-----------------------------------------------------------"When my demons welcome me all I dream about is having you besides me to give me the strength to fight against them."
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Avinash had taken a leave today and he was left all alone in the campus. The campus was probably the place he hated the most. No, it wasn't because of the way it looked or how he had to study there but the reason was the people who were in that place, who scared him to even step there the next day after experiencing it the day before...

Atharva was back home after leaving the College campus in about ten minutes, luckily his house was near. But their words still rang in his mind, tears making way onto his face, but he tried his best to control them before reaching his room to assure his mother that everything was alright even when it wasn't.

Riya didn't know why but she decided to call him early. It was rather different for her yet something from the inside made her do so.

He saw the caller and was tempted to shut off his phone but he didn't want to scare away his only friend other than Avinash.

"Hi!" Her voice was chirpy making him forget his worries for a moment.

"Hi" His voice deflated and a bit hoarse from the crying which Riya immediately noticed.

"Are you okay?" Her concerned voice made him break instantly into tears.

" No!" Was his firm reply.

But she knew he needed to let it all out and that's when she spoke, "Okay. If I tell you the reason I was crying before, will you tell me yours?"

And the last question hung in the air.

Thanks for reading!