C13 Messages That Went Nowhere

Life after Kalpa felt strangely ordinary.

Which was ridiculous.

Because nothing about the last few weeks had been ordinary.

Yet here Aisha was again—waking up early in her small rented room, tying her hair back, and walking to the tiny dental clinic that served three villages nearby.

Children waited outside with toothaches.

Elderly women brought homemade bread to thank her.

Farmers apologized for missing appointments because of apple harvest season.

Everything looked exactly the same.

Except for one small detail.

Her phone.

Every morning she checked it.

And every morning it said the same thing.

No new messages.

Aisha brushed her teeth aggressively that morning while glaring at the phone lying on her bed.

“Unbelievable,” she muttered through toothpaste foam.

Her roommate leaned against the doorframe, watching her with amusement.

Benji.

Short for Benazir.

But nobody had called her that since school.

“You look like you want to throw your toothbrush at someone,” Benji said.

“I might.”

“Who’s the victim?”

Aisha spat into the sink.

“A soldier.”

Benji’s eyebrows shot up instantly.

“Oh?”

Ten minutes later they were sitting on the bed with cups of chai.

And Aisha was telling the entire story.

Kalpa.

The temple ritual.

The camping night.

The ninety-year love story.

Arjun.

Benji listened with wide eyes.

Then leaned back slowly.

“Aisha.”

“Yes?”

“You accidentally had a mountain romance with a mysterious soldier.”

“That sounds dramatic.”

“You kissed under the stars.”

“That part is accurate.”

“And then he vanished.”

“Yes.”

Benji pointed at her.

“That is the definition of dramatic.”

Aisha groaned and dropped her head back onto the pillow.

“He didn’t vanish. He just… stopped replying.”

“That’s called vanishing.”

“He gave me his number.”

“And?”

“And now he’s acting like numbers don’t exist.”

Benji leaned over and grabbed Aisha’s phone.

“Let’s see.”

“Give that back.”

“No.”

She opened the message thread.

And started scrolling.

Day 1

Hey soldier. Did you reach wherever you were going safely?

Also the bus ride was terrible. I blame you for recommending that route.

Day 3

Clinic kids asked if I met any heroes in the mountains.

I said maybe.

Day 5

Remember the bakery where you accused the baker of kidnapping me? I passed another one today and laughed like an idiot.

Benji was already grinning.

“Oh this is adorable.”

“Stop reading.”

“Never.”

She scrolled further.

Day 9

I found the shawl that still smells like the campfire. Just saying.

Day 12

You owe me another stargazing night. The sky here is not the same.

Benji gave her a slow look.

“You caught feelings.”

“No I didn’t.”

“You absolutely did.”

Aisha grabbed the phone.

“You’re exaggerating.”

“Continue the timeline.”

She reluctantly showed the next messages.

Day 16

Okay rude. Still ignoring me.

Day 19

Did you join a secret mission or something? Because that would be the only acceptable excuse.

Day 22

Arjun Rathore if you are alive please send one message.

Benji burst out laughing.

“You used his full name!”

“He deserves it!”

Aisha scrolled again.

The tone had changed.

Day 25

Okay I’m officially annoyed now.

You could at least say “busy”.

Day 27

I hope you're safe wherever you are.

Just reply once so I know you're not dead.

Benji’s smile softened slightly.

“You miss him.”

Aisha didn’t answer immediately.

She opened the most recent message.

Sent that morning.

Day 30

Hi.

Still no reply.

Just checking if you're okay.

The clinic got a new patient today who reminded me of you—stubborn and impossible.

Anyway…

I hope you're safe.

Benji gently nudged her shoulder.

“For someone who calls him a hookup, you text him like a wife.”

“I do not.”

“You do.”

Aisha stared at the phone quietly.

Then sighed.

“He probably forgot me.”

Benji shook her head immediately.

“Men don’t forget mountain kisses.”

“That’s not scientific.”

“It is emotionally accurate.”

Aisha tossed the phone beside her.

“Whatever. I’m done messaging him.”

Benji raised an eyebrow.

“Sure you are.”

“I mean it.”

“Uh huh.”

Aisha stood and grabbed her clinic bag.

“I have work.”

Benji watched her leave the room.

Then called out behind her.

“If he replies today I want full updates!”

Aisha rolled her eyes.

But as she stepped outside into the mountain sunlight…

Her phone was still in her hand.

And without thinking—

She checked it again.

Still nothing.

What Aisha didn’t know…

Hundreds of kilometers away…

Arjun Rathore hadn’t seen a single one of those messages.

Because he was somewhere he couldn’t even turn his phone on.

And when he finally did see them—

It would already be too late.