Alisha

 "I need your help, guys," I said clearly, my voice steady but my heart pounding a little too fast. We were sitting in a cozy corner of a small coffee café, the warm hum of coffee and quiet chatter surrounding us. Rishi, clearly uninterested, was lazily sipping his drink through a straw, while Rahim gave me a serious look and asked, "What kind of help?"

I hesitated. I had made up my mind to ask them, but now that the moment had arrived, the words just wouldn't come out. A lump formed in my throat. I lowered my gaze, fiddling with the edge of my napkin.

Rahim pressed again, this time with a hint of confusion and mock annoyance, "Come on, just tell us what kind of help you need-from us, of all people."

Before I could respond, Rishi cut in, his eyes fixed somewhere else, avoiding mine entirely. "She wants our help to propose to Jayant," he said flatly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

My head snapped toward him. "How do you know that?"

He smirked, finally meeting my eyes. "It's written all over your face. And come on, best friends always know. Especially when it comes to love-boys like me are the best at planning these grand gestures."

I rolled my eyes, half-annoyed and half-blushing. "Ugh, please. Don't make yourself sound more important than you are. Kabhi kisi ladki ko propose bhi kiya hai, bhaw bhi na de koi tumhe" ("Have you ever even proposed to a girl? I bet no one even gives you a second glance.")
He made a face and said with exaggerated pride, "What do you know? Girls are crazy about me."

I ignored him, and his words as always.
Then Rahim leaned forward, his expression unreadable, and asked me straight, "You really want to propose to Jayant?"

There was a moment of silence. I took a deep breath, steadying myself, and then finally said it out loud-the truth I'd been carrying for so long. "Yes. I've made up my mind. I don't want to hide my feelings anymore."

Even saying it out loud felt like a relief and a rush all at once-like standing at the edge of a cliff, terrified, but ready to jump.

"So, tell us-what exactly do you want us to do?" Rahim asked, his tone curious but calm.

I paused, thinking for a moment, then said, "I want you guys to help me figure out how to propose to him... in a way that he just CAN'T say no."

Before I could explain further, Rishi suddenly jumped in, cutting me off. "Wait-what do you mean he CAN'T say no? He has a choice, you know. If he loves you, he'll say yes. And if he doesn't... then he won't. Simple."

Rahim and I both turned to stare at him.

Without exchanging a word, our eyes said it all: Looks like Jayant's best friend is finally awake.

Rishi caught our gaze and realized he might've revealed a little too much emotion-too much concern-for Jayant. He quickly tried to recover. "I-I mean, he has the right to say no too, right? You can't just force someone to fall in love. That's not how it works..."

I kept my eyes fixed on Rishi, my irritation building. It felt like he didn't want Jayant and me to ever end up together. Was he trying to demotivate me?

Finally, I snapped. "Just shut up, Rishi! Or I swear this coffee's going straight in your face."

I was done listening to his negativity. My voice rose as I said, "I don't need to force him to love me. I won't even try. All I want is for him to realize that he already does. Everyone knows it-he knows it too. He's just scared to admit it."

I turned to Rahim, my eyes silently asking for support. "Isn't that right?"

He didn't answer immediately.

That pause-just a couple of seconds-was enough to shift everything inside me.

When he finally said, "Yeah... yeah, it's true," the excitement I had just moments ago started slipping away like water from my hands.

I frowned. "Why did you pause before saying yes?"

Rahim looked a little taken aback. "What do you mean?"

I leaned forward, voice tight. "Why did it take you so long to say it? You're not sure, are you?"

Rahim gently placed his hand over mine and spoke softly, try to calm me down, "I am sure. But the love I see in both your eyes... it's different. What you feel for him-it's intense, clear, full of longing. What he feels for you... it's there, but it's confused. It doesn't match yours-not exactly."

I pulled my hand away before he could say more. His words had already unsettled me. But then he continued, gently but firmly, "Still, I believe everything will come into place. You've made your decision. Just trust it. Things will work out."

I nodded slowly, taking a deep breath. "Things have to work out."

But inside, their words echoed like ripples on a still lake. What if this proposal doesn't just go wrong-but breaks our friendship altogether?

No. I won't let that happen. I won't let the present crumble, I won't ruin the future, and I won't let to destroyed our beautiful past.

_____________

Jayant was sitting in my house, right across from me, enjoying every bite of the food I had made for him-his favorite dishes, all cooked by my hands. Not alone, though... Rishi and Rahim helped me a lot. They even arranged the lights.
The lights were dim, just enough for us to see each other clearly, but soft enough to make the moment feel... intimate.

And I just sat there, watching him eat with childlike joy, memorizing the way his eyes sparkled with each bite.

What he didn't know was that this dinner wasn't just dinner.

It was a carefully stitched plan-one I had poured my heart into.
He looked surprised, maybe even a little touched.

he also know that my father and Sonu were away at a distant relative's wedding tonight-and they wouldn't be back until morning.
Which meant... tonight, it was just me and Jayant.
Rishi and Rahim, who had helped me plan all this, were now waiting at the Ashiyana playground nearby-ready to jump to congratulate us if everything go smoothly, especially because...
Tonight, I was going to propose.

Getting Jayant to agree to come over for dinner hadn't been easy. He didn't like the idea of me putting in so much effort. He kept insisting we should just go out to a restaurant. But I had insisted harder-and my stubbornness had won.

Of course, I couldn't just blurt out "I love you." That would never come out of my mouth so easily. So I came up with a plan-something sweet, simple... and very me.

Cookies. His favorite cookies. Five of them.
Each cookie was made not just with love but with a secret message. A message I had carefully crafted, and put it inside the cookies he'd know exactly how I felt.

I walked slowly from the kitchen, carrying a small plate with the five cookies. My heart was racing. But my voice was calm-charmingly soft-as I said, "Cookies. Your favorite. I asked your mom for the recipe... made them just for you."

Jayant leaned forward on the sofa, rubbing his stomach. "Wow, Aalu... looks amazing. But I'm so full-I've already eaten way too much tonight." and leaned back.

I quickly responded, mock-pouting, "Well, I made them, so overeating is mandatory."

He chuckled. "Oh really? Are you going to overfeed your husband like this too?"
I smirked, my tone playful. "Not always. Just when I want something from him.... you know... dealing dealing"

Still smiling, he said, "Well, I'll happily eat for you. I mean, if you only cook once every few years."

I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice just a little. "If you want... I can cook for you every single day."
He sat up a bit straighter, teasing, "Naah, no way. My mom's cooking is still better."
My eyes narrowed. "So... mine is bad, huh?" I said with mock irritation.

He quickly grabbed my hand and pulled me into his arm "You make the best food in the world. But if I ate something this good every day, it's become normal food,.... You need to keep your cooking in demand... that way, it stays special."
I stared at him, pretending to be unmoved. "Sweet talker... won't work this time. And anyway-eat the cookies. Now.""Okay, okay," he said, finally giving in and reaching for one.

But I immediately stopped him. "No! Not like that. Pick the one I point to first."

He looked at me, completely confused. "What difference does it make? They're just cookies, right?"
But they weren't just cookies.
Inside each one, in the order he ate them, was a note-my message. My silent confession. A love letter he was about to taste, one bite at a time.
And by the end of it, I hoped he'd finally understand everything I've been holding in all this time.

As his hand slowly lifted the cookie toward his mouth, my heartbeat quickened-each thump louder than the last, like a drumroll leading to the grand reveal.

And then... he took a bite.

The moment his teeth sank into the cookie, he paused, eyes narrowing in surprise. "Wait-there's paper in this!" he said, half-laughing, half-confused.
Oh god.
My heart leapt to my throat. My palms turned cold. My breath hitched. This was it. No turning back now.

Jayant carefully pulled out the tiny folded note from inside the cookie and opened it right in front of me. His eyes moved over the words slowly. My own were shut tight, as if by keeping them closed, I could hold the moment in place.

Then, in a quiet voice, he began reading aloud,

>"Jayant... you don't know how special
you are to me.
> You're the light in my shadows-
> my firefly in the daylight,
> who doesn't shine for the world...
> but glows only for me."

My eyes fluttered open. I didn't know what to expect. A laugh? A joke? Confusion?

But instead, he looked at me-softly, gently-something about him had shifted. His voice, when he spoke, was almost a whisper.
"Aalu... what is this?" he asked. "Is today... something special? Are you-wait..."

And then it hit him. He turned abruptly to the plate. "Wait, are all these cookies hiding notes?"

He looked back at me, stunned. "Alisha?"
I couldn't speak. I simply nodded, slowly.

His expression melted into a smile-one that lit up every corner of his face. A flush rose to his cheeks, and he looked down like a boy with a secret he didn't know he'd ever get to keep.

"You wrote these?" he asked again, almost like he couldn't believe it.

And again, I nodded.

He didn't wait for more confirmation. "Which one next?" he asked eagerly, reaching for the one I pointed to.
He pulled the second note free with gentle fingers, as if afraid to tear the feeling it carried. He read this one aloud too:

> "Those stormy eyes of yours...
> the kind people get lost in-
> they scare me, a little.
> Because I want to hold them safe,
> the way I once held my mother's gaze
> and felt like I was home."

He didn't say anything after that.
Not right away.
He just stared at the little paper in his hand... then at me...
And there it was. That moment between us.

Heavy with meaning. Silent, but thunderous.
Love-mine, finally spoken.
His reaction-yet to be known.
But in that room with dim lights and candle glow, and cookie crumbs on the table, I felt like the air had changed forever.

Jayant picked up the third cookie, now with a hint of expectation dancing in his eyes. As he gently broke it and unfolded the note inside, his voice turned soft, almost reverent, as he read:

> "You taught me how to laugh again...
> how to reclaim this world as my own.
> But remember-
> in every smile of yours,
> lives the heartbeat of mine."

All three notes now rested in his hands, like fragile pieces of a puzzle only he could complete. And I... I just sat there watching him, my heart louder than any sound in the room.

He reached for the fourth cookie, eyes flickering with curiosity. Another quiet crack as it broke, and another note unfurled.

> "I want to be with you-
> not just for now,
> but for always...
> because..."

He stopped.

His brows furrowed. He looked up at me.
"This one... it's not finished," he said, a little confused.

Because it wasn't.

The words that mattered most-the final ones-were still hidden. In the last cookie.

My breath hitched. My palms trembled. The room, despite its candlelight, felt heavy with waiting.

Jayant reached out for the fifth and final cookie.

Time slowed.

He held it in his palm like it was something sacred. And then, gently... he broke it apart.

The sound of it cracking open felt deafening to me. I squeezed my eyes shut.

This is it. This is the moment I say it.

Silence.

Longer than it should've been.

Too long.

I opened my eyes-and there he was, frowning, sifting through the crumbs.

"There's no note in this one," he said, his voice tinged with disappointment. "Aalu... the last note is missing."

"What?" I gasped, my voice rising as panic took over. "That's not possible!"

I snatched the cookie pieces from his hands, crushed them further with trembling fingers, but he was right-there was no note. My heart dropped. My lips quivered. I could feel the tears welling up without control.

I rushed to the kitchen, broke open every leftover cookie, every backup I had made-desperately searching, as if my love might somehow fall out onto the counter. But there was nothing.

Just crumbs and silence.

Jayant followed me quietly, and when he saw the tears finally spill from my eyes, he stepped forward and wrapped me in his arms. No questions. No pressure.

Only warmth.

Only him.

"It's okay," he whispered, stroking the back of my head gently. "Just tell me... what was written in the final note?"

I clung to him tighter, my heart in my throat.

How could I tell him?
That the last note held the words I had never been brave enough to say aloud.
That it said:
Because I love you.
Those words had always stuck on my tongue, buried under layers of fear and uncertainty.
So instead, I lied.
"Thank you," I whispered. "It just said... thank you. For coming into my life."
Jayant chuckled softly, pulling back just enough to look at me.
"You didn't need a note for that," he said. "I already know."

And then-he leaned in, pressed a kiss to my hair, and said it. Just like that.
Casually. Quietly.
> "I love you, Aalu."
As if it were the most natural thing in the world.
As if it hadn't just unraveled me completely.

But something inside me held back.
Because the way he said it-it felt like something people say when they're overwhelmed. Not like the love I had written about. Not like the one my heart still held in silence.
And I knew... I needed to hear that kind of love.
The one you don't just say.
The one you live. The one you feel.
Some time had passed, but the weight in my chest hadn't lifted.

My smile had faded, my heart was still aching with the loss of that one missing note. The words I had never dared to say were still locked away inside me, unseen and unheard. Jayant-sweet, observant Jayant-must have noticed the shift in me. When I quietly said, "I'm going downstairs for a bit," he didn't try to stop me. Maybe he knew I needed a moment. Maybe he understood that I wasn't ready to talk. Or maybe... he felt it too.

He was staying over tonight, since no one else was home, but right then we felt more distant than ever.

I walked straight to the playground near our building. The night air was cool, brushing against my face like the world trying to soothe me. And there, just where I knew they'd be, stood Rishi and Rahim, their backs turned, deep in conversation.

When they saw me, they lit up instantly.

"So?" Rishi grinned. "Did he say yes?"

But I didn't answer. I couldn't.

My expression spoke before I did.

I gave a sad shake of my head and muttered, "He didn't even get the last cookie."

Their smiles vanished.

"What?" they said together, brows furrowing in sync. "What do you mean?"

I looked away, blinking back tears that now burned at the corners of my eyes. "The final cookie didn't have the note. I checked every other one in the kitchen too. It's just... gone."

As I spoke, my voice broke, and before I could stop myself, I began to cry-right there in front of them like a child whose world had slipped out of her hands. My hands covered my face, and my shoulders trembled as I tried to catch my breath.

Rishi and Rahim exchanged a long, meaningful glance.

A glance that wasn't just confused-but guilty.

And suddenly, something clicked in my mind too. My tears paused. My sorrow turned sharp. My eyes widened, and I pointed a trembling finger.

"RISHI!" I yelled, fire replacing the water in my eyes. "I'm not going to spare you!"

Before he could defend himself, Rishi bolted like a child caught stealing laddoos at a wedding. And I ran after him across the ground, shouting, chasing, hair flying, feet slapping the earth.

"You had it, didn't you? You kept one cookie! Where is it?"

He ran faster, laughing breathlessly. "I just wanted to taste one! It looked perfect!"

"GIVE IT BACK!"

Finally, I caught him by the sleeve, breathless but burning. He yelped and reached into his pocket, pulling out a slightly crushed cookie, and threw it in my direction like a guilty offering.

"There! Take your stupid cookie!"

It fell to the ground with a little thud and cracked in half.
My heart stopped.

Because there it was-tucked neatly inside the broken cookie-my final note.

My breath caught in my throat.

All that pain, all that fear, all that silence... because of this one stolen bite.

"You're dead, Rishi!" I screamed.

In blind rage, I grabbed the nearest plastic bat left by the kids and ran after him, laughing and crying all at once. Rishi shrieked, dodging me like his life depended on it.

Behind us, Rahim was doubled over in laughter, shouting, "He picked the prettiest one on purpose! I told him not to!"

But I wasn't listening.
All I could see was red.

"RISHI, YOU'RE DONE FOR-"

And then, I collided into something warm and solid.
Someone. Arms caught me before I could fall.
Jayant.

His hands were around my waist, steadying me. I froze, eyes wide.

"What's going on?" he asked, his voice calm, but his expression unreadable.

I quickly straightened myself, brushing my hair out of my face. "Nothing... just... playing around."
He didn't push.
Rishi and Rahim got the chance to escaped.
And I can't do much in front of him.
He just looked at me for a moment longer, like he was searching for a truth I wasn't ready to give.
A few more awkward exchanges later, we all drifted back inside. I went to my room, and Jayant walked into my dad's room-the one we'd set up for him to sleep in.
He was in my house... but not with me.
Not really. Hours passed. The world slept. But I couldn't.

Something kept pulling me, tugging at me like the wind whispering a name. Quietly, barefoot, I tiptoed through the hallway and opened the door to Papa's room.
Jayant was there, lying peacefully on the bed, his chest rising and falling in a slow rhythm. Moonlight spilled through the window, casting a soft glow across his face.

I didn't say a word.
I just watched him.
And then, as if drawn by something bigger than me, I curled up on the edge of the bed, facing him, and let my eyes close.
I didn't need words tonight.
Just this closeness.
Just this heartbeat.
Even if the final note had slipped through our hands... maybe love would still find its way.

A Few weeks Later...

The preparations had begun early that day, but my mind was anything but calm. My hands were trembling, my breath was shallow, and my heart-my foolish, stubborn heart-refused to slow down.
"Rishi, where are the white roses?" I called out, my voice laced with frustration.

From somewhere across the lawn, he replied lazily, "They're right there! Look properly!"
"Then why can't I see them?" I snapped, spinning around in circles, scanning every surface.
Before my growing panic could consume me, Rahim appeared in front of me like a gentle breeze. Without a word, he reached into a basket of decoration material and handed me a bundled bouquet of perfect white roses.

"They're right here," he said softly, then added with warmth in his voice, "Don't be afraid. Today... it'll happen. You'll do it."
But fear had settled deep in my bones.
What if it didn't?
What if this, too, ended in silence?
I had tried for months to confess, tried to gather the courage to open my heart to Jayant. But every time, I had failed. Every time, the words dissolved on my tongue like forgotten dreams.

"If anything goes wrong today... I won't be able to try again," I said, my voice barely a whisper.

Rahim placed a hand on my shoulder. "Nothing will go wrong. We're with you. Always."

Just then, Rishi came over, patting imaginary dust off his hands. "Now go get ready, drama queen. We'll handle the rest."

I sighed, my lips twitching with the ghost of a smile. "I won't go, I'll stay here and help."

"We've got this," he said again, gently pushing me toward the house.

I turned back slightly. "Make sure everything's the way Jayant likes it-every detail."

Rishi interrupted before I could finish, "Of course! Everything exactly how he'd want it."
Then, with a smirk, he added, "Go on, Cinderella. It's time."

---__

After some time, I stood in front of the mirror, barely recognizing the girl staring back. A soft white and sky-blue gown floated around me like morning mist. My hair was open, cascading in waves down my shoulders. I quickly went to the decorated area. There was a nervous sheen of sweat on my face.

I reached up to wipe it when Rishi suddenly appeared with a handkerchief and gently dabbed at my forehead.
"Whatever happens today... stay strong."

His tone made me pause.
"What do you mean whatever happens?" I asked, confused. "Why not say something positive? Like everything will go well? You always speak like we're preparing for a disaster."

He laughed at that-really laughed.
I turned to Rahim. "Tell me you've noticed this. He's either neutral or negative. Never positive!"

Rahim doubled over laughing. "You're right! The guy's allergic to optimism!"

We all laughed together, and for a moment, the tension lifted.
"Go," Rahim said, smiling.
Rishi caught my hand gently. "Wait."
I turned. "What now?"
With a smug little grin on his face, he said, "Lights."
And suddenly, every light around us went out.

The world turned soft and dark. And then-one by one-tiny bulbs began to twinkle. The decorations shifted. The atmosphere changed, like a curtain rising before a grand reveal.
"Go straight ahead," Rishi whispered. "Jayant will be waiting at the center."
Together, they said, "All the best."
---
I walked slowly toward the softly lit stage. A spotlight followed me, and in the dim glow ahead, I saw him.
Jayant.
Or so I thought.
He stood still, just out of clear view, and the soft strains of Aajaa Mahi by Arijit Singh filled the air. My heart raced faster with every beat of the music. My steps were slow, deliberate. With every footfall, another light came to life, illuminating the path before me.

But that path... felt endless.

The distance between us grew longer with every step. Or maybe it was just my fear playing tricks on me.

And then, finally, the music faded.
I hadn't even reached him yet.

Someone from the organizing team handed me a microphone.
I took a long breath-maybe the longest I'd ever taken-and spoke the words I had carried for so long.
"When I first saw you... something inside me whispered quietly... he's the one. Back then, we barely spoke. But somehow, you found a space inside me... and filled it completely."

I moved closer. My eyes were fixed on the shadowy figure in the spotlight.
"I've made up my mind," I continued, my voice quivering, "to turn your temporary presence in my heart... into a permanent one. So, will you make my heart... your forever home?"
I stretched my hand forward.
"Will you be my partner... the one I can give love to, and receive love from... endlessly, fearlessly, truly?"

But before I could finish the sentence... the final lights came on.
And I froze.
Because standing in front of me... Wasn't Jayant.
It was Dip.
Dip.
My world spun on its axis.
I didn't scream. I couldn't. The shock had stolen even that from me.

My heart fell into the sea of disbelief, swallowed by cold waves of betrayal.
Why was he here?
Why he, and not him?
Was this fate's cruel joke? Was I never meant to confess? Was love never mine to claim?
But then...
Dip stepped closer, looking right into my eyes.
"Yes, Alisha," he said softly, with a strange conviction. "I'll..."
He paused, his eyes searching mine.
"I love you too."

The world stopped spinning.
The air disappeared. something inside me shattered.
Not cracked. Not bruised. Shattered.

Like glass meeting stone.
Like a dream waking up to reality.
My knees weakened, my breath caught somewhere between shock and ache. I stumbled a little, blinking through the blur forming in my eyes. My world, the one I had carefully decorated with white roses and hope, had just crumbled-petal by petal.
And then came the sound.
A sharp, thunderous sound. Applause.
I turned.
And there he was.
Jayant.
Clapping. Smiling.
Like the whole world hadn't just collapsed at my feet.

Behind him, I saw Rishi and Rahim. They weren't smiling. Their faces wore the weight of truth-guilt, maybe, or helplessness. Their silence screamed louder than the claps.
But Jayant...
He looked happy.
Radiant, even.
As if what had just happened was exactly what he wanted.
But it wasn't what I wanted.
Didn't he see it? Couldn't he feel it?
Couldn't he see how I hadn't taken Dip's name?

Couldn't he feel how my trembling hand hadn't reached for him, but for Jayant?
That everything I said, every word, every shaky breath, every fluttering heartbeat... was meant for him?
But he stood there-smiling-as if none of it mattered. As if the ache in my eyes wasn't real. As if the silence in my throat wasn't screaming for him.

My chest burned with the ache of unspoken words. My lips trembled with the weight of all the things I'd wanted him to know-that it was always him, only him. But I'd waited too long. Or maybe fate had moved too fast.
And now, there I stood.
Dressed in my finest.
Heart in ruins.
Words misheard.
Love misplaced.
And Jayant...
clapped.

__________°•°•°________________
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