FLAMES chapter 8 *UPDATED* by Ghost Hale - Page 3

Chapter 6

The car pulled away from the hospital and merged into the morning traffic. Ishita settled into the driver's seat. Aryan opened the rear door.

She looked at him.

"The front seat is empty."

He glanced at her.

"My shoulder."

She frowned.

"Your shoulder?"

“Aah…aaahhhh…”

"...Right…. Right…enjoy"

Without another word, she got in and started the car. Aditi sat quietly by the window, carefully holding the small packet of medicines the doctor had given her. Silence settled inside the car.

Aryan looked at her.

"So..."

She turned slightly.

"Do you always end up in front of moving cars?"

Aditi blinked.

"...No."

"Good."

He nodded.

"I was beginning to think it was a hobby."

A tiny smile appeared before she quickly looked away. Ishita sighed.

"Please don't encourage him."

"I wasn't."

"You absolutely were."

"See? She blames me for everything."

"I blame you for the things you deserve."

"That's a long list."

"It keeps getting longer."

Aditi smiled to herself. This time, she made sure no one noticed. Ignoring Ishita, Aryan spoke.

"So... what do you do?"

Aditi looked at him.

"I just completed my Bachelor's in Architecture."

His eyebrows rose.

"Architecture?"

She nodded.

"Planning to become an architect?"

"That's the plan."

"And?"

She smiled faintly.

"Now I need someone willing to hire me."

"I thought jobs found architects."

"I wish."

Ishita glanced at her through the rear-view mirror.

"You've started applying?"

"For the past two months."

"No luck?"

She shook her head.

"Not yet."

"You'll find something."

"I hope so."

The traffic slowed at a signal. Aryan looked outside before turning back to her.

"You aren't from Mumbai, are you?"

"No."

"Where are you from?"

"Jaipur."

"When did you move here?"

"A few months ago."

"With your family?"

The question lingered. Aditi lowered her eyes.

"No."

"I stay alone."

Neither Aryan nor Ishita spoke.

After a moment, Ishita asked gently,

"And your parents?"

Aditi remained quiet for a few seconds.

"They passed away."

The words were simple. Almost matter-of-fact.

"I'm sorry," Ishita said softly.

"Thank you."

The signal turned green. Aditi pointed ahead.

"It's the next building."

Ishita pulled the car over. Aditi gathered her medicines and opened the door. She paused.

"Thank you..."

She looked at Ishita.

"...for dropping me home."

Then at Aryan.

"...and for the company."

"It was nice meeting you."

Aryan smiled.

"The feeling's mutual Wif…. Dear…Dear Aditi."

She smiled before stepping out. They watched as she walked through the gate and disappeared inside the building.

Ishita started the car. She drove ahead in silence before glancing at the rear-view mirror.

"You know..."

Aryan looked out of the window.

"No… but do tell."

"You could've sat in the front."

"Aahhh…My shoulder."

She gave him a look.

"Really?"

He smiled.

"No."

"I knew it."

"So? What are you thinking?"

"I am thinking my dear Ishita that we got the new architect and I got my dear wife.”

“Whatttt????”

“Be prepared my dear friend…. I'm going to marry her.”

Present Day

The door to Aryan's cabin clicked shut. Silence settled between them. Aryan walked towards the glass wall overlooking the city. His hands slipped into his pockets as he stared outside. Ishita remained where she was.

For the first time since seeing Aditi...

Neither of them knew what to say.

Minutes passed.

Finally...

"I still can't believe she's alive."

Aryan didn't respond.

Ishita let out a slow breath.

"We mourned her."

"We accepted that she was gone."

"We learnt to live with it."

A painful smile crossed her face.

"And now..."

"...she walks back into our lives as if nothing ever happened."

Silence lingered.

"If she survived..."

"Why did she let us believe she was dead?"

"If she never wanted to come back..."

"Why return now?"

"And if she did..."

"Why pretend she has never seen us before?"

Aryan's reflection remained still in the glass. Ishita lowered her eyes.

"We should've been with her that night."

"Maybe..."

"...maybe none of this would've happened."

she whispered,

"And..."

"...what she said to Aunty..."

"...what happened to Aunty..."

"Stop."

The single word thundered inside the cabin. Ishita looked up. Aryan still hadn't turned around. His fists had clenched so tightly that his knuckles had turned white.

"I was just..."

"...stop."

Another silence followed. His eyes were empty but hundreds of reasons seemed to be dictating his clenched fists.

"I could've burnt the whole world for her."

His voice was frighteningly calm.

"And you know that."

"I would've stood against anyone."

"I would've fought the whole world..."

"...for her. You know that too”

A bitter smile appeared on his face.

"But after what she said to me. Hell, I could have forgiven her. I could have taken my responsibility. I was wrong. And that's what I did. You were there. You know this. You know this damn very well.”

Dust seemed to be ruffled from the three year old grave.

“I had taken responsibility for my misunderstanding. I had done that. But what she did to her was wrong. What she did to her cannot be forgiven. She wasn't part of this. She never had to be part of this bloody thing. Stil… still she di…..."

His words were leaving his side. The weight of the buried memories were dragging him down. He pushed the dirt down and inhaled sharply. A frightening calm voice broke the silence.

"Watching her disappear into those flames..."

"I wasn't grieving. I was angry."

"Angry… because she got away. She got the easy way out. Her fortune blessed her. It bless… damn her."

He finally turned. His eyes were filled with a rage Ishita had never seen before.

"And now..."

"Now she comes back. She comes back… haahahaha… hahahaha"

"It feels like every prayer has been answered. I don't pray but he really answered my prayers."

"I wanted her back."

"Yes..."

"I wanted her so so back."

"With my whole heart. With my soul"

"I asked the heavens..."

"With every breath I took..."

"I asked to bring her back."

"Every second of my existence..."

"I begged… I begged for her to come back."

"I wanted her back… I wanted her back."

"For every second my mother has spent in that coma. For every that second"

"I wanted her back..."

"For every second you tried to hold me together because you were scared I'd collapse. For every that second"

"I wanted her back..."

"For every tear my family dropped watching me for the past three years. For every that second"

"I wanted… I wanted her back…”

His eyes glistened with fury.

"Oh damn God… oh damn bloody god"

"She never even knew."

"She never knew… hahaha… how desperately I begged for her to come back. I wanted her back"

A long silence filled the room. The air seemed to leave. The sound lost existence.

Then...

His face turned cold.

"But now..."

"Now those prayers have been answered. Those tears have been answered. Those seconds have been answered. So now… “

He exhaled.

"So now..."

"She answers."

"Yes….. she answers.”

”She answers for every second my mother has lost."

"She answers for every tear you've cried."

"She answers for every smile my family lost because of her."

"She answers for every second I mis..."

The words stopped. His jaw tightened. He looked away. Time took a pause.There was nothing left except rage.

Then he spoke again...

"This time..."

"She won't escape."

"I'll turn her life into hell. I’ll turn her every second to living hell."

"And this time..."

“She won't have flames to save her.”

“She won't have flames…… TO SAVE HER.”

Silence settled once more.

Ishita stood frozen. She had seen Aryan broken. She had seen him devastated. She had seen him grieve. But she had never seen him like this.

The man who had once loved Aditi enough to dream of spending a lifetime with her now carried a rage fierce enough to burn the whole world.

And this time...

Aditi stood in the path of those flames.

They think Aditi had done something terrible. Now Aryan wants revenge. Did she do something? Was there a reason?

Originally posted by: coderlady

They think Aditi had done something terrible. Now Aryan wants revenge. Did she do something? Was there a reason?

They told u wt she did.

The mother ended up in a coma. But what really happened?

Originally posted by: coderlady

The mother ended up in a coma. But what really happened?

As per plan..dt will be in second series of chapters. So might take sometime to unravel.

Chapter 7

Aryan continued going through the files.

Ishita and Aditi remained where they were, waiting.

No one spoke.

His movements never hurried. Every page was turned with the same measured precision, read once, then placed beneath the next. One file closed. Another opened. A note was made. A page was marked. Then the process began again.

It felt less like paperwork...

More like a slow, methodical surgery.

For the past fifteen minutes, the cabin had heard nothing except the quiet rhythm of pages turning.

The last file came to an end.

Aryan closed it.

His hand remained resting over the cover.

Another second passed.

Then...

His eyes lifted.

"So this is how attempted murder enters my office."

Aditi looked at him.

"It was an accident."

"I know."

"Then why do you keep saying that?"

Aryan shrugged.

"It's my favourite part of the story."

Karan laughed.

Ishita shook her head.

"I should've left you at the hospital."

"You tried."

"I brought you here."

"Exactly."

Aditi looked from one to the other.

"...Is every morning like this?"

Karan answered before anyone else could.

"No."

He looked at Aryan.

"Only the interesting ones."

The laughter slowly settled.

Aryan reached for the Academy file lying beside him.

He opened it.

Turned a few pages.

His eyes lingered over a note before he turned another.

"How far are we on the documentation?"

"Two revisions behind," Ishita replied. "Structural changes are updated. Landscape drawings are pending."

"What about the revision log?"

"It's being compiled."

"It should've been done."

"I know."

Aryan closed the file.

The soft thud echoed through the cabin.

Only then did his eyes move to Aditi.

"You've worked on documentation before?"

"A little."

"You like it?"

Aditi hesitated.

"I like knowing where things started... and why they changed."

Aryan looked at her.

"It's not complete.”

Aditi blinked.

"...Sir?"

Aryan didn't answer.

He simply looked at her.

The silence stretched between them.

Aditi stepped forward and picked up the file.

She opened it.

The first page.

Then the second.

Her eyes moved over every line.

Nothing.

Another page.

Still nothing.

She looked up.

Aryan hadn't moved.

His gaze remained on her.

A swallow passed through her throat.

She lowered her eyes again.

This time...

More carefully.

Every line.

Every note.

Every marking.

Halfway through the file...

Her fingers stopped.

The acknowledgement.

A quiet breath escaped her.

"I missed it..."

Aryan watched her for a moment.

Then held out the Academy file.

"Start here."

Aditi accepted it with both hands.

The weight surprised her.

She adjusted her grip.

"What exactly should I do, sir?"

"Read it."

A pause.

"Understand why every revision happened."

Another.

"Don't change anything."

"Yes, sir."

Aryan had already reached for another drawing.

"If you have questions..."

Aditi looked up.

"...ask Ishita."

Ishita smiled.

"I was wondering when I'd be dragged into this."

"You walked into my cabin."

"I regret it already."

"You say that every morning."

"Because you give me new reasons every morning."

Karan laughed quietly.

"And don't let her scare you."

Ishita folded her arms.

"I'm standing right here."

"I know."

"You're impossible."

"I've had that verified."

Aditi reached for the pen.

It slipped from her fingers.

The sharp click against the wooden desk echoed through the cabin.

"...Sorry."

She picked it up immediately.

Filled in the acknowledgement.

Read it once.

Then signed beneath it.

The pen came to a stop.

She closed the file carefully and placed it back on the desk.

Aryan lowered his eyes.

For the first time since she had stepped forward...

His gaze left her.

He opened the file.

His eyes moved over the acknowledgement.

Then the signature beneath it.

He turned the page back.

Closed the file.

"You can go.”

"...Yes, sir."

Aditi picked up the file.

She turned and walked out.

The door clicked shut behind her.

Silence settled over the cabin.

Aditi waited outside, the file held against her chest.

Ishita looked at the closed door.

"I'll be back in a minute."

Aditi nodded.

Without another word, Ishita turned.

She pushed the cabin door open.

"You've put her on the Academy."

"I've given her the documentation.”

"There's a difference?"

"Yes my worried friend…. A big one.”

“What???”

He picked his pen and signs the file and smiled.

"...She's not the one who signs."

He picked up the file.

He aligned its edges once.

Then slid it beneath the Academy file.

Ishita's eyes followed the movement.

Something made her reach for the files.

Aryan lowered his eyes.

She opened the first file.

A few pages.

Then another.

Her fingers stopped.

She looked at the layout.

Then at Aryan.

"...Your solution was better.”

Aryan remained silent.

She looked back at the papers.

The acknowledgement.

The signature.

The dates.

One page after another.

The colour slowly drained from her face.

"...No."

She looked at Aryan.

"No, Aryan... that's wro—"

Aryan met her eyes.

The rest of the sentence never came.

A long silence settled between them.

"She signs.”

What did she just sign? Can't be much good in it. He is after making her life miserable and that signature must have given him that power.

Originally posted by: coderlady

What did she just sign? Can't be much good in it. He is after making her life miserable and that signature must have given him that power.

U should have stopped her.

Hi Members,

Before starting on my new OG fiction, do spend a subscribe to my new fan fiction and OG fiction channel. U will surely like it. Do support and enjoy Flames.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIYDrSSAotc

---------------------------------------------

Chapter 8

Three Years Ago

The Academy stood quietly against the hillside, its stone walls rising with the land instead of cutting through it. Scaffolding still covered parts of the upper structure, yet the place already carried the quiet certainty of something complete.

Some dreams begin to belong long before the last stone is laid.

Aditi stood at the entrance, letting her eyes travel across the open courtyards and wide staircases before settling on the valley beyond.

"It doesn't look unfinished."

Aryan followed her gaze.

"The construction is."

She looked at him.

"The Academy was finished a long time ago."

A soft laugh came from behind them.

Aryan's mother walked towards them with Ishita, while Karan followed a few steps behind.

"He's been speaking about this place like that since he was ten."

She stopped beside Aditi and looked towards the Academy. Most people believed it had begun with drawings, but the first plans had existed only inside his grandmother's mind. She wanted a place where children would never feel they were entering an institution. She spent months walking this hill, deciding where courtyards should open and where children would simply want to stay.

There had only been one problem.

The land belonged to Karan's grandfather.

Aryan's grandfather wanted to buy it. Karan's grandfather refused to sell it and insisted on giving it away instead. One wouldn't accept charity. The other wouldn't put a price on the dream. Their argument lasted for days until his grandmother ended it herself. She came to the hill, accepted the papers and thanked Karan's grandfather before either of them could stop her.

Aryan's mother pointed towards an old stone marker beside the pathway.

"The papers changed hands there."

Aditi looked at the weathered stone.

There was nothing remarkable about it.

Yet somehow...

The Academy seemed to begin from that one place.

They resumed walking.

Aryan took over without being asked.

He spoke about the east-facing classrooms, the open courtyards, the rainwater channels hidden beneath the pathways and why every child should always be able to see the sky. Even the stone had come from the hillside itself. Nothing here was meant to feel borrowed.

One thought quietly led into another until he seemed to forget there were people listening.

His mother had heard most of it before.

Ishita had probably heard all of it.

Aditi simply listened.

Only when the silence behind him remained unbroken did Aryan stop.

"Finished?" his mother asked.

He looked around, almost surprised to find everyone still standing there.

"For now."

They continued walking at an unhurried pace. After a while, Aryan's mother stopped, letting her eyes wander across the valley below.

"His grandmother chose this view first," she said quietly. "She believed children should learn while looking at something that reminded them how much larger the world was."

Aditi followed her gaze.

The hills stretched endlessly beneath them.

A crack.

For a moment, no one reacted.

Then came another.

Aryan turned just as the ground beneath his mother's feet broke apart.

"Aunty!"

Aditi reached her first.

Both hands found the older woman's shoulders, and she pushed with every bit of strength she had. Aryan's mother stumbled backwards onto solid ground.

Aditi wasn't as fortunate.

The earth disappeared beneath her feet.

"Aditi!"

Aryan moved before her name had fully left his lips.

His hand cut through empty air before closing around her wrist. The force of her fall dragged him to his knees, gravel slipping beneath him as loose stones vanished into the valley.

Karan caught Aryan's shoulder while Ishita locked both arms around his waist. Every muscle in Aryan's arm tightened as Aditi hung against the hillside, one hand trapped in his grip and the other searching desperately across the rock.

She looked up.

Fear had emptied her face of every other expression.

"I've got you."

His voice remained steady.

"There's a rock beneath your left foot. Feel for it."

Her shoe scraped against the hillside and found nothing.

She tried again.

Aryan adjusted his grip, ignoring the stone cutting into his palms.

"A little higher."

Her foot found the ledge.

"Now push."

Aditi pressed against the rock and forced herself upwards. Aryan pulled at the same moment, while Karan reached forward and caught her arm. Ishita held firmly to Aryan as the combined force brought Aditi over the broken ground.

None of them had enough balance left to stop.

Aryan fell backwards.

Aditi landed against him.

Karan dropped beside them, one hand still gripping Aryan's shoulder, while Ishita sank to the ground near his other side.

For several seconds, all four remained exactly where they had fallen.

Aryan's eyes remained closed. His chest rose and fell heavily beneath Aditi, his hand still wrapped around her wrist. Her forehead rested lightly against him as both of them struggled to steady their breathing.

Beside them, Karan bent forward, drawing one heavy breath after another. Ishita stayed where she was, one hand pressed against her chest, waiting for her heartbeat to slow.

Aditi opened her eyes.

Aryan's face was only inches from hers. His eyes remained closed, his jaw tight as another heavy breath moved through him. Dust streaked his skin, and the hand around her wrist had yet to loosen.

She looked at him.

Slowly... Aryan opened his eyes.

For a brief moment, neither of them moved. The fear had passed, but something of it remained suspended between them, held inside the distance of a breath.

Aditi was the first to draw herself out of that silence. She carefully lifted herself off him and rose to her feet.

Aryan sat up just as his mother reached them and gathered Aditi into a trembling embrace.

"You saved me."

Aditi lowered her eyes.

"I only..."

"You came for me."

The older woman's hands cupped her face for a moment before pulling her close again. This time, Aditi's arms rose around her.

Aryan pushed himself to his feet. Dust covered his clothes, and thin streaks of blood crossed both his palms.

Aditi's gaze moved past him.

Karan was still on the ground, watching her.

Her expression hardened. Her fingers slowly curled into her injured palm before she turned away.

Her eyes found Aryan.

He was already looking at her.

His gaze dropped to the scrape across her hand.

"Get it cleaned.”

Present

The cabin door opened.

Two uniformed police officers walked in.

Conversations faded. Files remained open. Every pair of eyes found the unexpected visitors.

The senior officer stopped before Aryan.

"Mr. Malhotra."

Aryan closed the file in front of him and rose.

"The warrant."

The officer handed it over.

Aryan read every page without haste. He signed where required, returned the document and stepped aside.

Only then did the officer turn.

"Aditi Sharma."

She looked up.

"You are under arrest in connection with the three-year-old Dance Academy fire case."

The words settled over the cabin like dust after a collapse.

No one spoke.

Ishita looked at the officers, then at Aryan.

"...Aryan?"

He remained where he was.

Aditi didn't look at the police.

She looked only at him.

The file in her hands slipped quietly onto the table.

Neither of them moved.

The silence between them seemed to gather everything the room could no longer hold.

Questions that had waited three years.

Answers that had never arrived.

The constable stopped beside her.

"Ma'am."

The word broke the moment.

Aditi drew a slow breath and walked forward.

Every step echoed through the cabin, not because the floor was empty...

...but because every heartbeat inside the room had forgotten its own rhythm.

Outside, the police vehicle waited with its rear door open.

She stopped beside it.

Just once...

She looked back.

Aryan was still standing where she had left him.

Their eyes met.

Sometimes, silence isn't the absence of words.

Sometimes, it is the last place where broken trust chooses to stand.

The years had passed, but something remained suspended between them, held inside the distance of flames.

The constable waited.

Aditi looked away first.

She stepped inside.

The door closed.