Sara was walking to class with Shubman when suddenly the assistant to the principal approached them and said, "Shubman, madam is calling you."

Shubman nodded. "Sara, you go ahead to class. I'll speak to ma'am and join you later."

Sara gave him a reassuring smile before heading off, while Shubman made his way to the principal's office. When he entered, he was surprised to see Vikram and his parents already seated.

"Ma'am, you wanted to see me?" Shubman asked, his voice calm but his gaze cautious.

Mrs. Kulkarni, the principal, gestured for him to sit. "Yes, Shubman, please take a seat."

As he sat down, she leaned forward, her expression serious. "I've been informed that you assaulted Vikram. Is this true?"

Shubman didn't hesitate. "He misbehaved with Sara," he replied bluntly.

Vikram's mother scoffed, crossing her arms. "So what?"

Shubman blinked, stunned by her response. "So what?" he echoed, his voice rising slightly in disbelief. "He harassed a girl. He made her terrified, and she couldn't sleep the whole night because of what he did."

Vikram's father cut in, his tone dismissive. "Just because you're a famous cricketer doesn't give you the right to beat up my son."

Shubman clenched his jaw, trying to remain composed, but the frustration and anger were bubbling beneath the surface. Before he could respond, Vikram's mother turned to Mrs. Kulkarni. "I demand to meet his parents. They need to answer for this."

Shubman mumbled, "They don't live here."

"Oh?" Vikram's father raised an eyebrow mockingly. "Parents left you all alone, did they? No wonder. It's clear why they did. A boy like you doesn't deserve anyone."

Shubman's chest tightened, his mind racing. His pulse quickened as the man's words triggered painful memories—memories of Kiara, of her parents blaming him for what had happened. The accusations, the looks, the weight of guilt he carried.

He felt the familiar ache in his chest, a storm of emotions he'd buried deep. He fought to keep his composure, but every word Vikram's parents said felt like a knife reopening old wounds.

"Ma'am," Shubman finally said, his voice thick with restrained emotion, "may I leave now? I have class."

Mrs. Kulkarni hesitated but nodded. "Yes, Shubman, you can go."

Without another word, Shubman stood up and left the office, but the harsh words continued to echo in his mind, amplifying his own self-doubt. As he walked down the hall, his steps felt heavier. He kept replaying the meeting in his head—Vikram's parents' insults mixing with his old fears of abandonment and failure.

When he entered the classroom, he saw Sara and Abhishek chatting, seemingly unaware of the turmoil that was consuming him. Shubman sat down in Abhishek's seat without a word, his eyes distant, lost in thought.

Sara noticed his change in demeanor immediately. She looked at him with concern, her brow furrowing. "Shub? Are you okay?" she asked softly, but Shubman didn't respond. He was too deep in his own head, fighting off the ghosts of his past, while Sara exchanged a worried glance with Abhishek.

She reached over to place her hand on his arm, her touch gentle, but Shubman remained silent, battling the weight of everything that had been said to him. The doubt, the fear, and the guilt were all back, and he didn't know how to shake them.

As Sara placed her hand gently on Shubman's arm, she could feel the tension coursing through him. His eyes, usually so full of warmth and confidence, were distant, clouded with something she couldn't quite place.

"Shub?" she asked softly, leaning closer. "What's wrong?"

Shubman didn't respond immediately, his jaw clenched tight. After a few moments of silence, he finally muttered, "I need some space."

Sara blinked, surprised. "What do you mean? You can talk to me—"

"Sara," Shubman cut her off, his tone sharper than usual. "Just... leave me alone for a while. Both of you."

Abhishek, who had been watching the scene unfold, frowned. "Shubman, man, what's going on? You've been off since morning."

Shubman ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated, but didn't look at either of them. "I said, I need to be alone. Please."

Sara's heart sank. She exchanged a worried glance with Abhishek, her concern deepening. It wasn't like Shubman to shut her out, especially when something was clearly eating at him. She could tell this was more than just a bad day—there was something else going on beneath the surface.

Abhishek sighed, placing a hand on Shubman's shoulder. "Alright, bro. We'll give you some space, but talk to us when you're ready, okay?"

Shubman gave a slight nod, still not meeting their eyes. "Yeah... I will."

Sara hesitated, her hand lingering on his arm for a second longer, hoping he'd open up. But Shubman didn't move, his gaze fixed on the desk in front of him. Reluctantly, she stood up, motioning for Abhishek to follow her out of the classroom.

As they stepped into the hallway, Sara's chest tightened with worry. "He's never like this," she whispered to Abhishek. "Something's really wrong."

Abhishek nodded, his expression serious. "Yeah, I noticed it too. He was fine this morning, but after that meeting with the principal, he just... shut down."

Sara bit her lip, her mind racing. "What happened in that meeting?"

"I don't know," Abhishek replied, scratching the back of his head. "But whatever it was, it's messing with him big time."

Sara's eyes softened, her worry deepening. "I hate seeing him like this, Abe. He always keeps things inside, but this... it feels different."

"I get it," Abhishek agreed. "Look, give him a bit of time. Maybe he'll come around once he clears his head."

Sara nodded, though she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling settling in her gut. "I hope so." But deep down, she couldn't help but worry if this was more than just a passing storm—what if it was something bigger, something that could pull them apart?

Sara sat alone in the canteen, absentmindedly stirring her coffee as thoughts of Shubman's odd behavior weighed heavily on her mind. She couldn't understand why he was shutting her out. She wanted to help him, to be there for him, but he was pulling away, and it hurt more than she expected.

Just as she was about to take a sip, a shadow loomed over her. She looked up to see Vikram standing there, smirking.

"Well, well, look who's all alone," Vikram sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. "Where's your big-shot boyfriend, Sara? Abandoned you already?"

Sara's grip tightened around her cup, but she kept her composure. "What do you want, Vikram?" she asked, her voice cold and steady, trying not to show how much his presence irritated her.

Vikram chuckled, pulling out a chair and sitting across from her without invitation. "I just find it funny, you know? For all the talk about Shubman being this great guy, he's not here when you need him the most. Guess being a cricketer makes you too busy for a girlfriend."

Sara glared at him, anger bubbling beneath her calm exterior. "You don't know anything about us, Vikram. So stop pretending like you do."

"Oh, I know enough," Vikram leaned forward, his smirk growing more sinister. "I know he's not around right now, and that's all that matters. You see, Sara, guys like Shubman—they'll always have their careers first. You're just second place. Maybe that's why he's keeping his distance."

Sara felt her heart clench, not because she believed Vikram's words, but because they touched on her own insecurities, the ones she tried so hard to ignore. Shubman had been distant lately, and she couldn't shake the fear that maybe Vikram wasn't entirely wrong.

But she wasn't going to let him see her doubt. "You're pathetic, Vikram," she shot back. "Trying to get under my skin because you can't stand the fact that I'd never choose someone like you. Shubman is a thousand times the man you'll ever be."

Vikram's smirk faltered, and his eyes darkened. "You think so?" he hissed, his tone suddenly more menacing. "Let's see how much he cares when he hears what I have to say. Maybe I'll tell him how we had a little 'moment' earlier. I'm sure he'd love to hear about that."

Sara felt a chill run down her spine, but she kept her face blank. "Do whatever you want, Vikram. Shubman knows who I am, and he trusts me. Nothing you say will change that."

Vikram stood up, his smirk returning as he leaned down, his face too close for comfort. "We'll see about that."

Sara watched him walk away, her heart pounding in her chest. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She couldn't let Vikram's words get to her. Shubman loved her, and she trusted him—no matter what games Vikram tried to play.

But still, the doubts lingered, and Sara couldn't help but wonder if Shubman's distance had something to do with everything Vikram had said.

As Sara made her way to class, her thoughts were still spinning from her tense encounter with Vikram. Her mind was a mess of confusion and worry. She wasn't sure if she should tell Shubman what had happened. Maybe it would only make things worse, considering how distant he had been.

Lost in thought, she nearly walked past the empty hallway that led to the back of the building. That's when she froze.

Through the narrow glass panel in the door, she saw him—Shubman—sitting on the floor, his back against the wall, his head hanging low.

Her heart dropped when she noticed something shiny in his hand. It took her a second to realize what it was.

A blade.

"Shubman?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. Panic gripped her as she saw the blade dangerously close to his wrist.

Without thinking, Sara rushed over, pushing the door open with such force it slammed against the wall. Shubman didn't even flinch.

In one swift motion, she lunged forward, grabbing the blade from his hand and tossing it across the room. It skidded across the floor with a metallic clink.

"Shubman!" she cried out, kneeling down in front of him. Tears filled her eyes as she grabbed his face with trembling hands. "What are you doing? What were you thinking?!"

He didn't look at her at first. His expression was blank, his eyes empty and void of the spark that used to define him. It was as if the person she loved had vanished, leaving behind only a shell.

"Shub, please," Sara sobbed, pulling him into her arms, holding him so tightly as if she feared he might disappear if she let go. "Please talk to me. Don't do this. Don't leave me."

Shubman finally blinked, his gaze slowly coming back into focus as he looked at Sara. His voice was quiet, almost a whisper. "I...I don't know what to do anymore, Sara. I feel like I'm drowning. I can't breathe. I can't handle the pressure...the guilt...everything."

Sara's heart broke at his words. She clung to him even tighter, her tears soaking into his shirt. "You're not alone. I'm here. I'll always be here, Shub. Please...please don't hurt yourself."

Shubman's body shook as he began to cry, his arms wrapping around her as if he were holding on for dear life. He buried his face in her shoulder, his pain finally spilling over.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice cracking. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't apologize," Sara said through her tears, stroking his hair gently. "Just...don't ever do this again. You mean everything to me, Shubman. I can't lose you. I won't lose you."

They stayed like that for what felt like hours, wrapped in each other's arms, the sound of the outside world fading away.

Eventually, Shubman pulled back slightly, his eyes red and swollen. "I don't deserve you, Sara," he muttered, guilt etched into every word.

Sara cupped his face, her thumbs wiping away his tears. "You deserve more than you realize. And I'm not going anywhere. We'll get through this together, okay? But you have to promise me you won't ever scare me like that again."

He nodded slowly, still visibly shaken but starting to come back to himself. "I promise," he said, his voice hoarse but sincere.

Sara hugged him again, the relief washing over her like a wave. "I love you, Shubman. You're not alone."

Shubman closed his eyes, holding her tightly. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, he allowed himself to believe that maybe—just maybe—he didn't have to carry the weight of the world on his own.

As they sat there on the cold floor, their arms still wrapped around each other, Shubman took a deep breath. His head rested against Sara's shoulder, and for the first time in a while, he felt a small sense of relief—like he didn't have to hold it all in anymore.

"Sara," he began, his voice still shaky but determined. "There's something I need to tell you... about what happened in the office with Vikram's parents."

Sara didn't say anything at first, just gently pulled away to look into his eyes. She could see the conflict, the hesitation. "Shub, you don't have to hold back. Whatever it is, I'm here for you."

He nodded and looked down at his bruised knuckles, remembering how he had tried to keep it all inside after the meeting with the principal. "When I went into the office... Vikram's parents were there. His father—he said some things that... reminded me of Kiara's parents."

The mention of Kiara sent a familiar pang through Sara's chest, but she remained calm. She knew Shubman had told her about Kiara months ago—about how her death had affected him, and how her parents had blamed him for what happened. It was a wound that never really healed.

"What did they say?" Sara asked softly, her hand finding his and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"They said... they said I didn't deserve anyone. That's why my parents aren't here, that's why..." His voice cracked, and he bit his lip, trying to hold back the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him again. "It was like hearing Kiara's parents all over again. They didn't outright accuse me, but it felt the same—the guilt, the accusations, the feeling that I'm not good enough. That I'm just going to ruin everything."

Sara's heart ached as she listened. She had never seen Shubman like this—so vulnerable, so broken. She knew how much Kiara's death had haunted him, how deeply it had scarred him. And now, with Vikram's parents echoing those same sentiments, it was reopening old wounds.

"Shub," Sara whispered, her voice trembling slightly, "You know that's not true, right? You're not responsible for what happened to Kiara. And you're not to blame for any of this."

Shubman shook his head. "But what if I am? What if they're right? Maybe I'm not cut out for this, Sara. Maybe I don't deserve to have you or anyone in my life."

Sara's grip on his hand tightened. "Don't say that. Don't ever say that. You are deserving of love, of happiness. Kiara's parents were wrong, and so are Vikram's. They don't know you, Shubman. They don't know the kind, loving, and selfless person you are."

She cupped his face, forcing him to look at her. "You've carried this guilt for so long, but you don't have to anymore. I know about Kiara's parents, and I know how much it hurt you. But you're not alone in this. You have me, Abhishek, Aditi... you have so many people who care about you. We're not going anywhere."

Tears welled up in Shubman's eyes again, but this time, they were tears of release. For so long, he had been holding onto the weight of his past, afraid to let anyone in. But Sara's unwavering love and support had broken through that wall.

"I just... I don't want to lose you," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Sara shook her head, her own eyes misty. "You won't. I'm not going anywhere. I love you, Shubman. And I will always be here to remind you of who you truly are."

He leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers. "I love you too, Sara. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I've just... I've been so scared."

"I know," Sara said, her voice soft. "But you don't have to be scared anymore. We'll get through this together."

Shubman nodded, his heart finally starting to feel lighter as Sara's words sank in. He had been lost in the darkness for so long, but now, with her by his side, he could finally see a way out.

They sat there in the quiet room, the rain still pouring outside, but inside, there was warmth. For the first time in a long time, Shubman felt like he could breathe again. And he knew, deep down, that as long as he had Sara, he would be okay.