Chapter 1: The Room with a View

The cold air nipped at her skin as she walked down the narrow street, the weight of the world on her shoulders. Aaradhya had been dreaming of a life like this for years—one where she didn’t have to worry about where her next meal would come from, or where she would sleep at night. But dreams were often nothing more than fleeting fantasies, and reality had a way of slapping her in the face.

The job in the city was her lifeline. It was the reason she had packed up and left everything behind. She had no family, no friends to lean on. She was just another orphan trying to survive in a world that had forgotten her. So when she found out that the rent for most apartments was far out of her budget, she’d been devastated.

But then, she saw it—a small, almost forgotten poster hanging in the corner of a shop window. The faded paper read, “House for Rent. Affordable price. Peaceful location.”

Aaradhya didn’t hesitate. She rushed to the address, hoping, praying that it was real.

When she arrived, the place was far from perfect. The house was old, the paint chipped, and the windows creaked under the slightest movement. But the rent was just about what she could afford, and that was enough. It was far enough from the city center to be cheap, but close enough to make commuting manageable.

She stepped inside and felt an immediate chill in the air. The house was empty, but somehow it felt alive—not with people, but with something else. Something unseen.

As she settled in, the eerie feeling didn’t go away. The house seemed to whisper in the silence, as though it were holding its breath, waiting.

The first few days were quiet, and Aaradhya tried to focus on her job. But every time she looked out of the window, something caught her eye.

Across the street, in the house that seemed to be just as abandoned, there was a figure. A man. He always stood by the window, looking out with a soft smile on his face. His gaze would meet hers, and he would smile even wider, as if acknowledging her presence.

At first, Aaradhya thought nothing of it. But then, she realized—he was always there. Every day, at the same time, just standing, smiling, watching.

She wasn’t sure why, but it felt comforting to see him. There was something about him—something calm and warm—that made her feel less alone.

One evening, as she stood by her window, looking at him, she saw him do something strange. Instead of just standing there, he waved. Aaradhya blinked, unsure if she’d seen it correctly. But then, he waved again.

Without thinking, she raised her hand in response.

To her surprise, he smiled even brighter and waved back.

The next day, she saw him again. This time, he was sitting by the window, reading a book. He looked up when he felt her gaze, and when he saw her, he gave her a soft nod.

It was then that Aaradhya realized—he wasn’t just a neighbor. He was something else, something more.

Days passed, and their silent communication continued. Each glance from her window was met with a wave or a smile. But it wasn’t until one evening, as the sky turned dark and the wind howled through the empty streets, that he spoke to her.

He hadn’t just waved or smiled. He had spoken.

“Good evening,” he said, his voice muffled by the distance.

Aaradhya’s heart skipped a beat. Her hand froze on the windowsill, her fingers curling around the cold wood. She couldn’t believe it.

“Who… who are you?” she whispered under her breath, unsure if he could hear her.

The smile on his face didn’t waver, and he leaned closer to the window. “I’m the one who sees you.”

Aaradhya’s breath hitched. The words felt like a secret, shared between two people who were too scared to speak their truths aloud.

But as the days went by, the question lingered in her mind.

Who was he?

And more importantly… why did it feel like he was watching her for a reason?

Chapter 2: The Silent Connection

The days had blurred together for Aaradhya. Work, her tiny rented room, and the strange man across the street became her reality. She had to admit, there was something compelling about him — something almost magnetic. Each time she glanced out her window, he was there, whether it was day or night.

The awkwardness of their first interaction lingered in her thoughts. He had spoken to me..., she kept thinking. The words "I see you" echoed in her mind, sending shivers down her spine.

At first, she had convinced herself it was just a coincidence. Maybe he was just friendly, or perhaps lonely. But the more she observed, the more things didn’t add up. The other houses on the street were lived in, occupied by families or students, but his house — the one directly across from hers — always seemed empty.

She tried not to think too much about it. After all, who was she to question someone else's life? But her curiosity, as it always did, got the best of her. One evening, as dusk settled and the world outside her window faded into the soft glow of streetlights, she found herself once again staring at his house.

And there he was. Standing by the window, as usual. She watched as he leaned against the frame, his eyes scanning the street. When he saw her watching, he smiled, that same calm, knowing smile. Aaradhya’s heart skipped a beat, and before she could stop herself, she smiled back.

But then… something strange happened. He didn’t look away. His smile didn’t waver, but there was something more — an intensity in his gaze that made Aaradhya feel as though he was peering straight into her soul. She could feel her palms grow sweaty, her breath becoming shallow.

She pulled back, almost instinctively, and backed away from the window. What am I doing? she thought. I’m losing my mind.

The next day, she tried to avoid thinking about him. She spent the whole morning in her room, catching up on work. But by afternoon, her curiosity had taken hold again. She couldn’t stop herself from looking outside.

To her surprise, he was there again, but this time, he wasn’t at the window. Instead, he was standing on the front porch of his house, looking directly at her. Aaradhya’s heart raced, and she quickly turned away. But just as she was about to pull the curtains, she heard something.

It was a knock.

She froze, her breath caught in her throat. The knock echoed through the silence of her room, and Aaradhya’s thoughts spun wildly. Who would be knocking at this hour?

It was a soft knock, but loud enough for her to hear clearly. Hesitantly, she walked to the door and opened it.

Standing on the other side was the same man from across the street. His expression was calm, but there was a hint of something more in his eyes — something searching, almost as if he was looking for something, or someone.

“Hello,” he said, his voice low and warm, like the sound of the rain on a quiet evening. “I’m Krish. I live across the street.”

Aaradhya’s heart skipped again. She’d never seen him this close before. His features were more distinct now — the dark eyes that held so much emotion, the strong jawline, the gentle curve of his lips. For a moment, she was speechless. How was it that she hadn’t seen him walk over?

“I—uh, hi,” Aaradhya stammered, her voice barely a whisper. “What… what brings you here?”

Krish smiled softly, though there was a sadness behind his eyes. “I thought we should formally introduce ourselves,” he said. “I see you looking out your window sometimes. I figured I should say hello.”

His words felt too casual, too familiar. Aaradhya blinked, wondering if she had misunderstood. Was he really standing there, talking to her like this?

But her mind could barely keep up with the situation. She stepped aside to let him in, if only for politeness.

As he stepped into her tiny living room, the air seemed to grow heavier, more suffocating. There was something unsettling about his presence, as though he didn’t belong — as if he were an intruder, but in a way that was hard to explain.

“I hope I’m not disturbing you,” Krish continued, his voice so soft it almost felt like a whisper.

Aaradhya didn’t know how to respond. She had so many questions in her mind, so many uncertainties. Why was he here? How did he know so much about her? But she simply nodded.

“No, you’re not disturbing me. I… I was just surprised to see you.” Aaradhya’s voice trembled slightly.

Krish smiled again, his eyes lingering on hers. “I’m glad to hear that. You know, it gets lonely out here sometimes. I’m not used to seeing many people around.”

His words hung in the air, but Aaradhya couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. The longer she stood there, the more her unease grew. It wasn’t just his presence — it was his familiarity with her, as if they had known each other far longer than they actually had.

She tried to shake it off, but the gnawing suspicion lingered in the back of her mind.

“Are you okay?” Krish asked suddenly, his gaze softening as he watched her. “You seem a little… distracted.”

Aaradhya blinked, shaking herself out of her thoughts. “Yeah, I’m fine,” she said, though the words felt hollow.

As Krish left her apartment that evening, she stood at the door, her hand on the handle, watching him walk back across the street.

He turned back once, flashing that same eerie, knowing smile.

And Aaradhya realized then that she didn’t know anything about him — but she desperately wanted to.

Chapter 3: The Secrets We Keep

Aaradhya’s heart pounded in her chest as Krish slowly walked away from her, back into his house, leaving her standing frozen on the street. The air around her felt thick, like a fog settling into her lungs. Her mind was racing, unable to process what had just happened. “Waiting for you to come to me,” his words echoed in her ears. She couldn’t shake the image of him standing at her window, the unsettling feeling of being watched consuming her every thought.

But now, there was something more: Krish’s cryptic smile, the strange sense of familiarity in his eyes, and the weight of his presence. She couldn’t just walk away from this. She needed answers. The only way she could find peace was to face him, to understand what was going on.

As she walked back across the street to her own house, Aaradhya’s eyes kept glancing at Krish’s darkened windows. Something felt off about this whole situation. She’d felt this eerie connection from the moment they met, but the more she thought about it, the more confused she became. Was it just her imagination? Or was there something deeper, something more sinister, at play here?

The next few days passed in a blur. Aaradhya kept her distance from Krish, refusing to give in to the nagging curiosity. She tried to focus on her work and the small tasks that made up her daily routine. But the strange feeling that had taken root in her mind wouldn’t let her go. It was as though something invisible was pulling her back toward him, urging her to uncover the truth.

One evening, after a long day at work, Aaradhya found herself walking home with an unfamiliar sense of urgency. She wasn’t sure why, but her feet seemed to be taking her in the direction of Krish’s house. Before she knew it, she was standing in front of his door again, the same cold wind brushing against her skin.

She hesitated, her fingers tingling with nerves. She knew she had no reason to be here, but the pull she felt was undeniable. Taking a deep breath, she knocked.

A few moments later, the door creaked open, and there he was—Krish, his usual calm demeanor masking the intensity in his eyes. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence hung between them, thick and heavy.

“You came back,” Krish said, his voice soft, as if he were speaking to her for the first time.

Aaradhya’s chest tightened. “I need answers, Krish. I don’t know what’s going on, but I can’t just ignore it anymore.”

Krish stepped aside, silently inviting her in. Aaradhya entered, her heart pounding with every step she took. The house was as quiet as ever, the air thick with that strange, sweet scent. She couldn’t help but feel like an intruder, like she was crossing some invisible line.

“I know you have questions,” Krish said, his voice almost a whisper. “But not all answers are meant to be found right away. Some truths… take time to understand.”

Aaradhya clenched her fists. “I don’t have time, Krish. I’m not some character in a mystery novel. I just want to know why you’re here. Why you’re so obsessed with me. Why you keep showing up.”

Krish’s gaze softened. “It’s not obsession,” he said slowly. “It’s something deeper than that. I’ve been waiting for you… for a long time.”

Aaradhya’s breath caught. “Waiting for me? For what?”

Krish stepped closer, his eyes never leaving hers. “You’re not the only one who’s been searching for answers, Aaradhya. I’ve been waiting for someone like you to come into my life. Someone who can see me. Someone who can understand.”

The words hung in the air, heavy and unsettling. Aaradhya’s chest tightened. “See you? Understand what?”

Krish’s lips curled into a faint smile. “You’ve always felt out of place, haven’t you? Like you don’t belong. Like you’re invisible to everyone around you. But you’re not invisible to me.”

Aaradhya’s mind raced. Was he saying what she thought he was saying? Was this some twisted game, or was there something more to it? “What are you talking about, Krish? What do you mean by ‘see me’?”

He took a deep breath, his eyes darkening. “I’m not what you think I am, Aaradhya. And neither are you.”

Her heart skipped a beat. The air between them seemed to thicken, the silence stretching longer. “I don’t understand. You’re not making any sense.”

Krish’s smile faded, his face growing serious. “I’m not human. Not in the way you think. And neither are you, Aaradhya.”

The words hit her like a punch to the gut. Her mouth went dry, and her knees felt weak. “What do you mean? Are you… are you a ghost?”

Krish’s gaze darkened, and for the first time since they’d met, there was a shadow of something unsettling in his eyes. “Not exactly. But I’m not alive, either. I’m something… in between. And you, Aaradhya, you’re the same.”

She shook her head, trying to push the words out of her mind. “This doesn’t make sense. What are you trying to say? What am I?”

Krish took a step closer, his eyes never leaving hers. “You can see me, Aaradhya. You can hear me. That means you’re not entirely alive, either. You’re somewhere in between, just like me. You’ve been drifting, lost, because you don’t fully belong in the world of the living. And neither do I.”

Aaradhya’s breath hitched. Her hands trembled as she backed away. “No. This is insane. I’m alive. I’m real.”

Krish’s voice was calm, almost soothing, as he spoke again. “I know it’s hard to accept. But once you understand, once you see the truth, it will all make sense.”

Aaradhya’s mind swirled, her heart racing in her chest. She wanted to run, to escape this madness. But something in Krish’s eyes—the intensity, the familiarity—made her stay, her body frozen in place.

“You’re not alone anymore,” Krish said softly. “I’ll be here, Aaradhya. I always will be.”