The dim, golden lights of the rooftop lounge flickered as the sun dipped behind the skyline. Music hummed low in the background, laughter spilled occasionally, and the Vipers—once only tied by prestige—now sat like family around a long table, nursing their drinks, sharing jokes, and soaking in the rare peace between their chaotic lives.
Ria was giggling at something Naina had said when her phone rang. The moment she saw the caller ID, her smile faded.
"Mom," she whispered, standing up and walking a few steps away.
They all watched as Ria took the call. Her voice remained composed at first, but within seconds, it cracked.
"I told you I'm not doing anything wrong," she said, trembling. "I'm with my friends, I'm not—"
Her lips quivered as her mother's voice thundered through the phone. Everyone could hear snippets—harsh words, expectations, accusations. Ria's eyes brimmed with tears.
Niall stood up abruptly and walked to her. Without asking, he took the phone gently from her hand. "Ma'am," he said calmly, but firmly. "This is Niall. Ria is with me. Please stop speaking to her like that. She's safe, she's not alone, and she deserves respect."
There was silence. Then, Niall ended the call, handed the phone back to Ria, and looked at her with soft concern. She collapsed into a chair, sobbing.
Naina rushed to her side, pulling her into a hug. Ishaan crouched next to them, his hand on Ria's shoulder.
"Is it so wrong to be born a girl?" Ria cried. "Why do I feel like an accident in my own home? What did I ever do wrong?"
Ishaan's jaw tightened. He gently took her hand.
"Ria," he said quietly, his voice like steel wrapped in velvet, "for us, you are everything. The girl who stands up for others. The girl who smiles even when she's breaking. The girl who everyone in this group would fight for."
"Damn right," Naina added, her voice fierce. "Anyone who wants to bring you down has to go through us first."
Ria wiped her tears but didn't speak. She just pulled them both into a hug. Her shoulders shook, but for the first time, they were tears of release—not fear.
Across the table, Niall sat with his head lowered, his hands clasped tightly. Bunny noticed.
"You did good, bro," Bunny said, patting his back. "You're trying, and that's what counts. You're a damn good brother to her."
Niall nodded, but a tear escaped the corner of his eye. "Sometimes trying doesn't feel like enough. I wish I could protect her from everything."
"You are," Bunny said firmly. "She needed someone to say something today. And you did. That's what family does."
The two clinked their glasses and took a sip. The warmth of the drink hit Bunny's throat, but what surprised him more was the image that suddenly flashed in his mind—Raha. Her soft smile. Her bright eyes when she talked about her science project. Her laugh when she nearly tripped on a wire in the lab. He quickly shook it off.
"Nope," he muttered under his breath.
"What?" Niall asked, smirking.
"Nothing. Just... physics." Bunny said, waving it off.
Niall raised an eyebrow. "Physics makes you smile like a love-struck idiot now? Noted."
Bunny glared at him and took another sip.
On the other side, Naina gently rubbed Ria's back. "You're not alone in this, okay? You've got us. Always."
"And not because you're strong," Ishaan said. "But because you don't have to be strong all the time. We're here to catch you when the world gets heavy."
Ria gave a shaky laugh. "You guys are ridiculous."
"Painfully true," Naina quipped.
"But also annoyingly lovable," Ishaan grinned.
As the music shifted into something slower and more nostalgic, the mood softened. They weren't just a group of elite students anymore. They were more than reputations, GPAs, and boardroom brilliance. They were flawed, vulnerable, and deeply connected.
And tonight, that mattered more than anything.
Bunny's phone buzzed. It was a message from the lab assistant, asking for input on a data model. He ignored it and instead glanced at Niall, who was now watching Ria from across the table with a protective gaze.
"You think she'll be okay?" Niall asked quietly.
"She's got us," Bunny said. "She'll be more than okay."
Ria, wiping her eyes and seeing them looking at her, smiled genuinely this time.
Naina leaned over. "We should make a pact. Whenever one of us feels like breaking, we tell the others. No more hiding pain. No more silence."
"Deal," Ria said instantly.
"Agreed," Ishaan added.
Niall and Bunny nodded, lifting their glasses.
"To us," Naina toasted.
"To family we chose," Ishaan echoed.
"And to physics-induced hallucinations," Niall teased, making Bunny groan.
The rooftop filled with laughter again, softer this time—but warmer, more real. They'd been through battles. They were still healing. But tonight, they had each other. And that was enough.