Chapter 2 - Who Was She ?
1392 Words
Chapter 2 – Who Was She?
Vivek stands still, gazing at the girl from up close, silently admiring her beauty. For a moment, he forgets what he is supposed to do next. His thoughts scatter, unable to settle on a single idea. As the cold deepens, a shiver runs through his body, his breath turning faintly visible in the night air.
Yet there is something strange, almost unsettling.
The cold has no effect on the girl at all.
She stands there calmly, unaffected, as if the chill surrounding them does not exist for her.
Vivek hesitates, then speaks softly, unsure if he should disturb her.
“Hello…?”
The girl slowly turns toward him.
A beautiful face meets his gaze serene, unreadable, wrapped in an unsettling silence. Her eyes are deep and still, as though they hold secrets far older than the night itself. There is no fear in her expression, no surprise at seeing a stranger so close. She simply looks at him.
She does not speak.
Vivek feels as though he is staring at something unreal, something fragile and fleeting, like a dream that might vanish if he blinks for too long. For a strange moment, he feels as if fate has allowed him to see her just once… perhaps for the last time.
He clears his throat and tries again.
“May I ask… what such a beautiful girl is doing here alone?”
The girl answers flatly, her voice calm but distant.
“No. You may not.”
Vivek blinks, taken aback, but quickly recovers.
“Please don’t misunderstand me,” he says carefully.
“I just saw a girl sitting here alone. I thought maybe you were in trouble… and if you needed help, I could offer it.”
“I don’t need anyone’s help,” she replies.
Her words are simple, but they carry a quiet finality.
“Alright,” Vivek says, trying not to sound awkward.
“Then at least tell me your name, only if you want to.”
The girl looks at him again, her gaze lingering for a moment longer this time.
“Vanshika.”
“That’s a very beautiful name,” Vivek says instinctively.
“It feels like you don’t like talking much.”
“Yes,” Vanshika replies quietly.
“I’m used to being alone.”
There is something in her voice, something heavy and restrained. Her expression, her eyes, the stillness in her posture, everything about her suggests a deep, unspoken sorrow. It feels like she carries a story too painful to be told aloud. Vivek doesn’t fully understand it, but he senses it clearly.
“That’s interesting,” he says after a pause.
“I’m used to being alone too. Maybe that’s why I’m still unmarried and single.”
He smiles faintly, then adds,
“What about you, are you married?”
She replies,
“No.”
“That’s good,” Vivek says lightly, trying to sound casual.
“It seems we have a lot in common. We could be good friends… if you want?”
Vanshika thinks for a moment.
“Alright.”
A small sense of relief washes over Vivek.
“May I sit beside you?” he asks.
Vanshika replied,
“No. You may not.”
“Oh… okay,” Vivek says, slightly embarrassed.
“Then I’ll just stand here.”
“You may sit,” Vanshika says suddenly.
Vivek looks at her in surprise.
She shifts slightly, making space for him on the bench. Her sudden change of mind confuses him, first refusing, then allowing him to sit but he doesn’t question it. Slowly, carefully, he sits beside her.
“The sea looks beautiful from here,” Vivek says, glancing toward the dark water.
“Especially on a moonlit night like this.”
“Yes,” Vanshika replies.
“A beautiful sea.”
Her tone is neutral, almost distant, as if beauty is something she observes but does not feel.
“So… where are you from?” Vivek asks.
She said,
“My home is not far from here.”
Vivek asked,
“Inside the town? Or toward the village side?”
She replies,
“Toward the village.”
Vivek frowns slightly.
“Oh,” he says.
“There’s a forest that way. It’s quite isolated. How will you go back alone so late at night?”
“My uncle’s house is nearby,” she answers calmly.
“That’s good,” Vivek says.
“Do you come here every day to see the sea?”
She replies,
“No.”
Vivek asked,
“Then… will you come back here tomorrow?”
She replies,
“Probably not.”
A strange sense of urgency grips Vivek.
“Then when will we meet again?” he asks.
“Could you give me your phone number?”
“I don’t have a phone.” she replied,
Vivek stares at her, stunned.
“Then how will I talk to you?” he asks.
“We’re friends now. Will our friendship really end like this… in just one moment?”
Vanshika remains silent.
The quiet stretches between them, making Vivek uneasy. Time suddenly feels limited, as if something is slipping away from him.
“I’ll give you my number,” he says quickly.
“Will you call me?”
“Alright,” Vanshika says.
“Tell me your number.”
Vivek begins reciting his phone number slowly. Vanshika listens without interrupting, her eyes fixed on him.
“You’re not writing it down,” Vivek says nervously.
“Will you remember it?”
Without answering, Vanshika stands up.
“It’s time,” she says.
“I have to go now. We’ll meet again.”
“Wait, why so soon?” Vivek says urgently.
“I’ll drop you home. I have a car.”
But Vanshika simply repeats, “We’ll meet again,” and begins walking away.
“Hey... wait!” Vivek calls out, following her.
He rushes after her and almost trips. His phone slips from his hand and falls to the ground. He curses under his breath, bends down, and quickly picks it up.
When he looks ahead again…
She’s gone.
Vivek stands frozen, staring into the darkness. He moves forward, searching desperately. The garden is filled with winding paths, trees, decorative plants, and deep shadows. The moonlight barely reaches the ground.
There is no sign of Vanshika.
He cannot understand how she disappeared so quickly.
Confused and unsettled, Vivek walks toward the garden gate. Near the exit, a security guard stands holding a torch.
“The park is closing,” the guard says.
“You need to leave now.”
Vivek steps closer.
“Hey… did you see a girl wearing a red-and-yellow dress leave just now?”
“No,” the guard replies.
“I didn’t see any girl. I think you were the last one here.”
“That’s not possible,” Vivek insists.
“She was here just a moment ago.”
“Maybe she took the other exit,” the guard suggests.
“There are two ways out of the garden.”
“Alright,” Vivek says quietly.
“You should leave now,” the guard adds.
“I’m going,” Vivek replies.
“But what’s the hurry? There are still fifteen minutes before ten.”
He walks out of the garden with a disappointed expression.
The beautiful girl, there is no trace of her. She entered his life like a dream and vanished just as suddenly.
Outside, it is almost ten o’clock. Most shops are closed. Only a few restaurants and roadside stalls remain open. The streets are unusually quiet.
That girl, Vanshika has stolen his peace of mind.
Vivek has met many girls before, but this feeling is different. Deeply different. There is something about her that refuses to leave his thoughts.
She must be special, so special that even someone like Vivek, usually selfish and carefree, now feels restless.
He wonders if he will ever see her again.
The night is silent, but inside his mind, a storm rages every thought circling back to that mysterious girl.
Vivek gets into his car and drives toward his home in the city, filled with regret. He couldn’t properly give her his number. He couldn’t even take a single photograph of her.
And in the end, only one question remains...
Who was she?
Next Chapter…
- Writer
