As Sia moved toward the railway station, her heart began to pound faster than ever before. It felt like it might tear out of her chest.
She jumped out of the taxi, paid the driver without arguing over the overpriced fare, and didn't look back even once. She ran straight toward Platform No. 7, where announcements echoed continuously.
She sat at the far end of the platform, trying to stay unnoticed.
Fifteen minutes.
That's all she had.
Her hands trembled as she opened her phone and messaged Rachna.
Hey. Reached the station.
Will reach there in 2.5 hours. Please wait for me.
She wanted to text Nisha too—to tell her she was safe.
But she couldn't.
She knew that the moment her family realized she was missing, the first person they would target would be Nisha.
Before she could think further, her phone started ringing.
The screen flashed Auntie ❤️.
Her heart dropped.
They know.
Oh God, they know.
Her mind raced.
What if they come searching for me?
What if they reach the station before the train leaves?
Panicking, she stood up and began walking rapidly along the platform, her eyes desperately scanning for the train.
---
At the house—
Her aunt entered Sia's room again.
"Sia… Sia," she called. "Your friends have come to see you."
She frowned.
"I don't know when you made so many boy friends and never told me. What will the groom's family think?"
She moved closer.
"Sia, haven't you come out of the bathroom yet? Are you okay, beta?"
Her gaze shifted.
The bathroom door was locked from outside.
Sia's wedding clothes were lying untouched.
Her aunt's heart skipped.
She rushed to the balcony.
Nothing.
No trace of Sia.
Until now, she had been irritated. Now, panic crept in.
She called out loudly, "Maaji!"
Her grandmother came quickly.
"Have you seen Sia?" her aunt asked anxiously.
"She's not in her room. She isn't wearing her wedding clothes. What will I tell the groom's side when they arrive?"
"Call her," her grandmother said.
Her aunt dialed Sia's number.
No response.
"Maaji, she's not answering."
"Ask Nisha," her grandmother said.
"She must know. I saw her coming into Sia's room."
Her aunt nodded and called out.
"Nisha!"
Nisha froze like ice.
Her mouth went dry.
"Nisha, have you seen Sia?" her aunt demanded.
"Her friends have come. Someone named Arjun and Sahil. They're asking to meet her."
Nisha tried to speak.
Nothing came out.
She swallowed hard and finally whispered,
"Aunty… I don't know. I gave her medicine and told her to rest. Is she not in her room?"
"She's not," her aunt said sharply.
"And you must know where she is. You're her friend."
"But aunty… how would I know?" Nisha replied, trembling.
"For now, go and tell her friends that she's coming," her aunt said firmly.
Before Nisha could move, her aunt stopped her again.
"Do you know who this Arjun is?"
Nisha stiffened.
"Sia never mentioned him. Or this Sahil."
"Aunty… he's her old classmate," Nisha replied carefully.
"Then how did he know about the wedding?" her aunt asked.
"How would I know, aunty?" Nisha said weakly.
"That only Sia can answer."
Her aunt's voice hardened.
"She's your friend. You definitely know why he's here."
She leaned closer.
"I'm really worried. Until Sia is found, no one will leave this house. Tell that Arjun."
Nisha nodded and walked away quickly.
She immediately messaged Sia not to contact her anymore and deleted all suspicious chats from her phone.
As she went downstairs, she saw Arjun.
His eyes were bloodshot, as if he hadn't slept in days. His shirt was wrinkled. His hair uncombed. The charm he once carried was gone—replaced by desperation.
The moment he saw Nisha, he rushed toward her.
"Where is Sia?" he demanded.
"Tell her I'm here to take her with me. I'll ask for her hand from her uncle. I'll marry her."
He spoke fast, breathless.
"I know I'm late. I know she's angry. But I'll explain everything. That girl—she was my boss. She—"
"Stop!" Nisha snapped.
"I don't know where Sia is."
"And don't you think it's too late?" she added sharply.
"It's her wedding day. Her husband will arrive any minute."
"But Sia doesn't love him!" Arjun insisted.
"I brought my friends," he said angrily.
"If anyone opposes me and Sia's wedding, they won't even be able to walk."
"Arjun!" Nisha hissed.
"Why do you want to ruin her life?" she asked bitterly.
"You cheated on her. You left her crying in the middle of everything."
She lowered her voice as relatives passed by.
"On her wedding day."
Arjun clenched his fists.
"She never returned my calls," he said quietly.
"She never tried to understand me."
Nisha laughed bitterly.
"Oh, so she didn't understand you?"
"She caught you cheating, and you expect understanding?"
Arjun lost control.
"How many times do I have to tell you?" he shouted.
"I didn't cheat! That woman was my boss. She forced me!"
"I don't want to hear anything," Nisha said, stepping back, frightened by his raised voice.
"Please don't create a scene here."
"So what am I supposed to do?" Arjun asked helplessly.
"Watch Sia get married in front of my eyes?"
"I don't know," Nisha replied softly and walked away.
---
At the station—
Sia's train arrived.
Her heart raced as she stepped inside and took her seat.
She wanted to turn her phone on. To know what was happening at home.
But she was scared.
She didn't want to know.
She didn't want to look back.
The train slowly picked up speed.
Outside the window, the night stretched endlessly. The full moon shone brightly—alone, distant. The stars seemed far away, scattered, unreachable.
Just like her past.
Slowly, her breathing steadied. Her eyes grew heavy.
---
Back at the house—
Within an hour, almost everyone knew.
Sia was missing.
They searched every room. Nearby streets. Neighbours' houses. They called her teachers. Relatives.
She hadn't had many friends growing up.
Nisha was the only one.
They questioned her strictly. Checked her phone. Found nothing.
Arjun was suspected too, but he looked broken—like a man who had lost everything. He sat silently on a bench in the garden, staring into nothing.
He knew Nisha was hiding the truth.
But he couldn't prove it.
The groom's family waited.
Minutes turned into whispers.
Whispers turned into certainty.
The bride had run away.
Sia's aunt broke down in tears.
Her uncle couldn't even lift his eyes.
Nothing could be done now.
The bird had escaped the cage.
And no one knew—
whether it would ever return.