Chapter - 28

The next morning, as Rudraksh dropped Roohi off at school, she was eager to give Aarav the thank you card she had made for him. She clutched it in her hands, hoping that he would appreciate the gesture.

When she found Aarav near the playground, he was standing alone, his usual group of friends giving him space. His expression was different today—colder, more distant. Roohi approached him, a little hesitant, but determined to thank him.

“Hi, Aarav,” she said with a small smile. “I made this for you.”

Aarav looked down at the card she was holding out to him. His face didn’t show the warmth it had the day before. He took the card, his movements slower, almost reluctant.

“Thanks,” he said, his voice flat, lacking the usual friendliness Roohi had come to expect.

Roohi noticed the change in his tone and the way his eyes seemed to avoid hers. “I… I just wanted to say thank you for helping me yesterday. It meant a lot.”

Aarav nodded, still not meeting her gaze. “It’s no big deal,” he replied, slipping the card into his backpack without looking at it again.

Roohi felt a pang of sadness at his coldness. She didn’t understand why he was acting this way, but she knew something had changed. “Did I do something wrong?” she asked softly.

Aarav finally looked at her, his expression softening just a bit. “No, Roohi, it’s not you,” he said, but there was an edge to his voice, a barrier that hadn’t been there before. “It’s just… things are complicated.”

Before Roohi could ask what he meant, the school bell rang. Aarav turned away quickly, heading towards his classroom without another word. Roohi watched him go, feeling confused and a little hurt.

As the day went on, Roohi tried to focus on her classes and her friends, but Aarav’s sudden coldness lingered in the back of her mind. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed, something that had nothing to do with her but was affecting her all the same.

Later that evening, at the Raichand mansion, Aarav sat with his older brother Arjun, who noticed the shift in his younger brother’s demeanor. Arjun, who had always been protective and close to Aarav, nudged him. “What’s going on, little bro? You seem… off.”

Aarav hesitated, his thoughts still on what his father, Abhay, had told them the previous night. “Dad told us about the Oberois,” Aarav finally said, his voice quiet. “About their history with our family.”

Arjun’s expression hardened slightly. “So that’s why you’re acting like this. Look, Aarav, I get it. The Oberois and Raichands have a complicated past. But Roohi… she’s just a kid, like you. Whatever happened between Mr oberoi and dad has nothing to do with roohi.

Aarav looked away, conflicted. “I don’t want to cause trouble.”

Arjun sighed, placing a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Look, whatever Dad said, just remember that you’re still a kid. It’s okay to care about people. Just be careful, okay?”

Aarav didn’t reply, his thoughts still tangled. He wasn’t sure how to reconcile his father’s warnings with the kindness he had shown Roohi. For now, all he knew was that he needed to keep his distance, even if it meant hurting someone who had done nothing wrong.

Back at the Oberoi mansion, Roohi sat quietly in her room, thinking about Aarav’s reaction. She didn’t understand the complexities of the adult world, the rivalries and histories that shaped the lives around her. All she knew was that she had tried to be kind, and it hadn’t been enough.

When Rudraksh came to check on her, he noticed her unusually quiet demeanor. “Roohi, is everything okay?”

Roohi looked up at her father, her eyes a little sad. “papa, why do people change? Why did Aarav seem so different today?”

Rudraksh sighed, sitting beside her and pulling her close. “Sometimes, people have things on their minds that make them act differently. It’s not always about you, sweetie.”

“But… I just wanted to thank him,” Roohi said softly.

Rudraksh kissed the top of her head, his heart aching at the sight of his usually cheerful daughter looking so downcast. "I know, my little princess," he said gently. "And you did the right thing by thanking him. Sometimes, people don’t know how to handle kindness, especially when they have other things on their minds."

Roohi snuggled closer to her father, finding comfort in his embrace. "But, Papa, it felt like I did something wrong?"

Rudraksh shook his head, tightening his hold on her. "You did nothing wrong, Roohi. Aarav might be dealing with things that have nothing to do with you. Sometimes, when people are going through tough times, they push others away, even when they don’t mean to."

Roohi looked up at him, her eyes wide and searching. "But why? Why would he push me away?"

Rudraksh sighed, trying to find the right words. "It’s complicated, sweetheart. Aarav’s family has its own struggles, just like ours. Sometimes, those struggles can make it hard for people to open up or let others in. But that doesn’t mean you’re not important or that you didn’t do the right thing."

Roohi nodded slowly, her small hands gripping her father's shirt. "I just wish things could be simple, Papa."

Rudraksh smiled sadly, stroking her hair. "I wish that too, Roohi. But life can be complicated. The important thing is to stay true to who you are and to always be kind, no matter what. You never know how much your kindness might mean to someone, even if they don’t show it right away."

Roohi seemed to ponder his words for a moment, then nodded again. "Okay, Papa. I’ll try to remember that."

"That’s my brave girl," Rudraksh said, giving her another kiss on the head. "Now, how about we go have some ice cream? I think we both need a little treat today."

Roohi's face lit up at the mention of ice cream, and she finally smiled, nodding eagerly. "Yes, Papa! Let’s go!"

As they headed down to the kitchen together, Rudraksh couldn’t help but feel a mix of pride and sadness. He knew the world wasn’t always kind or fair, but he also knew that his daughter’s heart was pure and strong. No matter what challenges came their way, he was determined to protect that innocence for as long as he could.

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