BETWEEN STRINGS AND SHADOWS

Chapter-16

It had only been a few days since that moment—the one she had dreamed of, rehearsed in her head a hundred different ways but never truly expected. Arjun, standing in front of her apartment, words tumbling out of his mouth with a rare vulnerability.

"You thought I never noticed you. But all I did was notice you. I felt what we had, like you did. And I don’t date for fun. I date to marry. If you’re up for it, let’s date. I love you."

Those words had etched themselves into her memory, replaying like a soft tune in the back of her mind, no matter what she did. The way he had looked at her. Not like a police officer. Not like the short-tempered man everyone else tiptoed around. But like someone trying to find peace—in her.

And she had held him. Back-hugged him like her soul had been waiting to do that for a lifetime.

But since then... nothing.

No calls. No messages. No shared coffee, no late-night texts, not even a half-hearted emoji.

The silence was starting to gnaw at her. Not because she doubted him. No—he wasn’t someone who spoke just to fill space. But because she missed him.

She missed him in the most inconvenient of ways. While sipping her coffee, when something mildly annoying happened at work, when she passed by that streetlight where they had stood. Her mind would wander—What would Arjun say? Would he have smiled at this? Would he be proud of me today?

She tapped her phone again.

Still nothing.

She sighed, pushing her chair back, the sound of it scraping against the floor filling her tiny apartment. She didn’t want to be the kind of girl who pined. She didn’t like the idea of pacing or checking her phone every ten minutes. But when you’ve waited in silence for years, even glances become stories—and Arjun had given her volumes.

That was when she stood up. Without giving herself more time to overthink, she grabbed her bag, slipped into her sandals, and locked her apartment. Her feet knew where they were going before her mind did.

To the station.

---

It was mid-morning. The station was humming with the usual rhythm—paperwork, phones ringing, officers walking in and out, half-eaten snacks at desks.

She walked through the main hallway, the smell of printer ink and hot chai lingering in the air. She spotted Ravi sitting at his desk, a file half-open before him.

He looked up, surprised. “Indu? Everything okay?”

She tried to keep her tone casual, though her fingers twisted the strap of her bag. “Hey, Ravi. Is Arjun around?”

Ravi blinked. “You didn’t know?”

That question alone sent a jolt through her.

“Know what?” she asked, quietly.

He hesitated. His eyes darted around like he was checking if anyone else was listening.

“He’s not here. He left town a few days ago.”

Indu’s breath caught. “Left?”

“Kurnool. Said it was work-related. Didn’t give much detail.”

Indu felt a strange mix of emotions. Relief that he wasn’t ghosting her. But also confusion—Why didn’t he tell me? Didn’t he want me to know?

Ravi studied her face for a moment. “I’m not sure what’s going on. He’s... been different since the suspension. Quieter. A little more intense. You know how he gets.”

She nodded. She knew.

Then, something in her cracked open. She didn’t care if she seemed foolish, or too forward, or clingy.

“Do you have his address there?” she asked softly.

Ravi raised his eyebrows. “You want to go to Kurnool?”

She bit her lip, the answer in her silence.

He sighed, shaking his head with a smile. “You’re really something, you know that?”

Indu gave him a look. “Ravi.”

He scribbled something on a notepad and handed it over. “Here. But if he yells at me for this, I’m blaming you.”

She smiled, holding the paper tightly, her chest already aching with longing and nervous hope.

As she turned to leave, Ravi called after her, “Hey, Indu.”

She paused.

“I’ve seen Arjun for years. I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you.”

She blinked, her heart swelling.

“I miss him too,” she said quietly, and walked out into the sun.

This wasn’t about showing up unannounced. This was about showing up when it mattered.

And she would.

Because if love was a risk, she was willing to take it—especially when it came to Arjun.

Hope you like the chapter. Please feel free to let me know what you think about it...