The night stretched endlessly, heavy and unmoving, as if time itself had decided to pause just to test her patience.
Haniya lay on her bed, turned slightly toward the window, watching the dim city lights flicker in the distance. The dorm was unusually quiet—no laughter from Harsh and Vivaan, no music, no teasing voices in the hallway. Just silence. And silence, she had learned long ago, was the loudest thing of all.
Her phone lay beside her, untouched for over an hour. Messages unread. Calls ignored. Not because she didn't care—but because she cared too much. Because answering even one message would mean pretending she was fine.
And tonight, she wasn't.
She pulled the blanket tighter around herself, knees drawn close to her chest, as if she could protect her heart that way. Her thoughts kept drifting backward—unwanted memories, half-buried fears, things she had locked away carefully over the years. The past had a cruel habit of resurfacing when you least expected it.
A soft knock echoed through the room.
She didn't respond.
Another knock followed, slower, hesitant.
"Haniya… it's Aarav."
Her breath caught for just a second.
She closed her eyes, debating whether to pretend she was asleep. But something in his voice—concern mixed with restraint—made it impossible to ignore.
"Door's open," she whispered.
The door creaked as Aarav stepped inside, closing it gently behind him. He didn't turn on the lights. He didn't speak right away. He simply stood there for a moment, taking her in—her curled posture, her distant stare, the exhaustion written clearly on her face.
She looked smaller tonight. Not physically, but emotionally. Like the weight she carried had finally started to show.
He walked closer and sat on the edge of the bed, careful not to crowd her. "You disappeared after practice," he said softly. "Didn't come for dinner. Didn't reply to anyone."
"I needed space," she replied, her voice steady but hollow.
He nodded, accepting it without question. "That's okay."
She glanced at him, surprised. "You're not mad?"
"No," he said simply. "I was worried."
That single word hit her harder than anger ever could.
They sat in silence for a while. The kind of silence that presses against your chest, making it harder to breathe. Outside, a distant car horn sounded. Somewhere far away, laughter echoed—but in this room, it was just them.
"I hate nights like this," Haniya said suddenly, breaking the quiet.
Aarav looked at her. "Why?"
"Because everything feels louder," she replied. "Thoughts. Memories. Regrets."
He exhaled slowly. "Yeah. Nights do that."
She turned to face him slightly. "You feel it too?"
"All the time," he admitted. "I just hide it better."
That earned a faint, almost invisible smile from her. "Figures."
Another pause settled in, but this one felt different—less sharp, more shared.
"You don't have to be strong tonight," Aarav said gently.
Her fingers tightened around the edge of the blanket. "Everyone expects me to be," she murmured. "The team. Kashvi. Reyansh. Even you."
He shook his head immediately. "Not me."
She looked at him then, really looked at him. "What if I fall apart?"
"Then I'll sit with you while you do."
Her eyes burned, but she blinked rapidly, trying to hold back tears. "What if I'm not who you think I am?"
He didn't even pause. "Then I'll get to know the real you."
The tears slipped free after that—silent, unstoppable. She turned her face away instinctively, embarrassed by her vulnerability, but Aarav reached out and gently caught her wrist.
"Don't," he said softly. "You don't have to hide with me."
Her shoulders shook as