A DIFFERENT US

Chapter 1: A Different Us

Plug you earphones or buds ,and play ( teri jhuki najar ) while reading

The office of Tech_Aura , Pune, was busy as usual.

Employees were discussing projects, phones kept ringing, and keyboards clicked endlessly.

Near the window,

Dhara

sat quietly at her desk, focused on her work.

She had been working as a Technical Writer at Tech_Aura for the past four years.

Most people in the office knew her.

Not because she was talkative.

In fact, she hardly spoke unless necessary.

But whenever she did, her gentle smile and calm nature made everyone feel comfortable around her.

She wasn't the type to force conversations.

Yet somehow, people naturally trusted her.

"Dhara, can you check the API documentation once?" her teammate asked.

Dhara looked up from her laptop.

Dhara :- "Sure. I'll send my feedback in ten minutes."

Teammate :- "You're a lifesaver."

Dhara smiled softly before returning to her screen.

Work.

Deadlines.

Projects.

That was her world now.

Nothing else.

At the same time, the HR team was welcoming a group of new employees.

Among them stood

Ridvik

.

A Frontend Developer.

Confident.

Successful.

And completely unaware that his day was about to change.

As HR showed them around the office, Ridvik's eyes wandered across the floor.

Then suddenly—

He froze.

His breath caught in his throat.

Near the window.

Sitting quietly with her eyes fixed on a laptop.

Dhara.

His heart skipped a beat.

For a few seconds, he simply stared.

Five years.

Five years since he had last seen her.

Yet he recognized her instantly.

The same face.

The same eyes.

But something was different.

The cheerful girl he once knew was gone.

This Dhara looked calmer.

More mature.

Almost unreachable.

And while he stood there staring at her...

She didn't even look in his direction.

Not once.

A memory suddenly flashed through his mind.

Five Years Ago

The college gate.

Classes had ended long ago.

Most students had already left.

But Dhara was still standing outside.

Holding her bag.

Waiting.

Every few minutes, she looked at her phone.

Then toward the department building.

Waiting for someone.

Waiting for him.

Finally Ridvik appeared with his friends.

The moment she saw him, her face lit up.

Dhara :- "Finally! Do you know how long I've been waiting?"

Ridvik :- "Why were you waiting?"

Dhara :- "I wanted to go home with you."

Ridvik shook his head.

Ridvik :- "You're impossible."

But Dhara only smiled.

As if standing there for an hour had been completely worth it.

Another memory.

A rainy evening.

Ridvik sat alone on a college bench.

Silent.

Frustrated.

His project presentation had gone badly.

He didn't want to talk to anyone.

Yet somehow...

Dhara found him.

She sat beside him without saying anything.

A few moments later, she handed him a chocolate.

Ridvik :- "What's this?"

Dhara :- "Emergency chocolate."

He looked at her.

Confused.

Ridvik :- "Emergency chocolate?"

Dhara :- "For bad days."

For the first time that evening, he smiled.

And Dhara smiled too.

Happy just because he wasn't sad anymore.

Another memory.

The college cafeteria.

Dhara sitting across from him.

Listening to him talk about his day.

About classes.

Projects.

Friends.

Random things.

She listened to everything.

Every single time.

As if his stories were the most important thing in the world.

Back then...

He never noticed how special that was.

Ridvik blinked.

The memories disappeared.

The office returned.

And there she was.

Just a few feet away.

Yet somehow farther than ever.

Then another memory hit him.

One he had tried to forget.

Final Year of College

The corridor was almost empty.

Dhara stood nervously in front of him.

Her hands trembling slightly.

For the first time in her life...

She looked scared.

Dhara :- "Ridvik... I need to tell you something."

Ridvik :- "What happened?"

She took a deep breath.

Then looked directly into his eyes.

Dhara :- "I like you."

Silence.

Her heartbeat felt louder than the entire college.

Dhara :- "Actually... I think I've liked you for a very long time."

Ridvik stared at her.

Then looked away.

His expression hardened.

Ridvik :- "Dhara... don't say things like that."

The smile slowly disappeared from her face.

Dhara :- "Why?"

Ridvik :- "Because I don't feel the same."

Her fingers tightened around her bag.

But she forced a smile.

A painful one.

Dhara :- "Oh."

That was all she said.

Just one word.

"Oh."

As if her heart hadn't shattered into pieces.

The next day was even worse.

Ridvik stood with his friends near the basketball court.

One of them laughed.

Friend :- "Bro, is it true? Dhara proposed to you?"

Ridvik rolled his eyes.

Ridvik :- "Yeah."

His friends burst out laughing.

Friend :- "No way."

Another Friend :- "She actually thought she had a chance?"

Everyone laughed.

Even Ridvik.

Ridvik :- "Exactly. I don't know what she was thinking."

A few feet away...

Dhara stood frozen.

She had heard everything.

Every word.

Every laugh.

Every joke.

And for the first time...

The smile disappeared from her face.

Maybe forever.

Back in the present.

Ridvik felt a sharp pain in his chest.

He remembered it all now.

Everything.

The confession.

The rejection.

The humiliation.

The tears he never saw.

And suddenly...

Watching her sit there without even looking at him...

Felt deserved.

Because years ago—

When she looked at him with love...

He had laughed.

And now...

She didn't look at him at all. ✨💔📖