himself than to her.
---
Because now he finally understood-
the biggest mistake of his life wasn't loving Aarohi.
It was not trusting her when she needed him the most.
---
A few moments later-
Aarohi slowly started waking up.
Her eyelashes fluttered softly.
And the moment her eyes opened-
she saw Vihaan sitting beside her quietly.
Looking at her.
---
Wait for next part.....
Now there are few more parts......
Then the end of journey VIHAAN and AAROHI.....