"This is Part 7 of the story — to fully understand it, you’ll need to read the earlier parts first."
It had been three days since they returned from the trip.
The college walls, the classroom benches, and the silence of the library… no longer felt the same to Arjun and Avya.
They were often seen together now —
sometimes in a corner of the canteen,
sometimes near the library window —
not saying much…
but still saying everything.
Their bond no longer needed a name.
Just being in each other’s presence was enough.
---
And then came — Neil.
The college dean announced the arrival of a new student.
> “Neil Verma — transfer student, final year of Mass Communication.”
Tall and lean, a light beard, a glimmer in his eyes, and a strange warmth in his gait.
He greeted everyone with a smile — everyone except one…
Avya.
When his eyes met Avya’s, his smile froze.
And… Avya seemed to shiver.
Her face suddenly turned pale.
She lowered her head and quietly walked out of the class.
For the first time, Arjun saw fear in her eyes again.
That same old, trembling fear.
---
Arjun followed her…
He caught up to her at the far end of the corridor.
> “Avya? What happened? Who was he?”
Avya didn’t respond.
She just ran her trembling fingers across the wall.
Arjun gently held her cold hand.
> “Your silence is starting to scare me now…
because I know — it hides something.”
After a long pause, she said just one sentence —
> “He’s my past, Arjun… and I was completely alone in that past.”
---
Neil and Avya – Unspoken Stories
In the following days, Neil began meeting Arjun often.
He was friendly, smart —
but Arjun started sensing that Neil was hiding something.
One day in the canteen, while Arjun was sitting alone,
Neil came and sat beside him.
> “Your name’s Arjun, right?
You’ve gotten quite close to Avya lately…”
Arjun replied without hesitation —
> “Yes. And I want her to be at peace —
to escape the silence she’s locked herself in.”
Neil gave a strange smile.
> “Do you know why she chose to remain silent?”
Arjun’s heartbeat quickened.
> “What do you mean?”
Neil stayed silent for a few seconds, then said —
> “There are some questions you should ask her, not me.
And by the way… I wasn’t just her friend.
I was everything to her… and then, I became nothing.”
And with that, Neil walked away.
---
That night, Avya’s letter
Arjun found a letter in his locker —
written in Avya’s handwriting.
> “Arjun,
Come to the temple at 7 PM tonight —
the same place where you first saw me, sitting quietly.
It’s time I tell you the truth I’ve hidden…
even from myself.”
---
That night — the temple steps, the flickering lamps,
and the girl sitting silently —
were all calling a storm.
What’s coming next won’t be just about love,
but about facing the truth… and the pain that comes with it.
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I’ve written many other stories as well, available right here on this platform — some in English, and some in Hindi.
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Heartfelt thanks for staying with the story till the end."
