*PRESENT DAY*
Ever since she read that envelope, Ashvi has been thinking about that one thing.
And just then Yash enters the class and comes straight toward Ashvi, smiling, and greets her good morning while smiling. But Ashvi directly asks him about Ruhaan, and Yash's smile immediately disappears.
Yash:
"I don't know where he is."
"When will he come?" she asked again.
Yash:
"No idea, I haven't talked to him. Why, do you need something from him?"
Ashvi has been impatient since last night and she actually can't wait anymore, so she grabs Yash's hand and takes him outside the classroom to the back side of the building.
"Ashvi, what happened?" Yash asked.
"Yash please, whatever I ask you, you'll answer truthfully, right?"
He nodded.
"What do you want to ask? Go ahead."
"Who is Runak?" she asked.
He gave Ashvi a really confused as well as shocked look, then gave her a nervous laugh.
Yash:
"Who Runak? Why would I know?"
"Yash please, don't lie. I know. I know who Runak is," she said seriously.
Yash is really shocked.
Yash:
"You know who he is?"
"Yes. You, Ruhaan, Ayaan, and him were friends, right? I saw a photo of you guys together in Ayaan's room. Yesterday said something about him on the terrace, and after you left after dinner, I asked Ayaan about him. He was acting so weird and I guess he was crying too," she said.
("It's his own fault and he's the one crying," ) Yash whispered to himself.
Ashvi:
"What did you say?"
"Nothing."
Ashvi :
"Look, I'm not understanding any of this. I've never seen Ayaan like that before, that's why I want to know who this person is, finally."
Please tell me...
Yash :
"Ashvi, why do you want to know about him? Just let it be."
"Yash, what are you saying? Yesterday I saw my brother crying for the first time. He was acting so weird, he was sweating all the time, and then that note. And you're asking why I want to know?"
"What's the problem in telling me?"
Yash :
"Ashvi, there are a lot of things like this that we can't tell you. You asked Ayaan yesterday, he didn't tell you, right? Runak was our past, and let it stay in the past."
"Means you won't tell me, right?" she asked seriously.
"Fine, now I'll go ask Ruhaan. There's no other option."
"Ashvi, you won't ask Ruhaan anything about Runak," he said, really serious this time.
And without listening to his whole sentence, Ashvi left from there toward the classroom.
Yash was calling out to her from behind but Ashvi didn't listen to a single thing he said, and finally Yash grabbed her hand and hugged her tightly.
"Yash, let me go," she tried to escape.
"Ashvi, listen to me. Don't ask Ruhaan about this. If you haven't seen his anger..."
"I want to see it," Ashvi said, and she freed herself and walked away.
*AT THE CLASSROOM*
Ruhaan was standing right there.
"Ruhaan," Ashvi called him.
He turned back.
"What?"
Ashvi :
"I need to ask you something."
Just then Yash came running from behind, and everyone in class was really confused.
Ashvi :
"Promise me you'll tell me whatever I ask you."
"I'll try," he replied.
"Not try, I want to know everything."
"See Ashvi, I can't promise you. Your questions are really weird. What if you ask me whether I'll marry you or not?" he said and started laughing.
Ashvi was clearly irritated by his behavior.
"Ruhaan, I'm serious. Please be serious too. Not everything is a joke."
"Ohh okay okay fine, I'm serious now. Ask what you want to ask," he said, still chuckling inside.
"Who is Runak?" she finally asked.
His smile disappeared completely. His teasing nature was completely gone and he just froze there.
Everyone in class went quiet too, and the whole class fell into silence.
"Ruhaan, say something. Who is this Runak?"
Ashvi asked again.
But Ruhaan was quite too quiet and he wasn't even looking at Ashvi.
"Everyone," he finally broke his silence, "all of you go sit at your seats. It's time for the lecture too."
He ignored Ashvi's question and went and sat at his seat. Everyone was staring at him, and Ashvi had gone blank seeing Ruhaan's behavior like that.
She was irritated and she went up to him again and asked,
"I'm asking you something and instead of answering, you're ignoring me."
He was still silent.
"Ruhaan, answer me."
"Ashvi!!" Mansi interrupted, "Stop it. Leave him. He doesn't want to tell, it's his choice."
Ashvi :
"But why? No one is ready to tell. Yesterday I asked Ayaan, he didn't tell. I asked Yash, he didn't tell either. What did I even ask that no one wants to tell?"
Yash :
"Ashvi, I told you, just let it stay in the past, please."
"No, I want to know. Ruhaan, tell me."
Ruhaan started clenching his fist.
"Ruhaan, tell me."
"WHY DO YOU WANT TO KNOW "
HE SHOUTED.
He yelled so loud that his voice was heard throughout the whole building.
The whole class as well as the building went silent.
Ruhaan :
"WHY DO YOU HAVE TO MEDDLE IN EVERYTHING?"
"Then what's the problem in telling? Ashvi also shouted. "Tell me, who is this Runak?"
"HE WAS MY BROTHER. HE WAS MY BROTHER WHO'S DEAD!! AND WAS KILLED BY YOUR BROTHER."
He shouted even more.
Ruhaan's words hit Ashvi like a thunderstorm.
Ruhaan walked out of the class and Yash went after him too.
While Ashvi just stood there, completely blank.