The next morning, Rohan pulled up outside Raha's house and called out from his car window.
"Raha! Raha!"
She stepped outside — and froze.
Rohan leaned against the car door, arms crossed. "What's wrong? Aren't you ready? Don't you have school?"
Raha shook her head firmly. No.
He stepped out of the car. "Why not?"
She said nothing. But it was written all over her face — the shadow of everything that had happened, still raw, still fresh.
Her mother appeared in the doorway.
"Oh! She's saying she won't go back to school."
Rohan folded his arms. "I told you — no one is going to bother her again."
Her mother looked at Raha pointedly.
Raha made a face and turned back inside.
"Good girl," Rohan called after her, a rare warmth in his voice. "Hurry up and get ready. I'll be right here waiting."
Her mother burst out laughing.
Inside, her mother followed her. "So? Will you go?"
Raha kept shaking her head.
Then Rohan appeared in the doorway.
"I said hurry up."
It wasn't a request.
A few minutes later, Raha walked out — ready, reluctant, and refusing to look pleased about it.
"Get in," Rohan said simply, opening the car door.
Raha thought — Absolutely not. Not his car.
She turned and started walking.
Rohan sighed, caught up to her in two steps, and steered her firmly into the passenger seat.
He drove in silence, glancing over at her occasionally, the ghost of a smile on his face.
Raha stared straight ahead and said nothing.
They pulled up to school.
The moment Raha stepped out of Rohan's car, the entire front courtyard seemed to hold its breath.
Whispers erupted immediately.
"Is that — her? With Rohan?"
"No way—"
Across the courtyard, Rabina, Bella, and Grace watched.
Rabina's expression curdled. She turned away, muttering furiously under her breath, and disappeared into the building.
Raha stepped onto the pavement, ignored every single stare, and walked straight toward the main building.
Rohan followed.
From a distance, Shawn watched — still, silent, something unreadable crossing his face.
Raha. With Rohan. In the same car.
In the classroom, Rabina's eyes followed Raha all the way to her seat.
Raha sat down without acknowledging her.
Rohan sat too. Then, deliberately loud enough for the whole room to hear, he spoke.
"Who was responsible for what happened to Raha?"
Silence fell like a curtain.
Raha looked at him.
"Rabina." His gaze landed on her. "Was it you?"
Rabina met his eyes without flinching. "Yes. It was me."
A pause.
"But I wasn't alone." Her voice was almost calm. "Bella. Grace. Aisha. They were all there with me."
The color drained from Bella's face. Grace went rigid. Aisha stared at the floor.
"What is your problem?" Rohan asked, his voice dangerously quiet.
Rabina tilted her head. "My problem? Why don't you tell me yours?" Her voice cracked slightly at the edges. "Whatever I do — whatever I say — it's always about Raha. What exactly is going on between you two?"
Raha blinked. What?
"Going on?" Rohan repeated slowly. "What do you mean?"
Rabina pushed her chair back and walked out of the classroom without another word.
Rohan watched her go. Then he turned back to the front and said nothing more.
The teacher arrived. Class began.
Break time.
The canteen filled with noise and movement as students poured in. Rohan had been waiting — that gift still sitting in his pocket, still undelivered. He just needed the right moment.
Raha collected her meal and looked around for an empty seat, ignoring the whispers that followed her like a second shadow.
She found a spot and sat down.
Shawn appeared almost immediately.
"Hey. You okay?"
Raha nodded. Yes.
"Why did you come with Rohan today?" he asked carefully.
"Because she could," Rohan's voice cut in as he dropped into the seat beside Raha. "Any problem with that?"
"No — I was just asking," Shawn said evenly.
Rohan smiled — easy, unbothered. "From now on, Raha comes to school with me."
Something flickered across Shawn's face. He went quiet.
Raha shook her head vigorously. No. No. Absolutely not.
Shawn watched them both without speaking.
Rohan reached into his pocket — the gift, finally — when Bella's voice cut through the moment.
"Rohan bro! Dad's calling you to the office."
Rohan turned, and whatever warmth had been in his expression disappeared.
"Why?"
Bella folded her arms. "I don't know."
"Then I'm not going."
"Fine." A beat. "It's about Meena's case."
"So?" Rohan's voice went flat. "Go yourself. Take your friends."
"We've all been called," Bella said quietly. "Come on."
She turned and walked away, Grace falling into step beside her.
"What has gotten into him?" Bella muttered as they moved down the corridor. "It's always Raha this, Raha that—"
"He slapped you for her," Grace said.
"Don't." Bella's jaw tightened. "Don't remind me. My whole body burns just thinking about it." She exhaled sharply. "I want to do something about that girl so badly—"
"Like what?" Grace raised an eyebrow. "She has three bodyguards, Bella. One's gone — but there's still two. Your brother and Shawn. Remember last time? Rohan's guard pulled her out before anything could happen." She paused. "What exactly are you going to do?"
Bella's eyes went cold.
"Just wait," she said softly. "My time will come."
Back in the canteen, Rohan sighed internally.
Again. Still haven't given it to her.
He pushed the thought aside, stood up straight, and called out — louder than necessary.
"Raha!"
She startled. Every head in the canteen turned.
Shawn went still.
"Tonight. Seven o'clock. Sky City Mall." Rohan said it like a statement, not an invitation.
Raha stared at him. What?
He was already walking away. "You're coming. I'll be waiting."
He paused at the canteen door and looked back one last time.
"That's an order."
Then he was gone.
The canteen erupted in whispers.
"Did Rohan just — ask her out?"
"Are they dating?"
Raha sat completely still, watching the doorway where he'd disappeared.
Shawn looked at her.
She was still looking at the door.
Something tightened in his chest.
"Are you going?" he asked.
Raha turned to him, confused.
"Sky City Mall," he said. "Don't play dumb."
Raha fell silent. She genuinely didn't know what to think.
Shawn reached across and took both her hands gently.
"Raha." His voice was low, serious now — the playfulness completely gone. "Rohan is just as responsible for what happened to Meena. You know that better than anyone."
The name hit her like a wave.
Meena.
Suddenly it was all there — every moment, every laugh, every small kindness. The girl who had noticed her on the very first day. The girl who had chosen her when no one else did.
Raha's eyes filled.
"Think about what you're doing," Shawn said quietly.
He let go of her hands, stood up, and walked away.
Raha sat alone at the table, the noise of the canteen blurring around her.
And for the first time since morning, she didn't know what she wanted.