Chapter 4

Just as things were beginning to feel stable for Ashwin and Arshaad, a new complication arrived that threatened to disrupt everything. Arshaad’s ex-girlfriend, Aisha, had returned to Willowspring from America. She was a strikingly beautiful girl with a confident air that matched Arshaad’s. They had dated during their sophomore year, and though the breakup had been amicable, it was clear to everyone that Aisha had never fully moved on.

Ashwin first heard about Aisha’s return through the school grapevine. It wasn’t long before the news reached Arshaad, who brushed it off as unimportant. But when Aisha made her intentions known, things quickly became more complicated.

It was a Friday afternoon when Aisha made her move. Ashwin and Arshaad were in their usual spot at the old oak tree, enjoying the warmth of the sun and the comfort of each other’s company. They were in the middle of a conversation when Aisha suddenly appeared, her presence as commanding as ever.

“Arshaad!” she called.

“Arshaad!” Aisha called, her voice cutting through the peaceful quiet of the park like a sharp blade.

Ashwin and Arshaad both looked up, startled by her sudden appearance. Aisha was walking toward them with a determined stride, her long dark hair flowing behind her, and her expression set with purpose. She hadn’t changed much since they had last seen her, though there was something more intense about her now—an edge that hadn’t been there before.

“Aisha,” Arshaad greeted her, surprise evident in his tone. He stood up, instinctively moving a little closer to Ashwin, a gesture that didn’t go unnoticed by Aisha.

She came to a stop in front of them, her eyes briefly flicking to Ashwin before settling on Arshaad. “I heard you’ve been busy since I’ve been gone,” she said, her voice smooth but with a hint of something darker underneath.

Arshaad nodded, trying to keep things calm. “Yeah, I’ve been good. How was America?”

“It was fine,” Aisha replied dismissively, waving a hand as if to brush away the topic. “But that’s not what I came here to talk about.”

Ashwin could feel the tension building in the air, and his heart began to race. He didn’t like where this was going. He wanted to reach out to Arshaad, to hold his hand and ground himself in their bond, but he wasn’t sure how Aisha would react. Instead, he stayed seated, watching the exchange with growing anxiety.

“What do you want to talk about?” Arshaad asked, his voice even, though Ashwin could sense the discomfort behind it.

Aisha took a step closer to Arshaad, her gaze intense. “Us,” she said simply. “I’ve been thinking about us a lot while I was away. We were good together, Arshaad. Really good. And I think we deserve another chance.”

Ashwin felt like the ground had just been pulled out from under him. He had always known about Arshaad’s history with Aisha, but it had never seemed like a threat before. But now, standing in front of them, she was a force to be reckoned with, and she was making her intentions clear.

Arshaad frowned, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Aisha, that was a long time ago. We broke up for a reason.”

“Did we, though?” Aisha pressed, her voice taking on a more persuasive tone. “We were just kids back then, figuring things out. But we’ve grown, haven’t we? We know what we want now. And I know that I want you.”

Ashwin’s chest tightened. This was the moment he had feared, the moment when someone would come along and try to take Arshaad away from him. He wanted to stand up, to say something, to make it clear that Arshaad was with him now, but his voice seemed to be trapped in his throat.

Arshaad glanced at Ashwin, his eyes filled with unspoken reassurance. Then, he turned back to Aisha, his expression firm. “Aisha, I’m with Ashwin now. We’re together, and I’m happy. I’m not interested in going back to what we had.”

Aisha’s eyes flickered with a mix of surprise and anger. “With *him*?” she asked, her tone incredulous as she gestured to Ashwin. “Arshaad, come on. This isn’t you. We had something real, something that could last. Don’t throw that away for—”

“For what?” Arshaad interrupted, his voice rising slightly, a rare edge to his usually calm demeanor. “For someone who actually makes me feel like I belong? Someone who accepts me for who I am? Aisha, I care about you, but whatever we had is over. I’m not going to pretend it isn’t just because you’ve decided you want me back.”

Aisha took a step back, visibly taken aback by Arshaad’s words. For a moment, she looked lost, her confident exterior crumbling. But then, her eyes hardened, and she glared at Ashwin as if he were the root of all her problems.

“This isn’t over,” she said, her voice low and cold. “I know you still care about me, Arshaad. You’ll realize that you’re making a mistake.”

With that, she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving a tense silence in her wake.

Ashwin finally let out the breath he’d been holding, his hands trembling slightly. He looked at Arshaad, who was still staring after Aisha, his expression unreadable.

“Arshaad,” Ashwin began, his voice shaky, “are you—”

But before he could finish, Arshaad turned to him, his eyes softening as he reached out and pulled Ashwin into a tight embrace. “I’m with you,” Arshaad said firmly, his voice full of conviction. “Aisha might think she can change that, but she can’t. I don’t want to be with anyone else, Ash. You’re the one I care about, the one I want to be with.”

Ashwin’s heart swelled with emotion, and he wrapped his arms around Arshaad, holding him close. “I was so scared,” he admitted, his voice muffled against Arshaad’s chest. “I thought she might—”

“Shh,” Arshaad whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of Ashwin’s head. “She can try whatever she wants, but it won’t change how I feel. I’m yours, Ashwin. I always will be.”

As they stood there, holding each other under the old oak tree, Ashwin felt a sense of peace wash over him. He knew that things might get more complicated with Aisha back in town, but as long as he had Arshaad by his side, he felt ready to face whatever challenges came their way.

Together, they were strong. And together, they could overcome anything.

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