The school day felt too long to Agastya, as he sat on the last bench, staring at the table in front of him.

Zara was absent. Again.

He sat with a long face, because she was absent every second day.

"Teri aise muh latkane se vo class mei nahi aane vali hai, and what if any teacher complaints uncle?" Anirudh stared at his best friend, who had no concentration on class. "This was the reason I was telling you to stay away from her"

"I'm not clinging to her anyways, we stay enough away as beings" Agastya said, as he took down the notes on his notebook, his leg was constantly shaking.

"Bro, please don't" Anirudh said,

"Why, if you're having trouble in sitting with me then go and sit with Shreya" Agastya said, frustratedly.

"Why? And what's wrong with you?" Anirudh asked, when Agastya gripped on his pen tightly— his jaw clenched as he gave him a side eye.

"I don't like whatever you say about Zara, it's just not because I like her, but because she's a person and no one deserves to be labelled as ruiner of someone's life. It's one sided from my side— so how is she ruining anything?" He asked Anirudh.

"All I said was to not get attached with a person who won't ever care about you, and in my opinion, she won't. Baaki if she understands you and would rather respect your choice than mocking your love then I don't mind" Anirudh said shrugging his shoulders.

Agastya gave him a side look, but didn't said a word.

"Kyu nahi ho rahi padhai? Ladki ka chakkar hai babu bhaiya" Anirudh said, when he pointed at his bandaged hand. "You'd have properly bandaged yourself, dummy" he said, while Agastya was avoiding to talk to him.

As the class ended, Anirudh elbowed him, when Agastya gave him a glare. Anger was bubbling inside him, tripling with every passing moment.

"You disrespected Zara. Twice" Agastya said.

"You touch my thighs, every time, did I say a word?" Anirudh asked, glaring at him.

"Don't you enjoy that? You bastard," Agastya said, his eyes persistent on glaring at his best friend.

"Why're you giving me bl vibes? You want me to fall in love with your look of love?" Anirudh whispered in his ears.

"Huh?" Agastya raised his furrows,

"You want us to be a couple? Is this the reason you're giving me such a stern glare?" Anirudh asked, elbowing him, when his erupting anger calmed.

He broke into a small, yet precious chuckle. Large dimples formed on either sides of his cheek, when Anirudh said. "Let's ask Sid, he must know why she's absent"

Anirudh said when Agastya nodded at him.

"Dekh dekh, kaise help karwa raha hu mai, ab tereko bhi Shreya ko mereko propose krne ke liye convince kriyo"

"Dekh kaise ehsaan dikha raha hai, biwi hai meri tu, itna to tu kar hi sakta tha, padhai mei to tera batasi jaisa dimaag chalta nahi hai, thanks to my siyaapa tera thoda sa dimaag chala" he said,

"Why're you always so insulting? You can talk good about my intelligent brain and just look at me, I look so handsome!" Anirudh said, when Agastya chuckled humourlessly.

"Jaa mai nahi kar raha tere se baat" Anirudh said, as he made a pout.

"Kya hai yaar, break khatam ho jaegi" Agastya said, as he pulls Anirudh.

"Please samjha kr" Agastya said,

"Sahiba, aaye ghar kahe na aise to sataye na, dekhu tujhko chain aata hai" Anirudh sang, in a teasing voice.

"You ask him," Agastya said, as he pointed at Siddharth when Anirudh raised his frown.

"Because you already have something going on in your life, your question would look concerning, and Sid isn't dumb that he won't know what you're trying to say" Agastya said, "he won't take a minute to understand my intentions"

"Why're you praising him so much, huh? You never praised me like that, you call me dumb head" Anirudh said, giving Agastya a side eye, "wah shampy wah!"

"What the fuck? Go and do what I'm saying, you dumbo"

"Best friend hai na tabhi seh raha hu" Anirudh said, as he went near Siddharth.

..🩷..

Zara was clicking a picture with her sister, as she was about to return this evening. Vamika convinced their parents to let her spend time with both of her siblings, but Sid being Sid went to school after saying that he'd a test today, while Vamika bought two cold coffee with brownies.

"Di, can you drink the coffee, we'll pack another pastry, I'm not hungry right now" Zara said, trying to avoid having food. "Like we just had breakfast I'll burst"

"Zara, earlier you used to die for these, remember how we used to run and have them, now you barely have these, I asked you to come here so that I can talk to you... I know mumma and all that stuff that happened before wasn't right! I know that your growing up years all you've heard is about your weight but this obsession of not eating is not right. I've been noticing you since long, is there something you're hiding?" Vamika asked, as she forwards the pastry.

"Nothing di, you're just overthinking" Zara said, as she forcibly started eating to pretend. "I.. I don't have anything such, it's just that health conscious, I'm growing to an adult" she said, taking a sip of coffee.

"Hmm, one day won't ruin everything, we'll just have food all day and then I've to board in the afternoon" Vamika said, when Zara l smiled which barely reached her face. The mention of food didn't settled well for her.

It was a matter of an hour, when she waved a bye to her sister.

"Bye.." Vamika said, ".. you'll video call me daily"

She said, almost about to hug, when Zara flinched. "No hugs please" she said, cringing when Vamika kissed her cheeks. "Byeeee"

She simply waved back, when she'd to go back with her father's company driver.

TW: Eating Disorder.

As soon as Zara reached home, she rushed to her washroom. She stood blankly, tightly clutching her top, her heart thudding like it wanted to escape her chest. She'd still feel the taste of chocolate pastry lingering on her tongue.

The air inside felt colder, as she locked the bathroom door properly, She pressed her trembling fingers against the slab for balance, her throat tightening. The voice in her head whispered— you shouldn't have eaten it.

Her eyes burned, her stomach churned.

And before she could even stop herself, she knelt down beside the commode, pulling her hair back. Her breath hitched, her fingers trembling as she leaned forward. The sound of her own body made her flinch, but she didn't stop.

The chocolate, the coffee, the guilt— everything came back up. Her chest felt like it would burst open, her eyes watered endlessly, and yet the voice in her head didn't stop whispering.

When it finally did, she flushed, sitting back against the cold tiles, breathing heavily. Her throat burned, her arms weak.

She wiped her lips with a tissue, washed her face, and looked away from the mirror. She didn't want to see herself.

Disgust rushed down her spine, as she sprayed the room freshener to avoid any smell and quickly changed to a fully sleeved t-shirt, paired with pyjamas.

The lights of her room were already switched off, so she just switched the A/C on and dozed off in a few minutes.

..🩷..

"I'll go to her home to give her notes and meet her" Agastya said, when Anirudh rolled his eye.

"What is your problem, why're you acting like my one-sided lover?" Agastya questioned, when Anirudh left a humorless chuckle.

"Says who?" Anirudh asked, he walked carelessly, until he saw Shreya.

Agastya, still in his own tone, held the corner of Anirudh's shirt. "Aisa karega tu ab? Besharam?" Agastya said,

"Shreya hai piche, bakwas harkat nahi" Anirudh said, but Agastya being Agastya did his antiques. Anirudh just smiled at him, whatever makes his best friend happy.

..🩷..

It was 6:30 in the evening, when Zara woke up from the slumber still feeling weak. The same problem of not being able to wake up from her sleep, happened with her many times.

Her head was spinning, when she decided to wake up and see who was making so much noise.

It was Siddharth and Agastya playing on PS.

"Don't you want to study, now Sid?" Zara asked, glaring at her brother, who was responsible for waking her up.

"Zara, you sleep no?" Sid asked

"Study, you dumbo" Zara said, when Agastya waved at her. Zara too responded by waving him back, when she felt weaker.

"Zara, your friend came and you started to interrogate, at least ask about tea or coffee from him"  Sid told, when Zara throws a pillow on him.

"Even you can make it, tere haath pao pe mehandi to lagi nahi hui, gadha kahi ka, useless" Zara said,

"Arre, but you make so tasty coffee" Sid said, "Agastya, look how wild she's, why're you even smiling"

Siddharth asked, his furrows raised when Agastya grinned at him. Siddharth wasn't an idiot to take too long to understand.

"Zara, you go inside, Agastya you come with me" Siddharth said, when Agastya nervously walked behind him to his room.

"Kya chal raha hai?" Siddharth asked,

"Garmi, garmi chal rahi hai" Agastya said, playing innocent.

"Tujhe pata hai mai kis baare mei baat kar raha hu" Siddharth said, his furrows raised, when Agastya chuckled at him.

"Hehehe, ye mujhe kaise pata hoga na? You need to tell me," Agastya said, a smile on his face.

"Zara..."

"Zara is my friend" Agastya said, trying to end their conversation, when Siddharth kept his palm on his face.

"I didn't asked what she is for you, I know that she's your friend"

"So what do you want to ask, do you think that I like her?" Agastya asked, "how can you take my care as something like that"

Agastya said, offended.

"It's not that—" Siddharth said, trying to cover up.

"How's it then? You don't trust me this much?"

"All I want to say is... don't break her heart" Siddharth said, standing up.

"Same goes to you, even I saw how you treat my sister," Agastya said.

"As if I'm eating her, no?" Siddharth said, "she's capable to eat me thou"

"True that" Agastya said,

"Yaar meri classes ka time ho raha, dekh na agar usne coffee bana di ho, tell her the concepts, I'll come till 8, my parents won't be there as papa and mumma went to some relatives home"

Siddharth said, as Agastya nodded at him.

Siddharth left when Agastya saw Zara standing with a glass of coffee. Agastya nodded, as he thanked her.

"Are you okay?" He asked, as she looked pale, her eye bags darker. She simply nodded at him, when she excuses herself.

"Zara, Zara, just let me tell you these, you can copy the notes, and come to give back in the night!" Agastya told.

"I'll borrow your notebook a week before exams for printing, you don't need to teach me, cookies are on the table, you can eat them, and—"

"And go? Don't you think this is rude, I came and even waited for you" Agastya said

"Don't you think you're too quick to reply? I was saying then you can teach me after that, I'm too lazy to write" she said, when Agastya simply nods at her.

"You speak this much too? I thought that you learnt selective words, so slow in studying too" he said, crisscrossing his arms when Zara glared at him.

"Some weird creatures need my words, like you do"

Zara said, when Agastya chuckles. "Well, I'll take it as a compliment" he smiled at her, when

"You're such a narcissist" she whispered to herself as she instructed him to peacefully sit on the sofa, when she brought rough copy, to write her notes down.

"Well, I love myself," he said, when he started teaching her the concepts: the more advanced he got, she acted dumber— actually she felt dumb.

"Ok, no problem, I'll start from the start" Agastya sighed, as he taught her the same concept for the 10th time... Zara, completely lost now slowly dozed off, while Agastya was so busy in teaching that he didn't even knew.

It was 7.30 when Siddharth came back from his coaching. Agastya who was in his own tunes now looked at Siddharth.

"Are you kidding me? She's asleep and you're teaching" Sid asked, when Agastya looked at her sleeping figure, her hairs fell on her face.

"Yeh kab hua? I was teaching—"

"This is why, I told you that there was no need, she doesn't studies unless there is an exam next day" Siddharth said.

"I'm getting late," Agastya said, all red in embarrassment.

"Yeah, yeah, you should eat something... and come nearly at 9:30, I'll be playing on PS, we can play together" Siddharth said, as he went to the kitchen, the maid was cooking dinner.

"Sunita didi, give me my food and keep the rest in fridge" he said as he took his plate and went to study inside.

"Zara... at least ask her to sleep in the room, she isn't looking well" Sunita pointed, when Sid told her that it was okay.

"I worry she sleeps a lot, and many times, she dozes off even in too cold or too hot, that it feels like she passed out... I tried talking to your mom, even to Zara, but she pretends to not hear." Sunita said, her voice laced with concern.

"Aapko aise hi lag raha hai, she just dozes off... nothing to worry" Sid smiled a bit.

Sunita just nods, as she cleaned the kitchen and went. Sid went to study, and an hour later, Agastya arrives.

"Hi, Anirudh is also coming" he said, when he saw her— still sleeping.

"She'd get disturbed" Agastya said, when Sid carried Zara on his back and made her sleep on her bed.

Even though, her behaviour was worrisome, Siddharth didn't gave much attention...

It was midnight, when Zara's eyes fluttered open. Her head was spinning.

"What... what's happening?" she whispered, barely audible. She touched her forehead — clammy. Her stomach twisted painfully, and her throat burned as if the air itself had turned acidic.

Her mind struggled to piece together what happened — she remembered Agastya teaching, feeling dizzy, her vision going dark... and now this.

She sat up with effort, gasping softly. The mirror across her bed reflected a pale figure — herself, trembling, disoriented, and scared.

She tried to walk, as she went to her bathroom, to wash her face. The cold splashes of water on her face helping her to wake up.

Her head was still blasting, her face paler. She looked at the mirror, her body seemed as nothing is left inside her.

She tried remembering, how she suddenly felt weak, while he was busy in teaching her some questions of accountancy, and was so engrossed that he didn't even noticed the thud.

Zara could imagine an aggressive Agastya, who would be offended, because of course she just can't...

She was in her spiral when her head started hurting, a sharp pain took over. She moved towards her room, her steps getting shorter, as she tried to escape the pain.

She somehow managed to go out and find some rice in fridge. She was unsure if she even should eat it or not.

She stood in front of the fridge, the white light spilling across her face. The bowl of rice felt heavier than it should've — her hands cold, her grip weak but steady.

She sat down on the floor, the tiles biting through her thin pyjamas. The quiet hum of the refrigerator filled the kitchen; everything else was still.

She lifted a spoonful of rice and tasted it. It was plain, cold, almost tasteless. Her throat tightened at the first bite, but she forced it down.
Another spoonful — slower this time — until halfway through, she paused.

Her chest ached. Her body was trembling, not violently, just the kind of tremor that comes when there's no strength left.
The food sat heavy in her stomach, unfamiliar.

Her eyes burned; her breathing grew uneven. She pressed her palm flat on the floor, trying to steady the spinning in her head.

She didn't drop the bowl. She set it aside carefully, like she didn't want to admit defeat.

Then she leaned back against the cabinet, her head hitting it softly, her eyes staring blankly at the ceiling.

..🩷..

To be continued <3

Do tell how the chapter was.

— Any improvements you want?

— Something about Zara's character

— Something about Agastya's character