P R E S E N T

AUTHOR POV

It was already past midnight when Abhinav finally entered the mansion.

The whole mansion was silent.

Not seeing Tripti anywhere in the hall, he quietly made his way toward their bedroom.

He pushed the door open and saw her curled up on the bed, asleep.

Without making a noise, he changed into comfortable clothes and slipped under the blanket, laid down beside her.

R: Sir, we have a meeting for the CM's interview.
A: Done

He sighed, shut his phone and placed it on the side table.

Exhaustion finally overtook him and within moments, he drifted into a deep sleep.

Around 3 a.m., Tripti stirred as her stomach growled. Half-awake, she turned to check on Abhinav and saw him sleeping on his stomach, one arm stretched across the bed.

"Ye ghar aaye aur mujhe jagaya bhi nhi ?" she mumbled to herself being disappointment.

(He came home and didn't even wake me up?)

She got out of bed and walked to the washroom. After a refreshing shower, she wrapped herself in a soft pink saree.

She went downstairs, the mansion was still enveloped in darkness. As she approached the puja room, she noticed Janki already awake and sitting with her Gita open.

"Raat ko khana nhi khaya woh" Janki said.

(He didn't eat dinner at night.)

"Maa ji, woh mai so rhi thi" Tripti replied quietly.

(Maa ji, I was asleep)

"Hn, maharani ho na" Janki muttered.

(Yes, you're a queen, aren't you?)

Tripti exhaled shakily, pushing back the sting of the words. She lit the diya carefully and watched the flame bloom to life.

Afterwards, she headed straight to the kitchen. Knowing the maids were probably still asleep, she began preparing breakfast herself as she was hungry.

After an hour, the aroma of freshly prepared breakfast filled the kitchen.

Tripti wiped her hands on her saree pallu, her hunger tugging at her insides but she knew all too well that if she ate before him, Janki would surely lash out.

With a quiet sigh, she stepped out of the kitchen and walked upstairs toward the bedroom.

She pushed the door open gently. Abhinav was still sprawled across the bed, half-buried under the duvet.

"Abhi uthiye" Tripti said softly while shaking him a little.

(Abhi, wake up)

"Tripti... mai so rha hu" he groaned.

(Tripti... I am sleeping)

"Uthiye na" she pleaded, this time shaking him with more determination.

(Wake up)

His eyelids fluttered open and he groggily turned his head toward the clock on the side table.

"What the hell? Subha ke 5 baj rhe h bas" he muttered being irritated as he turned to face her.

(What the hell? It's only 5 in the morning)

"Hn... naha lijiye, khana ban gya h" she said.

(Yes... go take a bath, the food is ready)

"Abhi mujhe bhuk nhi h" he mumbled and pulled the duvet over his head.

(I'm not hungry right now.)

"Raat ko khana nhi khaya tha na apne" she reminded him quietly.

(You didn't eat dinner last night, right?)

"Nhi... mai kha ke aya tha Rakesh ke sath" he said. Her hands froze mid-air, her face fell as she processed his words.

(No... I had already with Rakesh.)

"Mujhe bhuk lagi h, uthiye" she said again, but this time her tone was firm, serious, no pleading and no gentleness. He didn't respond. His breathing slowly evened out again.

(I'm hungry, get up)

Annoyance flickered in her eyes.

She grabbed the duvet and yanked it off him in one swift motion.

His eyes flew open.

"What is wrong with you?!" he snapped.

"Wrong? Mujhe bhuk lagi h aur apki maa mujhe khane nhi degi..." she said while matching his tone in frustration.

(I'm hungry, and your mother won't give me food...)

"Kaisi baatein kar rhi ho, tumhari bhi maa h woh" he said in disbelief.

(What are you saying? She's your mother too.)

Tripti simply stared at him, unwavering, stubborn and unblinking. He knew that look, knew there is no winning against it this early in the morning.

With an exhale, he pushed the blanket aside, got to his feet and walked straight to the washroom.

After taking his bath, Abhinav stepped back into the bedroom.

Tripti was sitting on the edge of the bed, her expression completely blank, a poker face that gives nothing away.

He let out a small sigh of annoyance and began putting on his clothes.

"Chalo" he said once he was ready.

(Let's go)

She rose quietly and walked beside him as they made their way downstairs.

In the dining area, he took his seat while Tripti began serving him breakfast.

"Jaldi uth gya beta?" Janki asked softly and settled into the chair beside him.

(You woke up early, son?)

"Hn maa" he replied, though his eyes flickered toward Tripti, who was sitting from him and watching him steadily.

(Yes, maa)

"Waise bhi mujhe tujhse zaruri baat karni thi" Janki continued. He turned toward her, giving her his attention.

(Anyway, I needed to talk to you about something important)

"8 saal hogye h tum dono ki shaadi ko... ek bhi bacha nhi hua. Kuch dikkatt hai kya Tripti mein?" Janki said bluntly.

(It's been 8 years since you two got married... you still don't have a child. Is there some problem with Tripti?)

"Mujh mein?" Tripti's voice trembled with disbelief as she looked at Janki.

(With me ?)

"Aur nhi toh? 8 saal mein ek bhi bacha nhi? Dikkatt hai toh batao... illaj karwa dega Abhinav" Janki said being completely unbothered by Tripti's presence.

(Of course! Not even one child in 8 years? If there's a problem, tell me... Abhinav will arrange the treatment)

"Maa... waisa kuch nhi h... bas thora busy schedule hogya h" Abhinav said quickly, stepping in before Tripti could speak.

(Maa....it's nothing like that... it's just that things have gotten a bit busy)

"8 saal se?" Janki questioned.

(For 8 years?)

Abhinav glanced at Tripti, a quick, unreadable look before facing Janki again.

"Acha dekhte h hum dono maa" he said softly, ending the conversation as he lowered his gaze to his plate and began eating.

(Alright, we both will see, Maa)

The meal passed in tense silence.

After breakfast, he stepped out through the main door while adjusting his shirt as he prepared to leave for work, only to find Tripti standing just outside.

"I'm just coming" he said into his call and lowered the phone slightly.

He looked at her. "Don't mind her words"

He was about to turn away when she reached out and held his hand gently, stopping him.

"Aaj jaldi aayiyega" she said softly.

(Please come early today)

"Kuch kaam?" he asked being impatience as he glanced toward his car.

(Do you need something?)

"Ganga Arti ke liye... mera man kar rha h" she murmured.

(For the Ganga Aarti... I feel like going.)

"Thik h" he replied, pulled his hand back before walked away, leaving her standing quietly at the doorway.

(Alright)

She watched him walk away, a faint, hopeful smile touching her lips. When he disappeared through the gate, she turned and stepped back into the mansion.

The moment she entered the living room, Janki's voice came from the couch.

"Tum dono raat ko woh sab nhi karte kya? Jhagra chal rha h?"

(Do you two not do all that at night? Are you fighting?)

Tripti froze for a second, her jaw tightening. Under her breath, she muttered, "Ghar mein rehte rehte inka dimag kharab hogya h"

(Staying at home all the time has messed up her mind)

"Woh busy h maa ji" Tripti replied aloud as she forced a polite smile.

(He is busy, maa ji)

"Busy hai ya man bhar gya h uska?" Janki asked.

(Is he busy, or is he just fed up with you?)

"Kaisi baatein kar rhi h aap?" Tripti's eyes widened in disbelief.

(What are you saying?)

"Jo lag rha h" Janki said casually before walking away, as if she hadn't just pierced someone's heart.

(What it seems like)

The moment Janki's back turned, Tripti's eyes filled up and her vision blurred. Her throat tightened painfully. She wiped the corner of her eyes quickly before the tears could fall.

Not wanting anyone to see her break, she walked straight out of the mansion and slipped into the car. She sat there for a moment and gripped the steering wheel tightly as she took a deep breath.

"Shopping... shopping kar leti hu" she whispered to herself with a shaky smile, desperately trying to brush off the sting of Janki's words.

(Shopping... let's go and do some shopping)

But instead of heading toward the mall, her heart guided her somewhere else.

She drove straight to the Ganga ghat, the one place where she always finds silence, calm and a little piece of herself.

Parking the car, she stepped out and walked down the old stone stairs. The cool breeze brushed past her, carrying the scent of the river. She sat down on the steps and pulled her knees slightly together, her eyes were fixed on the flowing water.

The ripples shimmered softly under the early light but inside her chest, everything felt heavy.

"Man... bhar gya h unka?" she murmured, her voice barely audible as if afraid the river might answer.

(Is he... fed up with me?)

____________________

P A S T

After meeting Abhinav that day, Tripti didn't get a single chance to see him for almost a week and surprisingly, that made her happier than she expected. The absence felt like peace.

"You should be careful" Arushi warned, stirring her drink as they were sitting in the quiet corner of the college canteen.

"It's not like they will kill me" Tripti scoffed lightly.

Just then, the atmosphere in the canteen shifted. Abhinav walked in with his teammates, laughter echoing around them.

The entire group carried that confident, athletic energy that always drew eyes. Tripti's posture instantly straightened when his gaze met hers for a fraction of a second.

For a moment, she thought he would come over... say something...

But he simply looked away and walked with his team to a larger table.

Tripti pressed her lips together. "Waise... ye log seniors h right?"

(By the way... these people are seniors, right?)

Arushi nodded, not taking her eyes off the boys. "Yeah."

"I hate football" Tripti said in disgust and crossed her arms tightly over her chest.

"But I love it" Arushi said dreamily as her eyes were fixed on the group.

"Football or the footballer?" Tripti teased.

Arushi laughed, caught red-handed.

Tripti's phone buzzed.

"Oh. Maa... I'll be back" she said, stood up and walked away while answering the call.

Her attention stayed glued to her phone as she walked, unaware of the mischief unfolding ahead.

Prince, the captain, stretched out his leg intentionally as he watched her approaching.

Distracted, Tripti didn't see it. Her foot caught his leg and she stumbled forward with a soft gasp but before she could hit the floor, strong hands grabbed her by her arms.

Abhinav.

Startled, she blinked up at him. Her face was inches away from his face.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a quiet whisper.

"Maaza kharab kar diya yaar!" one of the teammates groaned, annoyed their prank failed. Tripti shot him a piercing glare.

(You ruined the fun, man!)

"You think you can scare us?" Prince asked lazily while leaning back with a challenging smirk.

"Scare?" she snapped. "I'll chop you"

That made Prince rise to his feet abruptly. He stepped in front of her and towered over her.

Instinctively, Tripti stepped back and her back bumped into Abhinav's chest.

"Larki ki ragging karte hue sharam nhi aati?" she said in anger as she glared at Prince and his group.

(Aren't you ashamed of ragging a girl?)

"Agar kam bolti na toh jaane deta, but I think fvcking you, will be fun" Prince said and gripped her chin with his fingers.

(If you had stayed quiet, I would've let it go, but I think fvcking you will be fun)

"Prince, let her go"

Abhinav stepped in immediately and yanked Prince's hand away from her chin.

"Don't come in my way" Prince growled while glaring at him.

"Idiot" Tripti hissed before she turned and ran out of the canteen.

She stopped near a large neem tree and leaned against it as she muttered curses under her breath, each one sharper than the last. Her hands trembled slightly from the adrenaline still rushing through her veins.

When she finally looked up, she saw Abhinav approaching her.

He stopped right in front of her.

"What?!" she snapped in  frustration.

"You forgot this" He held out her phone.

She snatched it from his hand without a second glance.

"Now get lost" she muttered, furiously tapping her screen to avoid looking at him.

"Hey? I helped you. I expect thank you from you" he said.

"Get lost, you fvcker" she hissed.

"Don't you think... you shouldn't be saying this to me?" he asked.

"I think I should say this for a bully like you" she replied with a sarcastic.

"Really? Then let me be the bully first" he murmured as he stepped closer.

Instinctively, Tripti stepped back, only to feel the rough bark of the tree behind her. Abhinav placed his hands on either side of her head, caging her in. His face dipped closer as his breath brushed her cheek.

"Can you handle it?" he asked in a low tone.

"I'll spit on you" she shot back.

"Go ahead, and I'll kiss you" He smiled.

Her mouth fell open in shock.

"What a pervert you are" she breathed.

"Really?" He pushed back, dropped his arms and walked away as if the moment meant nothing to him.

Tripti stared at his retreating back being speechless.

"I hope, I won't see you again in this lifetime!" she yelled after him.

He lifted a hand and gave her a casual thumbs up without even turning, making her blood boil all over again.

******

"Why do you always pull fights with them?" Arushi asked in concern as they settled into their seats in class.

"I don't. They do" Tripti replied with a shrug while tapping her pen against the desk carelessly.

"Like this you will end up getting TC" Arushi warned.

"Kyu baap ka raaz h ky?" Tripti said in frustration.

"Prince waisa hi h. Stay calm with him. But thank god Abhinav helped you" Arushi added.

"He? Helped?" Tripti repeated being genuinely confused.

"No one says anything against Prince, but he did... so practically yes" Arushi said with a little shrug.

Tripti turned her eyes toward the board, signaling she didn't want to continue this discussion.

The rest of the lecture passed slowly.

After class,

Tripti walked toward her car with Arushi. She got in and Arushi hopped into the passenger seat; they had decided to grab lunch at a nearby restaurant to unwind.

They found a small corner table and placed their order.

"You are a fun personality" Arushi said suddenly while smiling at her.

"Really? I thought I was a crazy personality" Tripti laughed.

"We are only 19... things will get change in future" Arushi replied.  Tripti hummed in response.

"How was your school life?" Arushi asked.

"Uhm... similar like here" Tripti shrugged.

"Bully thing?" Arushi pressed.

"Kind of... some guy used to like me and act like my boyfriend... like 'you can't talk to her,' 'don't look at her,' and it was so exhausting" Tripti exhaled deeply.

"That's sad" Arushi murmured sympathetically.

Just then, the waiter arrived with their food and placed the plates in front of them.

"Oh? Didn't think I'll see this girl here" Prince said sarcastically as he casually pulled a chair and sat right in front of Tripti.

Tripti's jaw tightened in irritation.

"Abhinav, have a seat" Prince added while gesturing toward the empty chair beside her.

Abhinav sat down beside her and she turned to glare at him immediately.

"Why do you keep running into me?" Abhinav whispered as he leaned slightly toward her.

"Me? It's you... my dear bully— I mean... Mr. Whatever" Tripti shot back while rolling her eyes and looking ahead.

"Okay, Miss Sassy" he nodded being amused.

"What?" she asked sharply.

"I don't know your name" he shrugged casually.

She pressed her lips together into a thin, dismissive smile and looked away, refusing to entertain him further.

She picked up her fork and took a bite of her food, but both Prince and Abhinav stared at her as if she were performing on stage.

"What? Order yours" she snapped while glaring at them.

"Sharing is caring" Prince said with a faux-innocent shrug and reached over to snatch a cutlet from her plate.

"Hey... you punk!" Tripti yelled.

"Your mouth is so bad" Prince commented.

Abhinav hummed in agreement, earning himself a death glare from Tripti.

"Let's enjoy" Prince said happily and without hesitation, continued eating from her plate as if it belonged to him.

He even nudged Abhinav to take a bite and Abhinav, almost being entertained, obliged.

Tripti stared at both of them with her mouth slightly open.

"You eat as well" Prince said and placed a bite of food into her mouth before she could protest.

Her eyes widened in shock.

"Go to hell!" Tripti burst out and stood up abruptly. She grabbed Arushi's hand, who was sitting quietly, too stunned to speak and stormed toward the exit.

They were almost out when the restaurant manager called after her.

"Mam, you didn't pay—"

"Did I eat? Take your money from those two idiots" she snapped furiously.

Without waiting for a reply, she marched out of the restaurant while dragging Arushi with her, leaving Prince and Abhinav behind and the entire restaurant staring.