The Love That Never Spoke

Episode 10: The Distance Between Us

Ayan didn’t mean to avoid her.



It just… happened.



He stopped replying to her messages right away. He chose different places to sit in class. When she looked for him after school, he suddenly had somewhere else to be.



It wasn’t anger. It wasn’t even jealousy.



It was just pain. And the only way to deal with it was to put distance between himself and the one person who could hurt him the most.



But Riya noticed.



"Ayan."



He froze.



It was the first time she had caught him alone since that day. The hallway was empty, the sound of distant voices fading into the background.



He turned slowly, schooling his face into something neutral. "Yeah?"



She frowned. "Are you avoiding me?"



Ayan forced out a short laugh. "Why would I do that?"



Riya crossed her arms. "That’s what I want to know."



Silence.



She wasn’t letting this go.



He looked at her then, really looked at her. The same girl he had spent years caring for. The girl who had taken his hand just days ago—only to stand so close to someone else the next.



But she wasn’t his.



She never had been.



And maybe it was time he accepted that.



"I’ve just been busy," he said finally. "That’s all."



She didn’t look convinced. "Busy?"



"Yeah. School, exams… you know how it is." He forced a smile. "You don’t have to worry."



Something flickered in her eyes. But before she could say anything, Ayan took a step back.



"I’ll see you later, Riya."



Then, without waiting for her response, he walked away.



And this time, she didn’t stop him.





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