Long before silence enveloped Dakshi's world, her life was filled with moments that left lasting imprints on those she touched. Aarav had experienced those moments in ways he could never forget, even if he wanted to.
It was an evening shrouded in the kind of tension that made the air heavy, and Dakshi had invited Aarav over with a cryptic, "Come over. You'll love what I have planned."
When Aarav arrived, the door was slightly ajar. He knocked lightly, but Dakshi's voice, soft and inviting, floated through. "Come in, Aarav. Don't be shy."
As he stepped inside, the room smelled of lavender and something else—something alluring. The dim lighting cast shadows on the walls, making the space feel both intimate and mysterious.
"Dakshi?" Aarav called, his voice hesitant.
"In here," she replied, her tone light and teasing.
He turned toward the bedroom, where the door was partially open. Inside, Dakshi stood near the window, her silhouette illuminated by the city lights. She wore a satin robe that clung to her figure, the deep red fabric shimmering with her every movement.
"Uh, what's going on?" Aarav asked, his voice faltering as his eyes struggled to meet hers.
Dakshi turned, a sly smile playing on her lips. "Relax, Aarav. You're so uptight."
"I—uh—this is…" He trailed off, unsure of what to say.
She took a step closer, her bare feet soundless against the floor. "You're always overthinking everything," she murmured. "Can't you just… feel, for once?"
Her words hung in the air, heavy and charged. Aarav swallowed hard, his pulse quickening as Dakshi closed the distance between them.
"I don't understand," he managed, though his voice betrayed his confusion.
"Don't you?" she whispered, tilting her head as she gazed into his eyes.
Before he could respond, she reached out, her fingers brushing lightly against his cheek. Aarav froze, every nerve in his body igniting at her touch.
"Dakshi, I—"
"Shh," she said, pressing a finger to his lips. "No more talking."
She leaned in slowly, her lips grazing his in the faintest of kisses. Aarav's breath hitched, his mind screaming for clarity even as his body betrayed him, leaning into her touch.
"Dakshi, this isn't…"
"Isn't what?" she interrupted, her voice low and teasing. "Isn't right? Isn't what you want?"
Her words sent a shiver down his spine. He didn't answer, couldn't answer. Instead, he found himself pulling her closer, their lips meeting again—this time with a fervor that left no room for doubt.
The kiss deepened, and Dakshi's hands slid up his chest, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt. Aarav's hesitation melted away as he surrendered to the moment, his arms encircling her waist.
"See?" she whispered against his lips. "You can feel."
He didn't respond with words. Instead, he kissed her again, his hands threading through her hair as the world outside the room faded away. The weight of unspoken emotions, of years spent denying what they both felt, seemed to dissolve in that instant.
The satin robe slipped from her shoulders, pooling at her feet like liquid fire. Aarav's breath caught as he took her in, every inch of her a revelation.
"Dakshi," he murmured, his voice filled with equal parts awe and uncertainty.
She silenced him with another kiss, her hands guiding his to her hips. "Don't think," she said softly. "Just be here. With me."
What followed was a blur of sensations—soft whispers, gentle caresses, and the undeniable pull of two souls finally colliding. The room seemed to pulse with their energy, the lines between right and wrong blurring into irrelevance.
But as the night wore on, the intensity gave way to quiet intimacy. They lay tangled together, the silence between them filled with unspoken truths. Aarav traced lazy circles on Dakshi's bare shoulder, his mind racing with thoughts he couldn't voice.
"You're thinking too much again," Dakshi said, her voice sleepy but amused.
"I can't help it," he admitted.
She propped herself up on one elbow, her eyes searching his. "What are you so afraid of?"
"Losing you," he said after a long pause.
Dakshi smiled, though there was a hint of sadness in her expression. "You'll never lose me, Aarav. Not really."
He wanted to believe her, but something about the way she said it made his chest tighten.
"Promise me," he said quietly.
"Promise you what?"
"That you'll always be here. That we'll figure this out."
Dakshi hesitated, then leaned in to kiss him gently. "I promise," she whispered.
But now, standing in the room where her life had ended, Aarav couldn't shake the feeling that her promise had been a lie.
The memory of that night played in his mind, a cruel reminder of what they'd had—and what he'd lost. As the officers questioned him, their words felt distant, muffled.
"Aarav?" one of them prompted.
"Yeah," he said, forcing himself to focus.
"We need to know about your relationship with Dakshi," the officer said, his tone probing.
Aarav hesitated, his heart pounding. He wanted to tell them everything, to lay bare the truth of that night. But the weight of guilt and fear held him back.
"I… we were close," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.
Too close, he thought. And now, he was left to wonder if their closeness had been the beginning of her end.