Hidden Hearts
Anonymous
Author
The New Roommate
It was 11:30 PM.
Aarav opened the door.
Standing in front of him was a guy.
Tall. Lean. Dark hair. Sharp features. Black leather jacket. And eyes... that made Aarav feel something he hadn't felt in years.
"Hi," the guy said. His voice had warmth. "I'm Kabir. Your new roommate."
Aarav let him in. "Aarav. Welcome."
Kabir looked around the apartment. "Nice. Clean. Minimal."
"Thanks." Aarav took his suitcase. "Your room is here."
Kabir followed him.
When they reached the room, Kabir turned to Aarav.
"Let me make one thing clear?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm gay." Kabir said it casually. Like talking about the weather. "If you have a problem, tell me now."
Aarav's heart started racing. "No... no problem."
"Good." Kabir smiled. "Because I don't lie. And I don't expect people to be comfortable around me."
Aarav felt his hands shaking. "I... I also..."
"What?" Kabir looked into his eyes.
"Nothing." Aarav quickly changed the topic. "You freshen up. I'll make dinner."
He walked away.
Kabir stood there.
And smiled.
The First Night
At the dinner table, both ate in silence.
But that silence... was heavy.
Kabir broke it. "How long have you been gay?"
Aarav dropped his spoon. "W... what?"
"You're gay, right?" Kabir looked at him directly. "I noticed. When you first saw me... there was something in your eyes."
Aarav looked down. "No... I..."
"Don't lie." Kabir held his hand. "I know. Because I feel the same when you look at me."
Aarav pulled his hand away. "This... this is wrong."
"Why wrong?" Kabir looked into his eyes. "Because you're married? Because you have a wife? Because you're scared of society?"
Aarav said nothing.
"Listen." Kabir pulled him closer. "I'm here for 6 months. Work project. And I... want you."
"But I..."
"Yes or no?" Kabir whispered in his ear. "Just one word. Yes... or no."
Aarav closed his eyes.
And whispered:
"Yes."
Kabir smiled.
And kissed Aarav.
First kiss.
Slow. Sensual. Intense.
Like they had known each other for years.
When they broke apart, Aarav had tears in his eyes.
"What happened?" Kabir asked.
"This... this is the first time." Aarav whispered. "That I've allowed myself... with a man."
Kabir hugged him. "Don't be scared. I'm here."
Aarav rested his head on Kabir's chest.
And cried.
The Affair
For the next 2 months...
Every night, when Aarav's wife, Priya, went to office...
Kabir and Aarav... belonged to each other.
Slow mornings.
Passionate nights.
Secret touches.
Hidden kisses.
And every time... Aarav felt like he was finally... complete.
One morning, Kabir laid Aarav on the bed.
And climbed on top of him.
"You know," Kabir said, kissing his lips, "you're so beautiful when you feel."
"Feel what?"
"Desire." Kabir kissed his neck. "Lust. Love."
"Love?" Aarav looked at him. "You... you love me?"
Kabir waited a few seconds.
"Yes."
Aarav pulled him closer. "Me too."
They started kissing.
Intense. Desperate. Like they were dying.
When they finished, both lay side by side.
Kabir held Aarav's hand. "Can I tell you something?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm not here just for the project."
Aarav looked at him. "What do you mean?"
"I... I was looking for you." Kabir looked into his eyes. "For 3 years."
"What?!"
"Yeah." Kabir smiled. "Remember 3 years ago? Mumbai? That gay bar?"
Aarav's mind raced.
3 years ago.
A bar.
A guy.
Whom he had... used for one night.
And left.
"Kabir?" Aarav whispered. "You... you're that guy?"
"Yes." Kabir held his chin. "I'm the one you gave one night to. And then... left in the morning."
Aarav closed his eyes. "I'm sorry. I..."
"Shh." Kabir touched his lips. "I looked for you. For 3 years. And now... now you're mine."
"How?"
"I found out everything about you." Kabir said. "Your marriage. Your job. Your life. And I... came here. To get you back."
"But I..."
"You're gay, Aarav." Kabir looked into his eyes. "You always were. You just... hid it."
"Because..."
"Because of society?" Kabir laughed. "What does society care? It's your life. Your choice."
Aarav felt something awakening inside him.
"Yes," he said. "You're right."
Kabir smiled.
And kissed Aarav again.
The Wife
One month later.
Priya started getting suspicious.
Aarav came home late every day.
Unfamiliar perfume on his clothes.
Something different... in his eyes.
One night, Priya asked Aarav, "Who are you with?"
"What?" Aarav said, watching TV.
"Who are you with at night?" Priya snatched his phone. "Kabir? Who's this?"
Aarav took his phone back. "My roommate."
"Roommate?" Priya laughed. "Why so many messages with your roommate? Why so many calls?"
"Just... friends."
"Friends?" Priya looked into his eyes. "You're gay, right?"
Aarav's heart started racing. "W... what?"
"You're gay." Priya said. "I know. I knew before we married. But I thought... you'd change."
"Priya, I..."
"Don't." Priya covered his mouth. "I accepted you. Gave you a home. Gave you a family. And you... you were lying to me?"
Aarav looked down. "Yes."
"For how long?"
"Since before we married."
Priya fell to the ground. "So... so all this... was all a lie?"
"No." Aarav helped her up. "I love you. But... I also love Kabir."
Priya pushed him away. "You're a monster."
"No." Aarav held her hand. "I'm just... confused."
"Confused?" Priya screamed. "You spent 5 years with me! 5 YEARS! And now you're saying you're gay?!"
"Yes."
Priya picked up her bag. "I'm leaving."
"Where?"
"To my parents' house." Priya walked to the door. "And when I come back... you'll have to choose. Either me. Or him."
She left.
Door closed.
Aarav stood there.
With one thought in his mind:
What have I done?
The Choice
Next day, Aarav told Kabir everything.
Kabir thought for a few seconds.
"Now you have to choose."
"What?"
"Either Priya. Or me." Kabir looked into his eyes. "Both can't be together."
"But I..."
"Yes or no?" Kabir held his chin. "Just one word."
Aarav waited a few seconds.
"I... I want you."
Kabir smiled. "Then... leave Priya."
"But she..."
"She doesn't love you." Kabir said. "She only loves your marriage. Loves society. Loves her image."
"And you?"
"I love you." Kabir pulled him close. "With your flaws. With your fears. With your secrets."
Aarav hugged him.
"I choose you."
Kabir ran his hand through his hair. "Good."
"But... now what?"
"Now..." Kabir smiled. "Now we'll live together. Openly. Without fear. Without lies."
Aarav felt like he was finally... free.
The Twist
Three months later.
Aarav and Kabir lived together.
Open relationship.
No secrets.
No lies.
One day, Kabir was at office.
Aarav was at home.
His phone rang.
Unknown number.
He attended. "Hello?"
"Aarav." A woman's voice. "This is Priya."
"Priya?" Aarav felt his heart racing. "Where are you?"
"Mumbai." Priya said. "And I need to tell you something."
"What?"
"Kabir..." Priya waited a few seconds. "Kabir is my cousin."
Aarav's phone fell from his hand.
"W... what?"
"Yes." Priya laughed. "My cousin. And I sent him to you."
"Why?"
"Because I knew you were gay." Priya said. "I tested you. To see if you're really gay or not. And you... you failed."
"This... this was all your plan?"
"Yes." Priya said. "Kabir recorded everything. What happened between you. Everything. And now... I have it all."
"What... what will you do?"
"I'll file for divorce." Priya said. "And leave you... with Kabir."
"But..."
"But what?" Priya screamed. "You lied to me for 5 years! 5 YEARS! And now you expect me to forgive you?!"
"Priya, please..."
"Don't say please." Priya was about to hang up. "You got what you wanted. Now don't torture me."
Call ended.
Aarav sat on the ground.
And cried.
The Truth
Evening, Kabir came home.
Aarav told him everything.
Kabir waited a few seconds.
"Yes," he said. "She's telling the truth."
Aarav looked at him. "You... you knew?"
"Yes." Kabir held his hand. "Priya sent me to you. To test you."
"And you used me?"
"No." Kabir pulled him close. "I loved you. Truly."
"But..."
"Yes, there was a plan." Kabir said. "But feelings were real. What I felt with you... was all real."
Aarav pushed him away. "You lied to me!"
"Yes." Kabir said. "But you lied to me too. You lied to Priya. You lied to society. You lied... to yourself."
Aarav closed his eyes.
"What... what do I do?"
"Choose." Kabir said. "Either go back to Priya. Or stay with me. But now... without lies."
Aarav thought for a few seconds.
Then he said:
"I want you."
Kabir smiled. "Then... let's go. To Mumbai. Meet Priya. Clear everything."
"But..."
"No buts." Kabir held his hand. "Now you're free. And I... I'll never leave you."
They kissed.
And left.
Towards Mumbai.
The End (NEW - More Suspense & Excitement)
Mumbai. Priya's house. 11 PM.
Aarav and Kabir stood at the door.
It was raining.
Thunder. Lightning.
Perfect horror vibe.
Priya opened the door.
But...
It wasn't Priya.
It was a strange woman.
Pale face. Black eyes. And in her hand... a knife.
"You both are here?" she said. Her voice was... unnatural.
"Who are you?" Kabir pulled Aarav behind him.
"Me?" The woman smiled. "I'm Priya."
"Lies!" Kabir screamed. "Priya is not like this!"
The woman laughed. A laugh that echoed through the night.
"Do you know, Kabir... what your mother did to me?"
Kabir's face went white. "W... what?"
"Your mother killed me." The woman raised the knife. "3 years ago. In this house."
Aarav held Kabir's hand. "W... what is she saying?"
Kabir said nothing.
In his eyes... only fear.
"Yes." The woman started walking forward. "I'm not Priya. I'm Neha. Priya's girlfriend. Whom your mother killed, Kabir."
Kabir tried to step back. "No... no..."
"Yes." Neha pointed the knife. "And now... now I'll kill you both."
"Why?!" Aarav screamed.
"Because you both destroyed Priya!" Neha screamed. "She loved you, Aarav! And you left her! She killed herself!"
Aarav fell to the ground. "W... what?"
"Yes!" Neha had tears in her eyes. "Priya is dead! 2 months ago! Suicide! Because you rejected her!"
Kabir pulled Aarav up. "Run!"
Both tried to run.
But...
Door was closed.
Locked.
Neha continued walking forward.
"Now you both will die."
"Stop!" Kabir screamed. "We did nothing!"
"Nothing?" Neha laughed. "You used Priya! Tested her! And then... left her!"
"But..."
"No buts." Neha raised the knife. "Death is coming."
And then...
Phone rang.
Neha's phone.
She attended. "Hello?"
"Neha." A woman's voice. "This is Priya."
Neha's phone fell from her hand.
"W... what?"
"Yes." Priya's voice. "I'm alive. And I'm calling the police. To arrest you."
"But... but you're..."
"Dead?" Priya laughed. "No. I just pretended. To make you confess."
Neha fell to the ground. "You... you lied to me?"
"Yes." Priya said. "Like you lied to me. You falsely accused Kabir's mother of murder."
"But..."
"Police is coming." Priya cut the call.
Neha picked up the knife.
And looked at Kabir.
"I'll never forgive you."
Kabir said nothing.
Just... tears in his eyes.
Outside the house.
Priya, Aarav and Kabir stood.
Rain had stopped.
"Sorry," Priya said. "I used you both."
"But now it's over." Kabir said. "Right?"
"Yes." Priya smiled. "Now everyone is free."
Aarav held Kabir's hand. "Let's go."
Both started walking.
"Wait!" Priya called.
Both stopped.
"One thing." Priya said. "I'm not lesbian."
Aarav and Kabir looked at her.
"What?"
"Yes." Priya laughed. "That was also a lie. To test Neha."
"So you...?"
"I'm bisexual." Priya smiled. "And now... now I'll live my life. Without lies."
Aarav smiled. "Good luck."
"You too." Priya said. "Both of you."
She walked away.
Aarav and Kabir stood there.
"Now where?" Kabir asked.
"BANGALORE!" Aarav said. "Far. Where no one knows us."
"But..."
"No buts." Aarav kissed him. "Now we're free."
Both walked away.
Through the night roads.
Holding each other's hands.
And behind...
Priya watched them.
And kept smiling.
THE END
(Or maybe... Neha will return?)
NEW Epilogue: The Return
6 months later. Bangalore.
Aarav and Kabir were in a new apartment.
Planning their wedding.
One evening, Kabir got a parcel.
No sender.
He opened it.
Inside was a knife.
And a note:
"I'm still here. - N"
Kabir dropped the knife.
"W... what is this?"
Aarav read the note.
And his face went white.
"Neha..."
"But she's in jail!"
"Yes." Aarav said. "But... someone sent this."
Both looked at each other.
And felt...
That this story...
Is not over yet.
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