24-05-2026, 02:34 PM
Chapter 14 — Old Eyes, Old Wounds
Sunday evening arrived wrapped in noise, balloons, traffic, and forced smiles.
The banquet hall in Coimbatore wasn’t luxurious, but it was lively in the way family functions always were: children running everywhere, relatives shouting over each other, someone constantly adjusting decorations, someone constantly asking where the cake knife had gone.
At the entrance, pastel-colored balloons framed a giant board:
“Aarav Turns One”
Inside, chaos felt warm.
---
Shruthi adjusted Hasini’s dress while standing near the entrance mirror.
“Don’t run,” she warned.
Hasini nodded immediately.
Then ran anyway.
Lokesh sighed.
“Your parenting influence.”
“My genetics are innocent.”
“That’s scientifically impossible.”
She almost smiled.
Almost.
---
Before they could move further inside, a loud voice cut through the crowd.
“SHRUTHI!”
Divya.
Exactly the same energy as college days.
She came rushing toward them in a bright green saree, bangles jingling loudly enough to announce emotional destruction in advance.
Shruthi laughed properly for the first time that day.
“Oh my god.”
Divya hugged her tightly.
“You still look irritatingly good.”
“You still speak without brakes.”
“Correct.”
Then Divya turned dramatically toward Lokesh.
And for one brief second—
time paused.
---
Their eyes met.
Just one second.
But enough.
Enough for memory to move silently between them.
College corridors.
Canteen laughter.
Group studies that became emotional complications.
Long bike rides after symposiums.
And feelings that had never been spoken aloud properly.
---
Divya smiled immediately afterward.
Perfectly normal.
Perfectly controlled.
“Lokesh.”
“Hi Divya.”
Warm tone.
Friendly.
Safe.
But Shruthi noticed something.
A flicker.
Tiny.
Almost invisible.
Still there.
---
Before silence stretched further, Divya turned around and shouted:
“GANESH!”
A man in his mid-thirties approached holding a sleeping baby awkwardly while simultaneously balancing a juice glass.
“Why are you yelling from entrance itself?” he asked.
Then noticed them.
“Oh.”
Divya grinned proudly.
“This is Shruthi. My college best friend. And this is her husband, Lokesh.”
Ganesh immediately smiled warmly.
“So finally I meet the famous people.”
Shruthi laughed.
“Famous ah?”
“My wife talks about college stories like mythology.”
Divya rolled her eyes.
“Because we survived engineering trauma together.”
Ganesh shifted the baby carefully.
“And apparently this fellow”—he pointed at Lokesh—“was college hero.”
Lokesh groaned instantly.
“That rumor needs to die.”
Shruthi smirked faintly.
“It won’t.”
---
Karthik arrived at the entrance at that exact moment carrying gift bags.
“Akka, where should I keep—”
He stopped seeing everyone together.
Then immediately smiled.
“Hi.”
Ganesh looked confused.
“You all know each other already ah?”
Divya answered dramatically:
“Entire universe is connected through engineering colleges.”
---
As conversations continued, old familiarity slowly returned.
Shruthi and Divya slipped easily into college-style teasing.
Lokesh remained calmer, more observant.
Karthik moved around helping with arrangements while occasionally glancing toward Shruthi unconsciously.
And Divya noticed everything.
Absolutely everything.
---
Later in the evening, during cake arrangements, Divya and Lokesh ended up standing near the juice counter alone briefly.
Crowd noise filled the gap around them.
For a few seconds, neither spoke.
Then Divya smiled faintly.
“Still the same calm face.”
Lokesh looked at her.
“You’re still dramatic.”
“That’s my brand.”
A small silence followed.
Not uncomfortable.
Just full of history.
---
Then quietly, almost casually, Divya asked:
“You both happy?”
Lokesh blinked slightly at the directness.
“Hm?”
“You and Shruthi.”
He answered carefully.
“Yes.”
Divya nodded slowly.
But her eyes lingered on him a second longer.
Because years ago, before Shruthi and Lokesh officially became a couple…
Divya had already fallen for him silently.
Nobody fully knew.
Or maybe Shruthi knew and chose not to acknowledge it.
Back then, Lokesh had naturally gravitated toward Shruthi:
her confidence,
her sharpness,
the way she challenged him constantly.
And Divya—
loud, emotional, affectionate Divya—
had become the friend standing slightly outside the center of that story.
---
She had eventually moved on.
Married Ganesh.
Built a good life.
Had children.
Found stability.
Yet somewhere deep inside, an old emotional scar had never fully disappeared.
Not because Lokesh rejected her cruelly.
But because Shruthi unknowingly became the woman Divya could never compete with.
---
Across the hall, Shruthi stood speaking with Ganesh while watching Hasini chase balloons.
Ganesh laughed suddenly.
“You know what Divya told me before marriage?”
Shruthi looked up suspiciously.
“What?”
“That if I wanted peace in life, I should never argue with women from your college.”
Shruthi burst into laughter.
“That sounds accurate.”
Ganesh leaned closer slightly.
“She also said you were the smartest person in your batch.”
Shruthi rolled her eyes.
“She exaggerates everything.”
But even while smiling, she noticed something else—
Divya and Lokesh talking quietly near the juice counter.
Nothing inappropriate.
Nothing secretive.
Still…
something about that visual unsettled her unexpectedly.
---
At the same moment, Karthik walked beside her carrying plates.
“You okay?” he asked softly.
Shruthi looked at him.
“Why?”
“You suddenly went quiet.”
She glanced once more toward Divya and Lokesh.
Then replied casually:
“Nothing.”
But internally, something had shifted again.
Because for the first time, she was seeing another woman share history with her husband—
history she herself wasn’t fully present inside.
And somewhere nearby, Divya was smiling warmly while carrying an old grudge carefully hidden beneath friendliness.
Not because she still wanted Lokesh.
But because part of her had never forgiven Shruthi for effortlessly becoming the woman everyone chose first.
Sunday evening arrived wrapped in noise, balloons, traffic, and forced smiles.
The banquet hall in Coimbatore wasn’t luxurious, but it was lively in the way family functions always were: children running everywhere, relatives shouting over each other, someone constantly adjusting decorations, someone constantly asking where the cake knife had gone.
At the entrance, pastel-colored balloons framed a giant board:
“Aarav Turns One”
Inside, chaos felt warm.
---
Shruthi adjusted Hasini’s dress while standing near the entrance mirror.
“Don’t run,” she warned.
Hasini nodded immediately.
Then ran anyway.
Lokesh sighed.
“Your parenting influence.”
“My genetics are innocent.”
“That’s scientifically impossible.”
She almost smiled.
Almost.
---
Before they could move further inside, a loud voice cut through the crowd.
“SHRUTHI!”
Divya.
Exactly the same energy as college days.
She came rushing toward them in a bright green saree, bangles jingling loudly enough to announce emotional destruction in advance.
Shruthi laughed properly for the first time that day.
“Oh my god.”
Divya hugged her tightly.
“You still look irritatingly good.”
“You still speak without brakes.”
“Correct.”
Then Divya turned dramatically toward Lokesh.
And for one brief second—
time paused.
---
Their eyes met.
Just one second.
But enough.
Enough for memory to move silently between them.
College corridors.
Canteen laughter.
Group studies that became emotional complications.
Long bike rides after symposiums.
And feelings that had never been spoken aloud properly.
---
Divya smiled immediately afterward.
Perfectly normal.
Perfectly controlled.
“Lokesh.”
“Hi Divya.”
Warm tone.
Friendly.
Safe.
But Shruthi noticed something.
A flicker.
Tiny.
Almost invisible.
Still there.
---
Before silence stretched further, Divya turned around and shouted:
“GANESH!”
A man in his mid-thirties approached holding a sleeping baby awkwardly while simultaneously balancing a juice glass.
“Why are you yelling from entrance itself?” he asked.
Then noticed them.
“Oh.”
Divya grinned proudly.
“This is Shruthi. My college best friend. And this is her husband, Lokesh.”
Ganesh immediately smiled warmly.
“So finally I meet the famous people.”
Shruthi laughed.
“Famous ah?”
“My wife talks about college stories like mythology.”
Divya rolled her eyes.
“Because we survived engineering trauma together.”
Ganesh shifted the baby carefully.
“And apparently this fellow”—he pointed at Lokesh—“was college hero.”
Lokesh groaned instantly.
“That rumor needs to die.”
Shruthi smirked faintly.
“It won’t.”
---
Karthik arrived at the entrance at that exact moment carrying gift bags.
“Akka, where should I keep—”
He stopped seeing everyone together.
Then immediately smiled.
“Hi.”
Ganesh looked confused.
“You all know each other already ah?”
Divya answered dramatically:
“Entire universe is connected through engineering colleges.”
---
As conversations continued, old familiarity slowly returned.
Shruthi and Divya slipped easily into college-style teasing.
Lokesh remained calmer, more observant.
Karthik moved around helping with arrangements while occasionally glancing toward Shruthi unconsciously.
And Divya noticed everything.
Absolutely everything.
---
Later in the evening, during cake arrangements, Divya and Lokesh ended up standing near the juice counter alone briefly.
Crowd noise filled the gap around them.
For a few seconds, neither spoke.
Then Divya smiled faintly.
“Still the same calm face.”
Lokesh looked at her.
“You’re still dramatic.”
“That’s my brand.”
A small silence followed.
Not uncomfortable.
Just full of history.
---
Then quietly, almost casually, Divya asked:
“You both happy?”
Lokesh blinked slightly at the directness.
“Hm?”
“You and Shruthi.”
He answered carefully.
“Yes.”
Divya nodded slowly.
But her eyes lingered on him a second longer.
Because years ago, before Shruthi and Lokesh officially became a couple…
Divya had already fallen for him silently.
Nobody fully knew.
Or maybe Shruthi knew and chose not to acknowledge it.
Back then, Lokesh had naturally gravitated toward Shruthi:
her confidence,
her sharpness,
the way she challenged him constantly.
And Divya—
loud, emotional, affectionate Divya—
had become the friend standing slightly outside the center of that story.
---
She had eventually moved on.
Married Ganesh.
Built a good life.
Had children.
Found stability.
Yet somewhere deep inside, an old emotional scar had never fully disappeared.
Not because Lokesh rejected her cruelly.
But because Shruthi unknowingly became the woman Divya could never compete with.
---
Across the hall, Shruthi stood speaking with Ganesh while watching Hasini chase balloons.
Ganesh laughed suddenly.
“You know what Divya told me before marriage?”
Shruthi looked up suspiciously.
“What?”
“That if I wanted peace in life, I should never argue with women from your college.”
Shruthi burst into laughter.
“That sounds accurate.”
Ganesh leaned closer slightly.
“She also said you were the smartest person in your batch.”
Shruthi rolled her eyes.
“She exaggerates everything.”
But even while smiling, she noticed something else—
Divya and Lokesh talking quietly near the juice counter.
Nothing inappropriate.
Nothing secretive.
Still…
something about that visual unsettled her unexpectedly.
---
At the same moment, Karthik walked beside her carrying plates.
“You okay?” he asked softly.
Shruthi looked at him.
“Why?”
“You suddenly went quiet.”
She glanced once more toward Divya and Lokesh.
Then replied casually:
“Nothing.”
But internally, something had shifted again.
Because for the first time, she was seeing another woman share history with her husband—
history she herself wasn’t fully present inside.
And somewhere nearby, Divya was smiling warmly while carrying an old grudge carefully hidden beneath friendliness.
Not because she still wanted Lokesh.
But because part of her had never forgiven Shruthi for effortlessly becoming the woman everyone chose first.
-Pickup, drop, escape.
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