Back at the Tharavedu that day, just before turning fourteen and leaving for another country - it didn’t feel real. Bigger somehow was how the house seemed, heavier the old things inside stood.

  That day started like any other, sun hanging low over the yard. A shape caught my eye across the boundary fence. Not moving. Just standing there. Turns out it was Franklin. Hadn’t expected him. Sat still, watching from the steps.

  His look had changed - not sharper, but unsure now. When he spotted me, one hand lifted, yet his gaze stayed cautious. Maybe he believed too many days gone meant that thing could fade like smoke.

  Stillness held me there. Not a flicker of response left my body. Up I rose, book in hand, moving through the doorway without pause. That thick oak door shut with a thud. Trouble wasn’t something I invited. Quiet spoke louder than any reply ever could.

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  Funny thing - there he was again, George, stuck in his old routines. Near the veggies, where the carrots looked tired, he spotted me walking with Nidhi. Instead of nodding and passing by, he changed direction, slow at first, then firm. The space between us shrank without a word spoken. His path blocked mine like a misplaced crate left in an aisle.

  "Still haven't called, Dhanya?" he smirked. "Nidhi says you're moving to Dubai. I guess you think you're too big for this village now."

  Staring at Nidhi, I saw the glow on her face as she watched George - like he meant something bright. He’d been cruel to me, yet she didn’t see it one bit. A weight sat deep in my chest when I thought about her trust. Saving people isn’t always possible, even if you want to.

  "I’m moving to a place where I don't have to worry about neighbours with fuse problems, George," I said coolly. "Enjoy the village. It suits you."