Five Years Ago: A Love That Went Unnoticed
Five years ago, things were different. Back then, Wick and Vivaan were good friends.
Wick had joined a coaching class, blending into the crowd with his unremarkable physique and quiet presence. That was where he first saw Shristi. She was vibrant, confident, and unknowingly stole his attention from the very first day.
But back then, he wasn't the Wick people feared today. He wasn't strong, wasn't confident—just an ordinary boy with feelings he kept locked away.
It was during his coaching classes that he first met Shristi. Unlike now, she didn't recognize him—how could she? He was just another face in the crowd, unnoticed and unremarkable. But to Wick, she was unforgettable.
One evening, he noticed something unsettling. A boy had been bothering Shristi, his persistence making her visibly uncomfortable. Wick didn't hesitate. He handled the situation from the shadows, ensuring the boy never approached her again.
The next day, the boy—bruised and shaken—approached Shristi, stammering an apology. She was stunned but couldn't understand what had prompted his sudden change of heart. Somewhere nearby, Wick watched in silence, knowing he had done the right thing, even if she never knew it was him.
Days passed, and Wick found himself drawn to her more than he cared to admit. He would steal glances, lingering longer than he should. One day, Lalit caught him staring and smirked.
"Why don't you just confess to her?" Vivaan asked, nudging him playfully.
Wick exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "I don't deserve her. Not yet. I need to improve myself first."
It was an honest admission—one that held more weight than Vivaan realized. To Wick, Shristi wasn't just another girl; she was someone worth striving for, someone who deserved the best version of him. And back then, he didn't believe he was that person.
Vivaan had never noticed Shristi before. But after Wick's words, something changed. The idea took root, and before long, he found himself drawn to her in a way he never expected.
Time moved on. Wick eventually left the coaching class, focusing on bettering himself—physically, mentally, emotionally. He had a goal, and he was determined to reach it. But in his absence, something unexpected happened.
Vivaan confessed to Shristi.
One afternoon, he stood before her, his expression nervous yet determined.
"Shristi… I love you. And it was me who saved you from that boy."
Shristi's eyes widened. "All of a sudden, you started loving me?"
Vivaan hesitated, but only for a moment. "No, it's not sudden. I've admired you from a distance for a year now, waiting for the right moment. But I couldn't keep my feelings to myself any longer. I promise you, I will protect you from any situation—even if it costs me my life."
With practiced sincerity, Vivaan spoke of all the little things Wick had once noticed about her—the way she tucked her hair behind her ear when she was nervous, the way she hummed softly while lost in thought, the way her eyes sparkled when she spoke about something she loved.
But it was all a lie.
Those weren't Vivaan's observations; they were Wick's. It was Wick's quiet devotion, his unnoticed admiration, his unspoken words—stolen and repackaged to win her heart.
Vivaan kept it a secret from Wick, knowing full well what his friend had felt for her. And Shristi, unaware of Wick's silent devotion, accepted Vivaan's proposal.
Years later, the truth unraveled.
Shristi, in a moment of reflection, admitted something to Wick. "If I had met you before Vivaan… maybe things would have been different. Maybe we could have matched up."
But the cruel irony was that she had met him first.
He had been there all along—watching, waiting, wanting to be someone worthy of her. But by the time he had transformed into the person he aspired to be, she was already with someone else.
And that was a reality Wick had to live with.
---
Present Day: A Night of Choices
Robin was driving Shristi back to the hostel when headlights suddenly appeared in the rearview mirror, speeding toward them with dangerous intent.
BAM!
The car was struck from behind, sending it spiraling off the road and into the lake. Water rushed in through the cracks as the vehicle sank.
But amidst the chaos, someone managed to break free.
Vivaan.
The very car that had kidnapped him had crashed in the same accident. And by some twist of fate, it allowed him to escape.
His head spun as he caught sight of the sinking vehicle. Without hesitation, he dove into the icy water. The car was rapidly filling, trapping those inside.
Breaking through the glass, Vivaan reached for Robin, who was unconscious.
"Shristi, come on!" he urged, reaching for her.
But she shook her head. "Take Robin first," she insisted, her voice weak.
Vivaan hesitated—there wasn't much time. But seeing the determination in her eyes, he pulled Robin out first and swam to the surface.
He barely had time to take a breath before diving back in.
By then, Shristi had lost consciousness.
Grabbing her, Vivaan dragged her out, gasping for air as he reached the shore. He wasted no time rushing both of them to the hospital.
---
Breaking Out
On the other side of town, in the farmhouse where Wick and Nick were trapped, time was running out.
Nick let out a frustrated sigh. "You done dreaming about your tragic love story, or are we actually gonna get out of here?"
Wick snapped out of his thoughts. He scanned the room—there had to be a way. There was a way.
"There's a bike," he muttered, "but we can't break the door with it."
"Brilliant deduction, Sherlock," Nick rolled his eyes. "Any other genius ideas?"
Wick ignored him and searched the area. Then he found it—stacks of vodka bottles.
And firecrackers.
A slow grin spread across his face. "I got an idea."
Nick raised an eyebrow. "Oh great. I can't wait to hear this insanity."
"Move the bike as close to the door as possible," Wick instructed.
As Nick did so, Wick broke the fuel tank lock and carefully placed some firecrackers inside.
"Now," Wick said, "throw the vodka."
Nick blinked. "You wanna drink right now?"
Wick smacked him on the head. "Not drink, idiot. Pour it all over the wall and near the bike."
Nick snorted. "Well, if this is our last moment alive, at least we're going out in style."
Once the area was soaked in alcohol, Wick pulled out a lighter. He and Nick backed away, taking cover in another room.
Then he lit a firecracker and tossed it toward the bike.
A second later—
BOOM!
The explosion shook the entire farmhouse. Flames erupted, licking at the walls. Wick peered out—the door was still standing, but it was glowing red-hot.
Grabbing an axe from the wreckage, he swung it at the heated area. The weakened metal gave way within a few strikes.
"We're out," Wick said.
"No time to celebrate, run!" Nick shouted.
They bolted from the farmhouse just as a second, larger explosion ripped through it, sending debris flying.
Thirty minutes later, Shreekant picked them up.
But instead of heading back to the hostel, he drove straight to the hospital.
---
A Truth Remembered
Wick ignored everything as he stormed through the hospital corridors. He didn't care about Vivaan. He didn't care about anyone else.
His eyes landed on the room where Shristi was admitted.
He walked in and sat down beside her.
Moments later, she stirred awake. Her first thought was—
"Robin…?" she whispered.
Wick cut her off. "He's alive," he said flatly. "Thanks to your hero, Vivaan."
She exhaled in relief. "Yeah."
That night, outside the hospital, Wick's patience finally snapped.
He saw Sanjay. And without hesitation, he attacked. He let his rage out on him.
Fists flew. Blood spilled.
Shristi ran toward them. "Wick, stop!" she yelled.
He ignored her.
She grabbed his arm. "I said stop!"
Wick turned to her, eyes burning with anger. "Stay out of this."
Shristi stared at him, heart pounding. "You're mad at me, aren't you?"
Wick didn't respond.
"You're taking it out on everyone else," she accused. "You blame Vivaan. You blame Robin. But you won't face me."
Wick clenched his jaw.
Shristi took a deep breath. "I remember everything now."
That made him freeze.
"When I was drowning," she said softly, "something triggered in my mind. I remembered. You and I met five years ago, in coaching class. You helped me. You… liked me. But I never saw you back then. And now, I can't believe I forgot someone like you."
Wick's voice was emotionless. "Would it have made a difference?"
Shristi's throat tightened. "I… I don't know."
Silence.
Then she spoke again, firmer this time. "It was my choice to save Robin. My choice to send Vivaan for him first. If you want to be angry, be angry at me. Not them."
Wick's expression was unreadable. "Are we done here?"
Shristi's voice wavered. "If it had been you instead of Vivaan last night… and I begged you to save Robin first… would you have done it?"
Wick didn't hesitate. "I would have saved you in a heartbeat."
Shristi's breath caught.
"But that means Robin would be dead," she whispered.
Wick's eyes darkened. "But you wouldn't be. And that's the only thing that matters to me." His voice shook. "I wouldn't take that chance, Shristi. Not with you."
He turned, walking away.
Shristi whispered after him, "You would've let him die for me?"
Wick didn't look back.
"I already told you," he said. "I'm that selfish."
And then he was gone.
To be continued...