Ruhi had always known how to play the game. She was the master of keeping Abhi's attention, of making sure he was always looking at her and no one else. But lately, things had been shifting. It wasn't obvious to others, but she could feel it-the subtle changes in his expressions, the moments of hesitation when he spoke to her, the way his gaze sometimes lingered on Ishika longer than necessary.
And that infuriated her.
She refused to let some rich, privileged girl take what was hers.
Later that evening, as she and Abhi sat at an upscale café, she decided it was time to remind him where he belonged.
"So," she said, stirring her coffee slowly, "we haven't had a proper date in a while."
Abhi, distractedly scrolling through his phone, looked up. "Huh? We went out just last week."
Ruhi sighed dramatically. "That wasn't a real date. It was just grabbing food between classes. I mean a real, romantic evening." She reached across the table and touched his hand lightly. "Just us."
Abhi offered her a half-smile, but there was something distant about it. "You're right. Let's do something soon."
That wasn't enough. She needed to secure his attention now.
Ruhi leaned in, lowering her voice. "You know, I feel like we haven't really talked in a while. It's almost like something's on your mind."
Abhi exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "It's nothing, Ruhi."
"Is it about her?" she asked, her tone casual but her grip on her cup tightening.
Abhi's jaw tightened slightly. "Ruhi-"
"I'm just saying," she interrupted with a smile that didn't reach her eyes, "it's funny how you suddenly have so much to talk about with someone you barely knew a few weeks ago."
Abhi sighed. "Ruhi, Ishika and I are just talking. That's it."
"But you don't talk to me the way you do with her," Ruhi said, her voice quiet but pointed. "You don't look at me the way you look at her."
For a moment, Abhi didn't respond. Then, instead of denying it outright, he simply said, "Ruhi, don't start."
That was it. No reassurances, no protests of loyalty. Just don't start.
A cold knot formed in her stomach. This was new. This was dangerous.
She forced a chuckle, trying to lighten the mood. "Relax, I'm just teasing. I know you're mine."
Abhi gave a small, tired smile. "Yeah."
But it wasn't convincing. And that unsettled her more than anything else.
As they left the café, Ruhi wrapped her arm around his, holding on just a little tighter than usual. She needed to do something before the tide turned against her. Because for the first time since she had started this game, she was no longer sure she was winning.
.....to be continued.....
Author's Note:
The queen of the board just felt her first tremor.
Ruhi has always been in control—of the narrative, of Abhi's attention, of her own perfectly polished game. But what happens when the opponent doesn't play dirty... yet still manages to gain ground? Ishika isn't stealing the spotlight; Abhi is slowly handing it over. And Ruhi? She's left chasing shadows in a war she never thought she'd have to fight.
There's something tragic and deliciously ironic in watching a master manipulator come undone—not through confrontation, but through neglect. Through soft silences and half-hearted smiles. Through a boy who once looked at her like she was the sun, now squinting toward another light.
This isn't a love story anymore. This is the slow unraveling of power, stitched into everyday conversations, glazed smiles, and lingering glances not meant for her.
And Ruhi?
She's not going down without a fight.
The game just got serious.
Stay tuned.
—Your Author