Ch1-The Glass Room

Chapter 1: The Glass Room

The setting sun cast its final rays over the sprawling campus of KITE International School, bathing the buildings in a deep orange glow. The basketball court stood empty now, the faint sound of a loose net swaying in the evening breeze. In the distance, the shadow of the Science Block stretched long over the manicured lawns, its towering windows reflecting the encroaching night.

The school was quiet, too quiet. The rhythmic hum of ceiling fans and the distant chatter of boys in the Upper Dining Hall were the only sounds that carried over the thick, humid air. The Commerce Block, where Ishita Nayak now walked, was deserted, its tiled corridors polished to a shine that reflected the fading light.

Ishita moved with measured steps, her polished black shoes clicking softly. Her uniform was pristine—perfectly ironed and buttoned—like every other part of her life. She was untouchable, admired, and envied. People called her the girl who had it all: charm, intelligence, and, most notably, Aryan Sen, the school’s Sports Captain.

But tonight, Ishita felt something strange—a gnawing pull in her stomach that she couldn’t name. Her feet carried her down the familiar hallway toward the Glass Room, where she’d left her Economics file earlier. The door, with its wide glass panes, shimmered faintly, reflecting fragments of the golden light outside.

As she approached, Ishita stopped.

Through the glass, she saw two figures inside.

The Betrayal

Aryan stood casually in the center of the room, his lean frame resting against one of the tables. His shirt was untucked at the edges, his sleeves rolled up. His hair, still damp from basketball practice, fell slightly over his forehead. His trademark grin—a grin Ishita had once adored—curved lazily on his lips.

Opposite him sat Sanya Kapoor, perched on the edge of a table, her laughter spilling through the faint crack in the door. Sanya leaned in closer, her hand brushing lightly against Aryan’s arm. She was saying something, but Ishita couldn’t hear the words. She didn’t need to.

She knew the tilt of Aryan’s head when he was flirting. She recognized the way his body leaned forward slightly, his attention zeroed in on Sanya as though she were the only person in the world.

Then it happened.

Aryan reached up, tucking a loose strand of Sanya’s hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered for a moment too long. Sanya smiled, her cheeks glowing with warmth, and Aryan leaned forward and kissed her.

It wasn’t rushed. It wasn’t stolen. It was deliberate, intimate, the kind of kiss that carried a weight far heavier than mere infatuation.

Ishita stood frozen in place, her eyes locked on the scene. Through the glass, her faint reflection watched with her, pale and ghostlike, hovering just outside their world.

She didn’t move. She didn’t gasp or cry. She didn’t even blink. Her chest rose and fell evenly, her hands hanging loosely by her sides.

Inside, Sanya laughed again, her voice soft and lilting. Aryan’s hand slipped down her arm, his thumb grazing her wrist in a way Ishita recognized too well.

Her lips parted slightly, as though she might speak. But no words came.

Instead, she stood there for another moment, silent and still. Then, slowly, Ishita smiled.

It wasn’t warm or kind. It was faint, razor-thin, and sharp, curving like a blade.

She turned away and walked back down the corridor, her shoes clicking softly. She didn’t look back.

The Mask

The Lower Dining Hall hummed with faint activity. A few groups of students lingered, their conversations low and scattered, their laughter muted under the weight of the day. Plates clinked against the counters, and the smell of chai and oil drifted through the humid air.

Ishita sat at her usual table in the corner, her notebook open before her. The lines of text blurred as she stared at them, her pen hovering idly over the page.

The sound of Aryan’s laughter played in her head. The way his hand brushed against Sanya’s hair. The curve of his smile as he kissed her. She replayed it all in perfect detail—not as a wound, but as a puzzle.

Her fingers tightened slightly around her pen. She wasn’t sad. She wasn’t angry. What she felt was something colder, sharper, something that hummed in her chest like a blade waiting to strike.

She tapped her pen lightly against the table, her movements measured, rhythmic.

“Hey, Ishita!”

The sound of Aryan’s voice broke her trance. She looked up to see him walking toward her, his shirt untucked, his smile as easy as ever. He slid into the seat across from her without hesitation, like he always did.

“There you are,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

Her face softened instantly. Her lips curved into a faint smile, her eyes meeting his with practiced warmth. “Why?”

Aryan leaned back in his chair, his arms resting lazily on the table. “Why not? You’ve been distant lately. I thought maybe we could catch up.”

She tilted her head slightly, letting her smile widen just a fraction. “You’re sweet.”

Aryan grinned, his dimples deepening. “I try.”

They sat in silence for a moment, the sound of plates clinking faintly in the background. Ishita let the quiet stretch just long enough to make him uncomfortable.

“I was thinking,” she said finally, her tone light, “maybe we could spend some time together tonight. Just the two of us.”

“Oh?” Aryan raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. “What’s the occasion?”

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about,” she said, leaning forward slightly. Her voice dropped, just enough to sound secretive. “Meet me after evening classes. By the forest path behind the Science Block.”

Aryan hesitated. “The forest path? That’s a little… random, don’t you think?”

She tilted her head again, her smile unwavering. “Don’t you trust me?”

His hesitation melted under the weight of her gaze. “Of course, I do. I’ll be there.”

Ishita leaned back, her pen twirling idly between her fingers. “Good.”

Shadows Gather

The night had fully descended by the time Ishita left the dining hall. The campus was quieter now, the scattered remnants of laughter fading into the dark.

She walked alone down the path leading to the Admin Block, her shadow stretching long and thin under the flickering streetlights. The breeze carried the faint rustle of leaves, brushing against her face like a whisper.

Somewhere in the distance, she thought she heard laughter. Soft, faint, almost familiar.

She exhaled slowly, her footsteps steady. It was just the wind.

But as she passed the Science Block, the shadows seemed to shift behind her. She paused, glancing over her shoulder. The path was empty.

And yet, the feeling lingered—the sensation of being watched, of something just out of reach.

She turned back toward her dorm, her expression calm. Her shadow flickered beneath the dim light, stretching unnaturally long as she walked into the darkness.

To Be Continued…