Aditya { POV}
Aditya was at the club, lost in his own world, when his eyes suddenly landed on her.
His grip on his glass tightened. For a second, he just stared—like he couldn't believe it was real.
Niki.
The same girl he had left behind four years ago. Or rather, the girl he had pushed away.
He downed the rest of his drink in one go and started moving toward her. But before he could reach her, Niki walked out of the club.
Aditya stopped in his tracks.
Did she see me?
Or did she ignore me?
Something inside him twisted. What was he feeling—guilt? Anger? Or just the weight of old memories?
He quickly paid for his drinks and stepped outside.
Niki was walking toward a restaurant nearby. Aditya saw her enter and take a seat at a table. She was talking to someone.
Through the glass door, he caught sight of the person sitting with her.
"Bikki?"
He watched as she laughed, chatting with Bikki like nothing had ever changed. Like she was still the same Niki.
But Aditya knew—nothing was the same.
His mind pulled him backward, dragging him into memories he had buried long ago. The day everything changed. The day he did something he shouldn't have.
---
(Flashback – Four Years Ago, School)
It had only been a week since Aditya joined this school. New class, new faces—but none of them mattered to him. He didn't like this place.
It was a free period. The classroom buzzed with random chatter, but Aditya was at the very back, his head down on the desk, trying to catch some sleep.
And then—
"Hahahaha!"
A loud, carefree laugh echoed through the room.
Aditya's eyes snapped open. His jaw clenched as he looked around, irritated. His gaze finally landed at the back of the class.
A girl sat there—long hair, bright eyes, and a wide, unapologetic smile.
She was laughing, talking to her friends, completely oblivious to the fact that the whole class could hear her. Like this place belonged to her.
Aditya frowned.
"Who is she?"
She swung her legs slightly as she spoke, relaxed and unbothered.
"She's making so much noise, and no one cares?"
Taking a deep breath, he tried to go back to sleep. But now, that laugh was stuck in his head. He couldn't ignore it.
He glanced at her again.
"Niki," someone in front of him whispered, talking to a friend.
Aditya lifted his head slightly.
"So this is Niki?"
His eyes lingered on her a little longer. For the first time, he had noticed someone—but for all the wrong reasons.
---
(Back to the Present – Restaurant)
Standing outside the restaurant, Aditya watched Niki through the glass.
Four years later, she not looked the same. But still laughing, just like that day.
--
Not the Same Girl (Aditya's POV)
Aditya had no plans to come to this restaurant.
And he certainly hadn't expected to see her here.
But now…
Now, she was sitting right in front of him.
He had recognized her immediately. But she didn't look the same.
She had changed.
Not just in appearance, but in the way she carried herself—calmer, more restrained. As if she was no longer the girl who used to laugh so freely in class.
Then, her eyes met his.
For a second, there was something there.
And then—nothing.
A blank face. Emotionless.
"She's my friend," Bikky said. "We where together in middle school."
Aditya gave a slight nod, showing no reaction.
"Hi," Niki said, her voice neutral.
"Hi," he replied, just as coldly.
No familiarity. No hesitation. As if they were just strangers.
Aditya pulled out a chair and sat down, keeping his posture relaxed.
Bikky laughed, "Today was so hectic! I barely had time to breathe. And now, suddenly, I run into Niki after all these years!"
Niki gave a small smile, as if nothing had happened.
Aditya stayed silent.
But he was watching.
Every now and then, his gaze flickered toward Niki. Watching how she held herself together. How she avoided looking at him.
"What are you up to these days?" Bikky asked, sipping his juice.
"Final year," Niki replied. "You?"
"PG college, but ... he thinks and says I'm having fun!" Bikky laughed.
"Hmm... life is strange," Niki murmured, lightly tapping her fingers on the table.
She knew Aditya was watching her.
Then Bikky's phone rang. "One sec, my manager is calling."
He stepped away to take the call.
Now—
It was just the two of them.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Aditya kept his eyes on the table. But his mind was far from calm.
Then, just as Bikky was about to return, Aditya's eyes landed on a faint scar on Niki's forehead.
"Oh, did you get that while sneaking away from your grandma?" Bikky joked.
Niki smiled faintly, but something in her eyes shifted.
"No," she said softly.
Aditya was looking at her now.
"Did you fall?" Bikky asked.
"Yeah."
A simple answer. A truth wrapped in a lie.
Bikky laughed. "You've been clumsy since childhood!"
But Aditya knew.
That fall wasn't a joke.
Niki didn't explain. She just gave a small nod.
Bikky stood up. "I need to take care of something. I'll be back in a bit."
And now—
Just the two of them again.
For the first time, Aditya spoke. His voice quiet but firm.
"You didn't expect to see me here."
It wasn't a question.
Niki met his gaze for the first time. Her expression unreadable.
"No."
For a brief moment, something flickered in his eyes. But it disappeared just as quickly.
She had something to say—Aditya could see it. Something sharp, something cold. But she stopped herself.
This wasn't the place.
The bright club lights were still visible outside, but at this table, everything felt slower.
The night had just begun.
And so had the game of unspoken words.
Niki slowly slipped the strap of her bag onto her shoulder. "Alright, I should go."
Bikky returned just then, looking surprised. "Leaving so soon? Stay a little longer!"
"No, I should head out now," Niki replied, her voice carrying a strange exhaustion.
But just then—
"Niki!"
She turned.
Her friends had just entered the restaurant.
"Hey, you're here? We were looking for you at the club!"
And then—
Their eyes landed on Aditya.
"Oh, you're here too?" one of them asked, surprised.
Aditya gave a small smile. "Yeah, I'm here with Bikky."
"Wow, small world!" another friend laughed.
Niki still said nothing.
But Aditya noticed—
Her fingers were still tightly gripping the strap of her bag.
"Since we're all here now, why don't we sit and chat for a while?" one of her friends suggested.
"Yes, absolutely!" another friend pulled out a chair.
Aditya didn't look at Niki.
But he knew—
She was hesitating.
Then slowly, she loosened her grip and sat back down.
The conversation started flowing—old memories, college stories, laughter.
Bikky kept throwing in jokes now and then, making everyone laugh.
But Aditya?
He remained silent.
Just smiled occasionally, gave short replies.
Because the truth was—
All this chatter was just what was on the surface.
Inside, something entirely different was happening.
And maybe—
He wasn't the only one feeling it.