Wounds of the Heart (दिल के घाव)💔

44

The afternoon sun beat down on the party scene as Suraj stood by the entrance, greeting his guests with a wide smile. Laughter and chatter filled the air, punctuated by the thrumming bass of the music. Everyone seemed to be having a great time - except for Laksh.

Suraj spotted him across the room, his his secret boyfriend, looking distinctly aloof. He tried to catch Laksh's eye, a playful grin on his face, and reached out to take his hand. But Laksh flinched away, his expression unreadable.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Suraj asked, his smile faltering a little. "You look like you'd rather be anywhere else."

Laksh shrugged, avoiding his gaze. "Just not really feeling it today, I guess."

Suraj frowned. This wasn't like Laksh at all. He usually thrived in these social settings. Ignoring the growing unease in his stomach, Suraj turned his attention to the others.

Twinkle and Nandini were by the snack table, their plates overflowing with an assortment of delicious bites. They were deep in conversation, punctuated by bursts of laughter. Over by the pool, the music had reached a fever pitch. People were jumping and dancing, carefree and joyous.

In the center of it all were Laksh, Manik, Rohit, and Niya. They moved with an effortless grace, their laughter ringing out above the music. Abhi, ever the social butterfly, joined them soon, adding his own energy to the group.

Arjun and Rudra sat by the pool, watching the spectacle unfold. Arjun nursed a beer, his gaze occasionally flickering to Manik. A pang of jealousy, sharp and unwelcome, twisted in his gut each time Manik and Rohit got a little too close.

"Seriously, can they tone down the PDA a bit?" Rudra muttered, his own irritation spilling over. "I get it, they're a couple, but does Rohit need to practically hang off him all night?"

Arjun didn't respond, but his silence spoke volumes. His eyes remained fixed on Manik, a dark cloud of emotion settling over his features.

Meanwhile, Suraj felt his frustration mounting. He tried to close the distance between himself and Laksh, but Laksh kept moving away, a purposeful avoidance in his every step. The carefree afternoon Suraj had envisioned was quickly dissolving into something far more unsettling.

Just as Suraj reached the edge of the dance floor, ready to confront Laksh, a new group of people entered the party, their arrival causing a stir. Among them was a woman Suraj instantly recognized - Sonia, his ex-girlfriend.

Suraj's jaw dropped. The last thing he'd expected was to see her here, especially not after all this time. Before he could react, Sonia spotted him and let out a delighted squeal.

"Suraj!" she shrieked, rushing towards him with open arms. "Oh my god, it's so good to see you!"

Before Suraj could stop her, Sonia enveloped him in a tight hug, her perfume a dizzying cloud around him. He glanced around frantically, searching for Laksh's reaction.

There he was, by the pool, his face a stormy mix of emotions. When their eyes met, Laksh rolled his eyes in obvious annoyance, then turned away, refusing to acknowledge Suraj's unspoken question.

Sonia, oblivious to the tension, pulled back from the hug, her eyes sparkling. "Just got back from London yesterday," she explained breathlessly. "I thought I'd surprise you!"

Suraj tried to force a smile. "Sonia, it's good to see you, really. But..." He hesitated, searching for the right words. "We talked about this. There's nothing between us anymore."

Sonia's smile faltered slightly. "But Suraj, I thought..."

"You thought wrong," Suraj interrupted gently but firmly. "I've moved on. And I suggest you do the same."