unfinished echoes

It was more than two in the morning but Aashvi couldn't sleep. She had sat on her bed for an indefinite period of time, staring at the ceiling. She had no idea how many times the ceiling fan above her had rotated slowly.

"Nidaan. " She couldn't stop thinking of the name. Every time she heard it, she felt something, like an old memory returning. Was Garvit's friend Nidaan the same Nidaan?

Her head told her it wasn't each time. It threw out reason after reason to make her believe it wasn't him. But her heart—her heart said it was. It said maybe, just maybe, it was him.

Today, when Garvit said the name, she stopped, her heart pounding in her ears. But the next moment she had an even more frightening idea.

"Nidaan is engaged to someone else?"

She could believe he'd forgotten her, even his family might have. But could feelings just disappear? Could love just disappear like it never was?

"No… that's not possible."

Even now, she held on to hope. She stared at the silence, burdened by her thoughts, until her eyelids were heavy. Slowly, she fell asleep.

---

Three days later | Hotel Imperial

The party had begun. The golden lights in the ballroom were twinkling, and the clinking of glasses went well with the soft jazz playing in the background. Aashvi had taken care of all the small details—Garvit's grand event was a total hit.

But she stood out in the corner, drained. With a half-empty glass she watched the scene of gaiety as though she were in no real way a part of it.

But then someone grabbed her from behind and embraced her tightly. Aashvi was startled for a moment, but then she knew who it was. She smiled.

"Aashvi, my love! How are you?"

A familiar, cheerful voice rang in her ears. Sia!

Sia Singhania—Garvit's younger sister and Aashvi's best friend.

"I'm fine! You tell me, how are you? " Aashvi shook her free and held her at arm's length.

"And when did you get back from London? Why was your phone off for the last two days? "

She bombarded her with questions in a single breath.

Sia laughed and said, 'I landed yesterday, and my phone was switched off during the flight. When I got home, I didn't call you—I wanted to surprise you! '

She wiggled her eyebrows. 'If I had told you earlier, how would I have seen this priceless expression on your face? '

Aashvi huffed, 'Hmph! I was so worried about you! I even asked Sir about you, but as usual he was no help. In his usual flirtatious voice he said, 'Forget her, think about me instead! ' '

Both of them burst into laughter.

Sia shook her head. "My brother is impossible!"

Her eyes then met Garvit's, who was pacing at the hotel entrance like a dad waiting outside the delivery room, his entire fate on the line.

What's the matter with my brother? Why does he circle the entrance like someone's going to crack a starting pistol and send him sprinting?

She nudges Aashvi to look at him, and Aashvi is just as baffled.

"Yeah, what's wrong with him? You wait here, I'll go look. "

"I'm coming with you!"

"No, you enjoy the party. I'll be right back."

Aashvi walked up to Garvit, who was busy looking at his watch, taking out his phone and peering outside like someone on a mission.

"Sir, what are you doing here? The party is inside, " she said.

Garvit was already annoyed: I don't know if the plane has landed or if they're stuck at baggage claim or—ugh, traffic in Mumbai! They're stuck in traffic.

Sir, you look more like a security guard at the entrance than a businessman.

At this point an employee hesitantly came up to me. 'Ma'am, is sir okay? Do you want me to call a doctor? If he feels sick we can send an ambulance. '

Garvit, who was already on edge, clenched his teeth. 'Come here, now. I'll send you to the ambulance first! '

The poor man had no idea what he had done wrong, but the tone was enough to make him hastily go away and never look back.

Aashvi was trying hard to hold back her laughter but she was unable to do so. 'Calm down, Sir. You will make yourself sick at this rate. Please calm down. '

Garvit studied his reflection in the glass, retied his tie, and took a deep breath. Yeah. I've got to stay cool.

But before they could go inside, a car horn sounded. Garvit shot out of his seat. Without wasting any time, he ran towards the car so fast that Aashvi and the guards looked at each other in shock.

Garvit jerked the car door open and yelled, 'Bhai! Nidaan! '

But stepping out of the car… was Mrs. Singh.

"Oh, Garvit dear, you are so kind to come and greet me! " She patted his cheek.

Garvit's face, which had been so happy just a minute ago, sagged like a deflated balloon. Aashvi and the guards looked at each other with a smile, but were too professional to laugh.

Garvit squinted suspiciously at Aashvi.

"Sir, I suggest we head inside," she said hastily.

Sighing, he agreed. Just then a black car came into the driveway.

Garvit's eyes lit up again. "Finally, my brother is here!"

The driver stepped out and opened the door.

And Aashvi's heart clenched so tightly, it felt suffocating.

No… this was a joke, right?

But no. This was real.

As real as her own existence.

Nidaan.

Ten years had gone by and then, suddenly, he was standing right in front of her.

The same Nidaan who had told her he would always be there for her.

And then, he had left.

Her mind reeled with questions but before she could ask them the door on the other side of the car opened.

A woman stepped out.

Tall. Beautiful. Graceful.

She walked up beside him and took his hand like it was hers.

Garvit grinned. "Finally, brother! After all these years!"

Nidaan's gaze briefly flickered to Aashvi.

But then he turned and said, 'This is my fiancée, Saanvi. '

For a moment, the world stopped.

A faint cracking sound echoed in her heart.

Fiancée.

Garvit grinned at Aashvi then. 'Oh, yeah! I forgot to introduce you. Aashvi, this is Nidaan, my best friend since childhood. Nidaan, this is my secretary—who spends most of her time annoyed with me.

Nidaan spoke softly. "Aashvi?"

The same voice. The same tone.

But now, there was an unfamiliar distance between them.

Aashvi smiled. A smile filled with untold stories.

"Yes, we've met before."

Saanvi looked curious. "Oh? You two know each other?"

Aashvi's smile didn't falter. But her voice was quieter.

"Yes. Something like that."

Nidaan stared at her, as though he could feel the years that had passed between them.

But she was no longer the girl who waited for answers.

She put on her professional face. 'Welcome to the hotel, sir. Have a nice stay. '

And without waiting another second, she turned and walked away.

Just like he once had.