Behind the Lit Windows - The Risk of Being Seen - Part 9

 Something had begun to shift again.

Not in the building.
Not in the routines.

But inside Arun.

He could no longer pretend it was just a conversation.

Not anymore.

Because now, every word she typed had a face.

A voice he had heard in the hallway.

A presence he had stood inches away from.

That night, the chat opened like always.

But neither of them started immediately.

For the first time…

both were waiting.

“Hey,” Sana finally typed.

There was a pause before the reply came.

Longer than usual.

“Hey.”

She noticed it.

The delay.

The difference.

Something felt… off.

“You okay?” she asked.

Arun stared at the screen.

That question.

It had always comforted him.

But today…

it felt heavier.

Because the person asking it had walked past him that morning…

without knowing.

“Yeah… just tired,” he replied.

Sana leaned back slightly.

She didn’t believe it.

Not fully.

But she didn’t push.

Not yet.

Outside, the night air was still.

Almost expectant.

Arun stood near his balcony again, phone in hand.

His eyes moved to her window.

The light was on.

She was there.

Just like him.

Just like every night.

“Can I ask you something?” he typed.

“Hmm… serious tone 😄 Ask.”

He hesitated.

This was it.

Not the full truth.

But closer than he had ever been.

“If someone you talk to every day… is closer than you think… would you want to know?”

Sana sat up straighter.

Her smile faded slightly.

There it was again.

That feeling.

That strange pull from before.

Her eyes slowly drifted toward the window.

The building across stood quiet.

Familiar.

Too familiar.

“Why do I feel like you’re saying something without saying it?” she replied.

Arun exhaled.

She was noticing.

Of course she was.

She always did.

His fingers hovered.

For a second…

he almost told her.

I saw you.

I know it’s you.

You’re right there.

But then—

He imagined the silence that might follow.

The distance.

The change.

The possibility that she might step away…

not from him—

but from this.

And that thought stopped him.

“Maybe I am,” he typed instead.

Sana stared at the message.

Her heart beat a little faster.

Not out of fear.

But curiosity.

And something else…

something she couldn’t quite name.

“You’re confusing,” she replied.

“Maybe I’m scared,” he wrote.

That made her pause.

Really pause.

She leaned her head back, looking at the ceiling.

Then whispered to herself—

“Of what?”

Her fingers moved slowly.

“Scared of what?”

Arun closed his eyes for a moment.

Then opened them.

His gaze fixed on her window again.

“Losing something good… by knowing too much.”

Silence.

Not the comfortable kind.

Not this time.

Sana read it again.

And again.

Something about that line…

it stayed.

Without realizing, she stood up.

Walked toward the window.

And looked out.

Across the building—

Arun was already there.

Leaning slightly forward.

As if waiting.

This time…

they didn’t look away immediately.

A few seconds longer.

A little more awareness.

A little more presence.

Sana narrowed her eyes slightly.

A strange thought formed—

Why does this feel familiar?

Her phone buzzed.

“Do you trust me?” Arun asked.

She didn’t look at the screen right away.

Her eyes were still on that figure across the building.

Then slowly…

she typed—

“I think I do.”

Arun read it.

And something inside him shifted.

Not relief.

Not fully.

But something stronger.

Because trust…

made truth inevitable.

And for the first time—

he realized—

he couldn’t stay hidden forever.

The distance was shrinking.

Not physically.

But emotionally.

Dangerously.

Inevitably.

And very soon…

one moment—

one choice—

would decide everything.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Behind the Lit Windows - Learning Each Other Again - Part 14

 Standing in front of each other felt… unfamiliar. Not because they were strangers. But because they weren’t anymore. The hallway was quiet. Too quiet for two people who had said so much… and now didn’t know where to begin. Arun shifted slightly, his hands unsure of where to rest. “So…” he started, then stopped. Sana let out a small breath. A faint smile touched her lips. “Yeah… so .” They both almost laughed. Almost. It was strange. Behind a screen, words had flowed effortlessly. Here— every word felt like it carried weight. “You’re quieter in real life,” Sana said gently. Arun nodded. “And you’re… more real.” The moment lingered. Not awkward. Just… honest. A soft sound echoed from a nearby apartment—utensils, a door closing, life continuing as usual. But for them… time had slowed. Sana leaned lightly against the wall. “I kept thinking… what if this ruins everything?” she admitted. Arun didn’t interrupt. He understood that feeling too well. ...
Read more

The Rose Behind the Verdict - The Man in the Blue Scarf - Part 6

 Dev Bishan stood beneath the dripping archway of the rear courtyard as though he had entered a stage rather than a crime scene. He was handsome in the practiced manner of men who knew mirrors well—trim beard, tailored coat, rain on polished shoes, and the blue scarf now tied casually at his throat. His smile suggested confidence; his eyes suggested calculation. “You vanish all day,” said Arindam, “and reappear precisely when discovered. Efficient timing.” Dev laughed softly. “I might say the same of detectives.” He stepped forward and offered his hand. Arindam did not take it. “Where were you since noon?” “In the city.” “Doing what?” “Protecting my family.” “That answer contains no facts.” “It contains enough.” Arindam drew the silver cufflink from his pocket. “This was found beside the torn portrait of your uncle.” Dev glanced at it, unimpressed. “I lost it yesterday.” “How convenient.” “I prefer inevitable.” Rain tapped the stone between them. From an upper wi...
Read more

Where the Sunrise Waited - The Secret Plan - Part 5

 The Secret Plan  The hill town slowly began to quiet down as afternoon sunlight softened the busy streets. Tourists wandered through the small market. Children chased each other near the town square. The mountains around the town looked peaceful again, as if nothing mysterious had ever existed there. But inside a small souvenir shop, two people were whispering like conspirators. Kabir and Riya. Dev stood a few feet away pretending not to be involved. “This is a bad idea,” he said without looking at them. Kabir waved his hand dismissively. “Relax. It’s just harmless fun.” Riya nodded enthusiastically. “Exactly. Just a tiny experiment.” Dev sighed. “I already regret being here.” Kabir leaned closer to Riya and lowered his voice. “Step one,” he whispered, “we make them accidentally walk together tomorrow.” Riya grinned. “That’s easy.” “Step two,” Kabir continued, “we disappear for a while.” Dev stared at them. “You two are insane.” Across the market street, ...
Read more