chapter 6

Part 6: When Silence Spoke LouderIt had been a few days since that unexpected call.  Things between Riya and Dhirav had started feeling... different, in the best way possible.Now, their chats had turned into late-night talks — not too long, just enough to make the night feel special.  Messages had gone from casual schoolwork to random reels, jokes, and:Dhirav (09: 17 PM):“Are you ever serious?”Riya:"yes it is! Now I  Just started talking to you so not that time .”Their comfort grew.  So did their friendship.  And somewhere in between those jokes and “you are crazy” roasts, something soft started blooming.One normal weekday evening…Riya was lying on her bed, scrolling through her phone when a notification popped up:Dhirav:“I am getting bored… do you want to talk?”Riya's heart did that tiny jump again.  She smiled.Riya:“Call?”Dhirav:“Yes, just chill a bit.”The call connected.  At first, just silence and a few awkward laughs.Dhirav:“Why are you so quiet?”Riya (laughing):“You said to call, you say ".They laughed.  Talked about school, irritating teachers, and whose handwriting was worse.  Riya teased him about his messy notebook, and he teased her about overthinking every little thing.Then, out of nowhere, in a calm, almost hesitant tone, Dhirav said:Dhirav:“Riya… can I say something?”Riya (nervously):“Hmm?”Dhirav:“You are my best friend… Like, the true one. It is fun to teach you And I want to talk to you.”There was a pause.Riya didn't expect it.  But her cheeks felt warm, her heart light.Riya (smiling widely):“So what have I been till now"Dhirav (chuckles):“yes it was before … now  I officially said.”Riya:"I  also tell you – you are also my best friend.That moment was more than just words.  It was pure.From that day, they owned the title — best friends.  The kind who fought over who sent worse selfies, who sent the longest voice note, and who ignored whose message longer.But there were sweet moments too…— Like when Riya sent a voice note just laughing for 10 seconds.— Or when Dhirav sent a random "Take care, stupid" after she said she had a headache.One evening, Riya had clicked a rainbow outside her window after the rain.  She felt the peace it brought her, the way nature could change her mood completely.  She opened the chat with Dhirav and sent the photo with a message:Riya:“Look… the rainbow has come. I thought I should show it to you.”After a few seconds, Dhirav replied with an enthusiastic text:Dhirav:“Woww…seriously, Miss Photographer!”“You really do amazing photography.”“Rainbow also opened extra in front of your lens.”Riya laughed at the compliment, feeling shy but happy.  She was about to type something back when, out of nowhere, she noticed Dhirav had posted her photo on his Instagram story.  She opened his story, her heart skipping a beat.Under the rainbow photo, Dhirav had written:> "Shot by Riya. She doesn't just click... she captures silence."“You are real Miss Photographer.”Riya froze for a moment, staring at the screen.  He hadn't told her, hadn't even asked — he just did it.  Her photo, her story.  And the words, they felt different.  Like he'd shared something more than just a picture.She quickly typed a message:Riya:“You posted my photo on the story?”A few moments passed before Dhirav replied:Dhirav:"Yes… without asking you I post. I wanted a surprise feeling."Riya:“Surprised me…and my heart also filled in love.”Dhirav replied with a simple:Dhirav:“You deserve it, Riya. You are very different. Simple, real, and poor in yourself.”Her heart fluttered.  She didn't know how to respond.  She just stared at his message, letting the warmth fill her chest.  There was something about this — the little things, the quiet compliments, the simple gestures — that made her feel understood.Riya:“Thanks… what you wrote, I felt it….”He didn't reply immediately, but she knew it wasn't necessary.  They didn't need a million words to say what they felt.  It was in the little things, like the rainbow photo.  Like the soft way Dhirav had shared it without a second thought.Their bond wasn't loud.It was the kind that stayed — quietly, deeply.