After having dinner, Anamika and Vineet stepped outside Ashok’s home, the cool evening breeze greeted them. Anamika stood at the edge of the driveway, glancing at her phone to check for updates on her car. The driver had messaged her about a delay, and a small sigh escaped her lips.

Vineet noticed her hesitation. "Looks like your car’s going to take some time," he said, his voice measured. “I can give you a lift.”

Anamika turned to him, her expression unreadable. “That’s not necessary, Vineet. I’ll wait.”

“It’s late,” Vineet said firmly, his tone leaving little room for argument. “And this isn’t the safest area at night. Let me help you with this.”

She hesitated, her pride battling with practicality. Eventually, she relented with a small nod. "Fine. Thank you."

Vineet opened the car door for her, a faint memory of doing the same in better times flickering through his mind. She stepped in silently, and he circled around to take his seat behind the wheel. The air inside the car was heavy with unspoken words as they began the short drive to her hotel.

The city lights blurred past them, their glow reflecting off the windshield. Neither of them spoke for a while, the hum of the engine filling the silence. Vineet’s grip on the steering wheel was tight, his knuckles white, as he stole occasional glances at her. Anamika, on the other hand, kept her eyes fixed on the road ahead, her thoughts racing.

"Why did Ashok invite us both tonight?" she finally asked, breaking the silence.

Vineet exhaled a dry laugh. "To play mediator, I suppose. He’s always believed he can fix everything with a dinner table and a few laughs."

Anamika smirked faintly. "He means well."

“He does,” Vineet admitted. “But sometimes, things aren’t as simple as he thinks.”

The weight of his words hung between them, neither willing to unpack their deeper meaning. The car slowed as they approached the hotel. Vineet pulled into the driveway and parked, turning off the engine. He didn’t move to get out, instead sitting quietly for a moment.

"Thank you for the ride," Anamika said, her hand reaching for the door handle.

“Anamika,” Vineet said suddenly, his voice softer now. She paused, turning to face him.

“I know things… between us are complicated," he said, his gaze fixed on the steering wheel. "But I meant what I said earlier—I don’t want you to suffer. Whatever else happened, you didn’t deserve that."

Her expression faltered for a moment, a flicker of vulnerability breaking through. “I’ve learned how to survive, Vineet. And I’ll keep doing that.”

With that, she stepped out of the car, closing the door gently behind her. Vineet watched her walk away, his chest tightening as the automatic doors of the hotel slid shut, swallowing her figure.

He sat there for a long time, staring at the entrance, unable to process.

Vineet hesitated for a moment before stepping out of the car. Something about seeing Anamika retreat into the hotel felt unsettling, unfinished. He told himself it was just concern—nothing more—and decided to check on her.

He walked into the lobby, glancing around. Spotting her waiting for the elevator, he moved instinctively toward the same direction. The ding of the elevator echoed softly as the doors slid open, and she stepped inside. Just as she was about to press the button for her floor, she caught sight of Vineet entering at the last moment.

Her surprise was evident, but she said nothing, stepping slightly to the side as he joined her. The silence between them was a harsh slap, filled with the tension of unsaid words. The elevator doors closed, and the quiet hum of the lift filled the space.

Then, without warning, the lights flickered and went out. The elevator jolted to a stop, plunging them into darkness.

Anamika gasped softly, instinctively reaching out to steady herself against the wall. "What just happened?" she asked, her voice tinged with alarm.

Vineet’s calm voice cut through the darkness. "The electricity’s gone. It’s probably a temporary power cut." He pressed a few buttons on the panel, but nothing responded.

Her breathing quickened slightly. "Great. Just what I needed."

He turned to her, his figure barely discernible in the faint emergency light. "Don’t panic. These things usually get fixed quickly."

Anamika didn’t respond, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. The confined space, the dark, and his presence—it was all too much. Memories of their earlier conversation, of their shared past, swirled in her mind, amplifying the suffocating tension.

Vineet leaned against the opposite wall, his gaze fixed on her silhouette. “You’ve been avoiding me ever since we met again in Delhi,” he said, breaking the silence.

She stiffened. "Because there’s nothing left to say, Vineet."

“Really?” His voice was low, almost challenging. "Because it feels like there’s a lot left unsaid."

She let out a bitter laugh. "You don’t get to decide that anymore."

The weight of her words hit him, and for a moment, neither spoke. The air in the small elevator seemed to grow heavier, the silence deafening.

"Why are you so intent on keeping me at arm’s length?" Vineet finally asked, his tone softer now.

Anamika’s resolve faltered briefly, but she quickly recovered. “Because I need to move on, Vineet!" She respond, reminding him he too has move on.

The sudden jolt startled them both as the elevator made a sharp, brief fall before stopping abruptly again. The alarm buzzed loudly, echoing in the confined space. Anamika let out a small cry, instinctively clutching the side rail, her breaths coming in quick, uneven gasps.

Her composure cracked, and tears welled up in her eyes. She turned away from Vineet, trying to hide her panic, but the trembling of her hands betrayed her.

Vineet noticed immediately, stepping closer to her. "Anamika, it’s okay," he said, his voice steady and calm. "It’s just a mechanical issue. These elevators have safety measures; we’re not in danger."

She shook her head, her breaths still shallow. "I—I hate this," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Being stuck here... It feels like everything’s falling apart."

Seeing her like this—so vulnerable, so unlike the composed, determined woman he had always known—stirred something deep within Vineet. He reached out hesitantly, his hand lightly touching her shoulder.

"Anamika," he said softly, "look at me."

She didn’t respond at first, her gaze fixed on the floor as if willing the situation to resolve itself. But his voice, steady and familiar, drew her attention. Slowly, she turned to face him, her tear-streaked face making his chest tighten.

"We’re going to get out of this," he assured her, his tone resolute. "Breathe with me, okay? In and out. Nice and slow."

She tried to match his breathing, though it took a few attempts before her breaths began to steady. The alarm continued to buzz, but his presence seemed to anchor her amidst the chaos.

"You’ve faced worse than this," Vineet said, a faint, almost teasing smile tugging at his lips. "Remember when we got stuck in the storm on the highway? You didn’t panic then."

A small, shaky laugh escaped her. "That was different. We weren’t dangling in midair."

"True," he admitted. "But if you could handle that, you can handle this. Trust me."

Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, the months of distance between them seemed to fade. The alarm continued to buzz, but neither moved, the space between them filled with an unspoken connection.

As the elevator lights flickered back on but the lift remained still, the confined silence between them grew heavier. Vineet’s gaze never left Anamika’s tear-streaked face. Her vulnerability stirred something  in him—a mixture of guilt, longing, and a desperate need to comfort her.

Without thinking, he closed the space between them, cupping her face gently in his hands. "Anamika," he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion. She looked up at him, her wide, tear-filled eyes mirroring a thousand unspoken words.

And then, before she could say anything, he leaned in, pressing his lips softly against hers.

Anamika froze for a moment, caught between shock and the rush of emotions that surged through her. But as his warmth enveloped her, the tension in her body melted away. Her lips moved hesitantly at first, then with more certainty, responding to him as years of suppressed feelings bubbled to the surface.

Tears began to roll down her cheeks again, this time not from fear but from the overwhelming flood of emotions his kiss ignited. Vineet felt the dampness against his skin and pulled back slightly, his forehead resting against hers.

His thumb brushed against her cheek, wiping away her tears as he murmured, "Don’t cry, Anamika. Please."

But she couldn’t stop. "I hate this," she whispered shakily. "I hate feeling this way… I hate that you still make me feel—" Her voice broke, and more tears spilled.

He silenced her with another kiss, deeper this time, as if trying to erase all the pain between them. His hands stayed on her face, holding her as though she might disappear if he let go. Her hands found their way to his chest, gripping his shirt tightly, as if grounding herself in the moment.

The alarm continued to buzz, but neither noticed nor cared. In that suspended moment, they were no longer two broken individuals weighed down by their past. They were simply Vineet and Anamika, lost in the remnants of a love that neither could completely forget.

As the elevator suddenly jolted back to life and began its ascent, the spell between them broke. The hum of the machinery and the glowing numbers counting up on the panel brought Anamika back to reality.

When the elevator finally stopped at their destination, the doors slid open with a quiet chime. Vineet slowly pulled away, his hands reluctantly falling from her face, his eyes still searching hers for something—an answer, a reassurance, or maybe a plea not to run. 

But Anamika stepped back, her breath ragged, her heart pounding with a mix of guilt and shame. What had she done? How could she allow herself to get swept away like that? Her mind raced with self-recrimination, and before Vineet could say a word, she turned and bolted out of the elevator.

"Anamika!" he called after her, his voice filled with concern and confusion. But she didn’t stop. Her legs carried her as fast as they could, her only thought being to escape the situation, to escape him. 

She reached her room and slammed the door shut, locking it behind her. Leaning against the door, she pressed her hand to her chest, trying to steady her breathing. Tears streamed down her face as the emotions of the moment overwhelmed her. 

She felt ashamed—not just for what had happened, but for the fact that her heart still betrayed her. Despite everything, despite the pain and the betrayal, a part of her had still responded to him. That realization crushed her. 

"I can't do this," she whispered to herself, clutching at her chest as if trying to stop her heart from breaking all over again. She slid down to the floor, trembling, tears pooling in her lap. 

On the other side of the hotel, Vineet stood frozen just outside the elevator, staring in the direction she had fled. His hands clenched at his sides, his mind a tornado of emotions—guilt, longing, and confusion. He wanted to go after her, to make her listen, but a part of him knew she needed space. 

As the elevator doors finally closed behind him, he turned and headed toward his own room, his steps heavy and his heart weighed down by the unresolved storm between them. 

....

To be continued....