Kiara and Dhvani lounged on the bed, engaged in a lively conversation that had been going on for hours. The clock on the nightstand glowed with an ungodly hour - well past midnight - but neither of them felt the slightest hint of sleepiness. It was Sunday tomorrow, and they had made a pact to stay up all night, indulging in some much-needed chill time.

Their conversation meandered through various topics, from their favorite TV shows to childhood memories and everything in between. 

Kiara giggled uncontrollably as Dhvani recounted a hilarious story about his misadventures in college, while Dhvani listened intently as Kiara shared her dreams and aspirations. The room was filled with the warm glow of friendship, and the night air vibrated with their laughter and chatter.

But the mood shifted suddenly, like a cloud passing over the sun, as Dhvani's expression turned serious. 

Her eyes, once sparkling with mirth, now narrowed slightly, her gaze piercing as she looked at Kiara. Her voice, low and gentle, sent a shiver down Kiara's spine as she asked, "Kiara, tum ASB ka naam sunkar itni ghabra kyun jaati ho?" (Kiara, why do you get so nervous whenever you hear ASB's name?) 

Kiara's smile faltered, her lips trembling as she struggled to maintain her composure. She looked away, her eyes avoiding Dhvani's piercing gaze, as if afraid of being seen, of being exposed. 

The room fell silent, the only sound being the soft hum of the air conditioner, its gentle whir a stark contrast to the turmoil brewing inside Kiara.

Kiara's hands began to fidget, her fingers twisting together in a nervous gesture, as if trying to weave a safety net to catch her falling emotions. Her breath caught in her throat, and her chest tightened, as if a vice was squeezing the air out of her lungs.

 Dhvani's question had struck a chord, resonating deep within Kiara's soul, and her carefree demeanor had vanished in an instant, leaving behind a fragile, vulnerable Kiara. 

The silence stretched out, a thin, brittle thread connecting the two friends, as Dhvani waited for Kiara's response, her eyes never leaving her face.

 Kiara's eyes darted around the room, searching for an escape, a distraction, but there was none. She was trapped, caught in the snare of her own emotions, with no way out.

Dhvani's expression softened as she witnessed Kiara's distress. With a gentle touch, she reached out and wrapped her fingers around Kiara's trembling hand.

 "If you don't want to share yet, no worries, Kiara," she said, her voice a soothing balm to Kiara's frayed nerves. "I just want to see you happy!" 

The warmth of Dhvani's hand seeped into Kiara's skin, calming her racing heart. She felt a lump form in her throat as she looked at Dhvani, her eyes welling up with tears. Dhvani's words were a reminder that she was there for her, that she cared, and that she wouldn't push her to reveal more than she was ready to share.

"ASB - Abhir Sharma Birla!" Kiara blurted out, her voice barely above a whisper. The words hung in the air like a challenge, and Dhvani's eyes widened in shock.

 She felt as though she had been punched in the gut, her breath knocked out of her. She had been expecting Kiara to reveal some deep, dark secret, but nothing could have prepared her for this. 

Dhvani's grip on Kiara's hand tightened, her fingers digging deep into Kiara's skin. "How did you...?" she trailed off, her question hanging in the air like a challenge. Dhvani's expression was a mixture of surprise and curiosity, her eyes scanning Kiara's face for answers. 

She felt like she was staring at a stranger, someone she thought she knew but was now realizing she didn't know at all. The room seemed to shrink, the walls closing in on them as Dhvani waited for Kiara's response. 

Kiara took a deep breath, steeling herself for the revelation that was about to change everything. Her eyes locked onto Dhvani's, and she began to speak in a low, measured tone. 

"Abhir... is my bhabhi's brother, but that's not how I first knew him. I was his fan, obsessed with his music since his first album came out. I remember listening to his songs on repeat, mesmerized by his voice, his lyrics... everything." 

As she spoke, Kiara's eyes seemed to glaze over, lost in the memories of her past. Her voice took on a dreamy quality, and Dhvani could sense the depth of Kiara's emotions. "When I started to know him, my feelings for him went beyond just being a fan. I won't lie, Dhvani, I had feelings for him... strong feelings. But life had other plans, and.."

Kiara's gaze snapped back to Dhvani's, and she seemed to shrink into herself, as if afraid of being judged. Dhvani's expression remained neutral, but her eyes betrayed her curiosity. She leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper. "What happened, Kiara? What did life have planned for you?"

A faint smile played on Kiara's lips as she reminisced about her past obsession. "I was mad behind him, Dhvani. I mean, literally mad. I would talk about him all day, every day. My friends would tease me, my family would roll their eyes, but I didn't care. I was convinced that Abhir was the love of my life."

Kiara's eyes sparkled with mirth as she continued. "I would beg my brother to get me concert tickets, to take me to his shows. I would spend hours watching his music videos, reading interviews, and analyzing his lyrics. I was convinced that I knew him, that I understood him on a deep level."

Dhvani listened, entranced, as Kiara's words painted a vivid picture of her all-consuming passion. She couldn't help but laugh at Kiara's antics, at the sheer intensity of her feelings. "You were a true fangirl, Kiara," Dhvani teased, her eyes shining with amusement.

Kiara's voice cracked as she continued her story, the memories still raw and painful. "We started chatting, and I thought... I thought he felt the same way about me. I was on cloud nine, Dhvani. I thought I had found my soulmate." Kiara's eyes dropped, her gaze falling on her hands, which were clenched into fists.

"But it was all a cruel joke," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I found out that Abhir didn't love me at all." Kiara's eyes flashed with anger and hurt. "He thought he was talking to my sister Charu all along. Can you believe it? He was chatting with me, thinking I was Charu, and I was falling deeply in love with him."

Kiara's face contorted in pain as she remembered the humiliation and heartbreak. "I asked my family to arrange our marriage, but they were all against it. They knew something was off, but I wouldn't listen. I was too blinded by my love for him." Kiara's voice trailed off, and she looked away, unable to meet Dhvani's gaze.

Kiara's words tumbled out in a rush, as if she was trying to purge herself of the painful memories. "And then... he himself said it. He told me that he loved Charu di, that he wanted to marry her. Can you imagine, Dhvani? The person I thought loved me, the person I had given my heart to... . He only saw Charu di, and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her." 

 Kiara's eyes welled up with tears, and she struggled to keep her emotions in check. Her voice cracked, and she felt a sob rising up in her throat. She swallowed hard, trying to compose herself, but the pain was still raw, still festering. Dhvani's eyes filled with compassion, and she reached out to hug Kiara, holding her close as she let out a heart-wrenching sob

Kiara's voice was laced with a mix of sadness and embarrassment as she continued her story. "I tried to imitate Charu di, Dhvani. I tried to adapt her style, her hairstyle... I wanted to be her, to be the person Abhir loved." Kiara's eyes dropped, shamefaced, as she remembered her desperate attempts to transform herself.

Nobody understood me, truly," Kiara whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "They didn't know how much I was hurting, how much I wanted to be loved by Abhir." Her eyes welled up with tears once more, and she felt a pang of sadness pierce her heart. The weight of her unrequited love, the sting of rejection.

Kiara's tears slowly subsided, and she took a deep breath, as if steeling herself for the next part of her story. "But then I decided to let go, Dhvani," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I realized that Abhir was never meant to be mine, that his heart belonged to Charu di. So, I made the difficult decision to leave India, to start anew in London."

Kiara's eyes seemed to glaze over, lost in thought, as she remembered the pain of leaving behind everything she knew and loved. "It was a hard decision, but I knew it was necessary. I needed to get away from the constant reminders of Abhir and Charu di's love story. I needed to find myself, to discover who I was outside of my unrequited love." 

Kiara's gaze refocused on Dhvani, and she offered a small, sad smile. "It's been a journey, Dhvani. A journey of self-discovery, of healing, and of learning to love myself."

Kiara's eyes widened in shock, and her voice trembled with a mix of emotions. "But here he is again, Dhvani," she said, her words spilling out in a rush. "He told me that Charu di ran away from their wedding. Can you believe it? The wedding that I had been dreading for so long, the wedding that had been the reason for my escape to London... it didn't even happen."

Kiara's laughter was a mix of amusement and incredulity. "He told me he loves me," she repeated, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Can you believe it, Dhvani? After all these years, after everything that happened, he thinks he can just waltz back into my life and declare his love?" Kiara's eyes sparkled with mirth, but beneath the humor, Dhvani could sense a hint of vulnerability.

Kiara's laughter slowly faded, and she looked away, her gaze drifting off into the distance. "I don't know what to make of it, Dhvani," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "A part of me still loves him, still remembers the way he made me feel all those years ago. But another part of me is screaming to stay away, to protect myself from getting hurt again."

 Kiara's eyes refocused on Dhvani, searching for guidance and reassurance. "What do I do, Dhvani? Should I give him another chance, or should I walk away for good?" 

Dhvani's response was not words, but comfort. She gently guided Kiara to lay her head on her lap, and Kiara didn't resist. As Kiara's head settled onto her lap, Dhvani's hand began to stroke her hair, the gentle motion soothing Kiara's frazzled nerves.

 The silence between them was palpable, but it was a comfortable silence, filled with the warmth of friendship and understanding. Kiara felt her eyelids growing heavy, the weight of her emotions slowly lifting as Dhvani's gentle touch calmed her mind and body.

 As Kiara drifted off into a peaceful sleep, Dhvani continued to stroke her hair, her eyes watching over her friend with a deep affection. She knew that Kiara still had a long way to go, that the wounds of her past still lingered, but in this moment, Dhvani was content to simply be there for her, to offer a shoulder to cry on and a comforting presence to soothe her soul.