Jayant

 The sun had just started its lazy descent when I found myself walking beside Mom through the bustling market. We had split up briefly-she had a list, and I had an errand of my own. My bike had been acting up lately, and I needed some engine oil from the garage.

As I made my way back, bottle in hand, something strange caught my eye.
There they were.
Rishi and Rahim.
Standing not far off, deep in conversation-with Mom.
My steps slowed.
What were they doing here?
Before I could approach them, they are in hurry-they had bunch of bags-and then left in a hurry. Suspicious. Way too suspicious for a casual trip to the market.
"What were they doing here?" I asked, narrowing my eyes with suspicion.
Mama, in her usual innocent tone, replied, "Maybe just shopping... It is a market after all,"

I wasn't convinced. Making a face, I muttered, "Hmm... looked like they had a bit too much shopping."

Mama's smile faded slightly. "Oh, that stuff... that was just..."

She paused mid-sentence.
I caught it. That sudden halt. That flicker of hesitation in her eyes.
With a little more pressure in my voice, I leaned in, "What was it? Why did you stop?"
"N-nothing... it's nothing. Let's go now," she said quickly, almost too quickly.
"Nothing," she said quickly, "Come on, let's go."

Without another word, we got into the car. But the silence that followed wasn't empty-something I wasn't supposed to know. But Mama's pause had already planted the seed of suspicion. I spotted them again-Rishi and Rahim, standing at a flower shop.

My instincts screamed at me to stop. I wanted to, but Mom insisted, "Keep going, we're late."

The second we were out of the busy lanes, I turned to her.
"You're hiding something."
"What would I hide from you?" she said too casually.
I lifted a brow. "There's definitely something."
She sighed-long, dramatic-and finally said, "Fine. But don't tell them I told you." Her voice dropped lower. "Alisha is planning to propose to Dip. That's what all this preparation is about."
The car screeched slightly as I hit the brakes, stunned.
"What?" I gasped. "That loser?!"
A few horns blared behind us as I tried to gather myself. I pulled over again, turning to Mom. "How do you know this?" and start again the engine.
She smiled like it was nothing. "I overheard Rishi and Rahim talking about it. They're helping her. She's been planning it for a while now."
My heart dropped. "Why didn't anyone tell me?"
She chuckled. "Jayant, you hate Dip. Why would they tell you?"

"But I'm her best friend," I argued, a little too loudly. "She could've asked me for help."

Mom shrugged again, this time more playfully. "And what would you do? Help her decorate for a guy you don't even like?"

"That's not the point," I muttered.

Suddenly, I wasn't mad at Rishi or Rahim anymore. I wasn't even mad at Mom. I was just... shaken.

Alisha likes Dip? Since when?

I thought back-maybe school? They did sit together. But she never said anything. I never saw anything. And now she was about to lay her heart bare in front of him?

A horrible thought struck me.

What if he says no?
No. No, I couldn't let her heart break like that.
Not Alisha.
After dropping mom.
Without another word, I turned the car around and drove straight to Dip's house.

Aunt and Uncle greeted me at the door with warm smiles, and I returned them quickly before charging straight to Dip's room.

He was gaming, of course-completely oblivious to the emotional earthquake brewing outside his four walls. I yanked off his headphones.
"Do you like Alisha?" I asked bluntly.
He blinked. "Yeah... as a friend."
I leaned closer, deadly serious. "As a lover, Dip."
His face twisted in mild horror. "Ew. No. Just a friend, man."
My hands grabbed his collar before I could stop myself. "*Ew*? Are you serious? You find her disgusting?"
He wriggled out of my grip. "No! I meant your tone, not her! You know how dramatic you sound!"
I didn't listen. "Don't you ever say ew near her name again."

Right then, both our phones buzzed at the same time.
Rishi's message:
"Bro, 7 PM sharp. Pearl's Moti Place. Come dressed. Don't be late."

My stomach flipped.
It was happening. Tonight.
I turned back to Dip and grabbed his collar again.
"If she proposes to you tonight, you're going to say yes."

He blinked. "What? Why? She's a friend-"
"I don't care." I tightened my grip. "You say yes."
"but why... are you requesting-"
"This isn't a request, Dip," I growled. "If she gets hurt tonight, I swear, I won't let it go. You know what she means to me."

He stared at me, caught between confusion and fear.
"Got it?" I snapped.
He nodded slowly. "Got it."
Without waiting for more, I about to left.
"Jayant, if you don't mind... can I tell you something?" he said softly, I was standing near the door. I glanced up and nodded. "Yeah, go ahead."

He took a breath, speaking slowly, almost warmly, as if trying to cushion the blow.
"Initially... I had a crush on her."

For a moment, everything around me blurred. His words echoed in my head, loud and sharp. A crush on her?
I was stunned. My mind went blank. I didn't know what to say-what could I say?

But he didn't stop. His voice carried on, almost as if he needed to confess it all.
"I never told anyone... not even her. Because the fear of her reaction-felt the same as the fear of yours."

I cut him off, my voice more firm than I intended. "Do you still like her?"
He paused. His eyes drifted away for a second, searching for the truth within himself.
"I'm not sure," he admitted.
I didn't wait any longer. "You have until evening to be sure," I said, each word sharp, deliberate.

Without giving him a chance to respond, I turned and walked out of his room. Aunty called from behind, asking me to stay for lunch, her voice kind as ever. But I couldn't. Not today.
I left without a word... carrying more weight than I had walked in with.
Not because I was satisfied. Not because I trusted him.
But because something inside me was unraveling, and I didn't know how much longer I could keep it from breaking completely.

I wasn't sure if I wanted her to say those words to him.
I wasn't sure if I wanted her to say them at all.
But one thing I was sure of-
I couldn't watch her fall... not without someone to catch her.

After some time, the silence in my chest began to turn into a storm. I walked aimlessly, my thoughts tangled in what he had said. A crush? On Alisha? The idea clawed at the corners of my mind, unsettling something I hadn't even realized I was guarding.
The street buzzed around me, but I couldn't hear it. My steps were heavy, my mind stuck back in that room, with his unsure eyes and my unwilling heart. And that one sentence-"You have until evening"-kept ringing in my ears like a clock ticking down.

Some decisions change everything.
And sometimes, the ones who hesitate... lose it all.
___________

I made sure Dip looked perfect. Every strand of his hair in place, shirt pressed, his awkward charm polished as much as it could be.
We arrived at the venue just in time. It was dimly lit, the kind of warm glow that made everything look golden and hopeful. A young guy in a crisp black uniform approached us, handed Dip a small card-probably an entry pass or cue-and started guiding him toward the main stage.
I followed but held back as he led Dip away. Slowly, I took my place beside Rishi and Rahim,
And then...

She appeared. Alisha.
Walking toward the stage in a simple, pastel blue dress that danced around her ankles like a secret breeze. Her hair, her movements, her nervous smile-she looked like she was holding the weight of the universe in her chest and still chose to step forward.
She was walking toward Dip.
To tell him the words she had held in for years.
And I-
I stood there, clapping.
Clapping like a man trying to convince himself he was happy.

My palms hit together in rhythm, louder than necessary, louder than my own heartbeat. I kept smiling, even though everything inside me felt like it was slowly collapsing.
Rishi turned to me, brows furrowed in disbelief. "Why are you clapping?"
They seemed shocked when they saw me. Rahim leaned in, whispering nervously, "Why are you here? You're supposed to be-"
I blinked. "Supposed to be where?"
They didn't answer.
Their faces were pale, their eyes flickering with confusion, maybe even concern-but they said nothing more. I couldn't understand why their expressions looked... worried. This was supposed to be a happy moment. Right?

On stage, Alisha had reached Dip. She smiled softly, hesitated for a heartbeat, and then took his hand in hers. It was such a gentle moment, so full of vulnerability, like she was handing over her soul in the quietest way possible.
And then-
She didn't speak.
Instead, she took him by the hand and led him off the stage. Away from the crowd. Away from us.

I stared. So did everyone else.
They were disappearing into the shadows, like a brand-new couple stepping into a life that no one else was invited to witness.
Something cracked inside me.
A very quiet, very specific kind of heartbreak.
I kept watching.
Rishi and Rahim didn't say a word.
They didn't nudge me or joke like usual.
They just stared at me with tight jaws and unreadable expressions. No teasing, no comforting words. Just that heavy, awkward silence.
And then-
They left. Without a word. Without even looking back.
Like I was the one who didn't belong there anymore.
I stood there alone, still facing the stage that had already forgotten me.
Still pretending I hadn't noticed the hollow growing in my chest.
Because tonight, I wasn't just watching someone fall in love. but also sensing something fall to pieces.

_________

The next morning, I walked into college expecting the usual chaos-the smell of cheap coffee, laughter echoing in the corridors, and the buzz of conversations around the canteen. But what I stepped into was something else entirely.
Everyone was there.
Every familiar face sat huddled together around the canteen tables-Rishi, Rahim, alisha even dip -but their expressions weren't casual. The laughter was missing. Instead, hushed murmurs floated through the air like something sacred was being discussed.

And the moment I stepped in...
Silence.
Like someone had pressed mute on the whole scene.
I tried to brush it off, smiling as I approached them. "What's up, guys?" I asked casually, trying to ignore the awkwardness hanging over the air like smoke.
No one met my eyes. A few gave me vague smiles. Rishi mumbled something about a project. Rahim offered a half-hearted nod. The rest pretended to be busy chewing food that had probably already gone cold.
And then, I saw them.
Dip and Alisha.
They were sitting far from each other,
"Congratulations, guys," I said, genuinely trying to sound cheerful.
Dip gave a small nod. Alisha looked at me... but didn't really look. There was something guarded in her eyes. Something that hurt more than I expected.

I was about to turn when suddenly, in a move that stunned everyone, Alisha stood up-and sat right on Dip's lap.
My heart skipped a beat.
So did everyone else's.
Chairs scraped, jaws dropped, and I froze mid-step. Even Dip looked unsure for a second, though he didn't stop her.
It wasn't just bold. It wasn't just unexpected.
It was unnecessary.

This was still our college campus, after all. There were boundaries. And while I understood they were a couple now, some lines didn't need to be crossed in public.
I cleared my throat and said, "Alisha, maybe you should get up. This isn't really the place for that."
She didn't respond.
But her face changed-like I'd struck a nerve.

Quietly, she got up from Dip's lap... but instead of sitting on her chair, she yanked Rishi up and took his seat. Then, slowly, deliberately, she dragged her chair closer to Dip's, inch by inch, eyes locked on me the entire time.
It wasn't subtle.
It was war.

And in that moment, I realized-whatever she was feeling toward me, it wasn't just awkwardness. It was anger.
I didn't understand why. I hadn't done anything... or maybe, not doing anything was the problem.
I turned to Dip and muttered, "Can we talk? Outside."
He nodded, looking mildly confused.
Once outside, with the soft rustle of trees above and the distant hum of the canteen behind us, I didn't wait to be polite.
"What the hell is going on?" I asked. "Yesterday, you said you are not sure, you didn't love her. And today? She's sitting on your lap in front of the whole college like it's been years!"

Dip looked caught off guard. For a moment, he had no answer.
I stared at him, frustrated. "Say something, Dip. One night changed your heart? That's all it took?"
He ran a hand through his hair and exhaled. "Look, I don't know. Maybe I was stupid yesterday. I told you I didn't like her like that... but when she actually said it, when she stood in front of me and expressed her self, something just... clicked."
"You don't fall in love overnight," I snapped.
"Maybe not," he said quietly. "But maybe... sometimes it just takes the right moment to realize what's been there all along."
I stared at him, trying to read his face.
Was this real?
Or was he just not wanting to hurt her?
Because if this was some kind of guilt-trip romance, if he was just going along to keep her heart intact...
Then she was walking into heartbreak, and I could see it coming like a train in a tunnel.
And I didn't know what would hurt more-
Her tears... or knowing I let them fall.
________________

We were all sitting at the canteen table, pretending to laugh, pretending to be normal.
But things weren't normal. Not for me.
Alisha sat across from me-close to Dip, her eyes fixed anywhere but on me. Not even a glance. Not a word. She was talking to everyone but me, and it stung more than I expected. Like her silence was a sharp needle pressing deeper every second.
And then-my phone rang.
It was Mom.
The moment I heard her voice, my body froze. Something was wrong-horribly wrong. Her tone was breathless, trembling, on the edge of breaking.
"Jayant," she said, "Papa ko... heart attack aaya hai."
The world stopped.
For a second, I couldn't hear the rest. My heartbeat was so loud it drowned everything out. My hand trembled around the phone, and my body went cold.

I grabbed my bag, snatched my bike keys from the table, and rushed toward the parking lot-my legs moving faster than my mind could process.

The others shouted behind me. Footsteps echoed.
"Jayant! Oye-kya hua?" Rahim reached me first, grabbing my arm to stop me.
I didn't want to say it.
But I had to.
My voice cracked as the words slipped out, soaked in panic-
"Papa had a heart attack."
Rahim didn't even blink. He snatched the keys from my hand and said, "I'm driving. You're not okay to ride."
I didn't argue. I couldn't. My eyes were already brimming with tears, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop them from spilling. My breath hitched. My chest hurt.
I wasn't ready for this.
Then Alisha came rushing up. "I'm coming with you," she said, already climbing onto Rishi's bike.
I turned, furious and panicked. "No. You're not coming. Go home, Alisha."

She looked at me like I'd slapped her. "Why not? He's like a father to me too."
"Because I said so!" I snapped, grabbing her wrist tightly. "Don't come. Not today. Not now. For me, don't come."
The moment I said for me, her entire body stilled.

I turned away, ready to leave, when her soft voice came from behind.
"Uncle's in the hospital, right?"
I nodded, without turning.
"Then why are you stopping me?" she asked, her voice choked, her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

I faced her again, and for the first time that day, our eyes locked. Mine filled with panic. Hers filled with defiance-and fear.
Then I said "Because you're scared of hospitals environment?" she whispered. "But someday, I'll have to fight that fear, won't I?"

I stepped closer, gently cupping her face. Her skin was cold. Her lips trembled.
"We'll fight it," I said. "But not today. Please... not today."

She didn't argue again. Just nodded silently, wiping the corner of her eye.
I turned away, climbed onto the bike behind Rahim, and Rishi followed.
And as we sped toward the hospital, the fear only grew heavier-like I was heading toward a truth I wasn't ready to face.
But I knew one thing for sure:
If I lost Papa today... a part of me would never heal.

______________

Two days later.

Just two days... but they felt like an entire lifetime crushed into a small, suffocating frame. I held myself together-at least on the outside. Because I had to. For Mama. For Papa. For myself. But only I knew how badly I was falling apart inside. The machines, the smell of antiseptic, the endless beeping, the terrifying wait for doctors-everything haunted me.
But finally, finally... Papa was fine.
But somehow, we made it. Papa was better now.
Discharge papers signed. His bag packed. And we were finally going home.

Just as I folded his last shirt into his bag
And then-I heard the door creak open.
I turned and saw my friends walk in.
Rishi came first, holding a bright bouquet with a grin plastered on his face. "Uncle!" he said, placing it on the table beside Papa. "You scared us, haan!"
Papa chuckled. "Just wanted a break from your aunty's karela sabzi."

Everyone laughed. Even I smiled.
Rahim and Rishi cracked jokes, teasing Papa, lifting the mood in the room like they always did. But amidst all the smiles and warmth, my eyes scanned the room instinctively-and then froze.
Alisha wasn't there.
My heart sank a little. But I know the reason.
I turned to Rahim, trying to sound casual. "She agreed not to come with you guys?"
"No..She didn't," he said softly. "She's here."
I blinked. "What? Then... where is she?"
"She's outside," he said softly, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "She didn't want to come in."
The moment he said that, I didn't wait. I didn't even nod.
I walked out of the room with urgency in my steps, Rahim's voice following behind me:
"Check the parking area first."
I didn't answer-I just moved.
He didn't need to say more. I already knew.
And my heart clenched.
I rushed out.
Each step I took was faster than the last. My thoughts racing, full of guilt and concern.
I should've remembered.
The smell of antiseptic. The white lights. The sight of IV drips and wheelchairs.
This place was where Alisha lost her mother.
Not just a memory-but a wound she had never been able to close.
She hadn't said it aloud. Not once. But I knew.

And still, she'd stayed on the phone with me the entire time these two days. She was always there-texting me updates, calming me, checking on Papa, even when she couldn't physically step into the place that haunted her.
And now... she waited outside.
When I reached the parking lot, I saw her.
I spotted her finally-perched on the hood of a parked car, her back against the windshield, eyes fixed on the warm orange of the evening sky.
Earphones in.
Lost.
I walked up quietly, climbed onto the car beside her, and without a word, pulled one of the earphones from her ear and slipped it into mine.
She turned her head lazily and said with that familiar carefree sharpness, "Give it back."
And reached out to snatch it back.
I caught her wrist gently.
"Why?" I asked softly.

She looked at me for a moment. Then replied, barely above a whisper, "I'm avoiding the sound of ambulance sirens."

I gave her a small, sad smile. Reached over with my other hand and ran my fingers over her head-slow, calming strokes.
And then I said, "Let's fight your fear today."
Her eyes widened. Panic flickered in them like a match lighting suddenly.
"No," she muttered, shaking her head. "Jayant, please-no. Not today."

But I had already made up my mind.
I didn't listen to her protests. I didn't let her escape. I slid off the car, took her hand firmly, and helped her down. And before she could resist again, I led her toward the hospital entrance.
She stopped moving. Gripped my arm like it was the only solid thing in a collapsing world.

The scent of medicine hit her like a wave. Her breath shortened. Her chest started rising and falling rapidly. Her lips trembled. She closed her eyes tightly, fighting it, but I could see the panic rushing through her.

"It's okay," I whispered. "You're safe. I'm here."

She shook her head again. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she didn't let go.

I wrapped my arms around her. Firm. Protective. A human shield.

Her hands clutched at me. Her face buried into my chest. Her entire body shaking, but she was trying-fighting-not to fall apart.
"You're not alone," I whispered again.
" You're stronger now. And I'm right here."
For a while, we just stood like that. Breathing together.
Her panic didn't disappear-but it softened. Her body eased. The trembles slowed.
And in that moment, I realized something.
Sometimes bravery isn't loud. Sometimes, it's silent.
She was trembling, but she wasn't running.
Her fingers clutched the fabric of my shirt like it was the only anchor in a storm.
I pressed my chin against her hair, whispering, "Just a few steps more... You're doing great. We're doing this-together."
And for the first time... She didn't let her fear win.
With her hand locked in mine, we moved forward-slowly, steadily-each step a quiet battle against her fear. I held her close, my arm protective around her shoulders, her presence delicate yet determined.

We walked through the corridor, past the nurses' station, past the smell of disinfectant and distant beeping monitors, until we finally stopped... right outside Papa's room.
I turned to her. She was frozen again.
Her eyes were shut tightly, as if trying to block out the world. Her breathing was short, and her grip on my hand had tightened again.

Gently, I cupped her face and whispered, "Alisha... look at me."
Without saying a word, she stepped forward and hugged me. Tight. Fierce. Full of relief and triumph.
It wasn't just a hug - it was a quiet scream of victory.
A tight, trembling hug.
One that said I made it.
One that said I fought it... and I didn't lose.
We walked into the room together.

Papa smiled the moment he saw her. "Alisha beta," he said with genuine affection.

Alisha walked to him, her hand still brushing mine like a lifeline. "Uncle," she said softly, trying to keep her voice from cracking. She touched his hand gently, and Papa squeezed hers with a smile.

Rishi and Rahim, who had been casually chatting with him, turned around-and their expressions shifted instantly.
Rishi blinked. "Alisha?"
Rahim stood up straighter, clearly surprised-and deeply moved.
They were shocked. But in the best way.
They saw her. Not just standing inside a hospital-but standing tall inside the place that once shattered her.

There was an unspoken respect in their eyes. No teasing. No jokes. Just a quiet acknowledgment of the bravery they were witnessing.

A few minutes later, it was time to leave. We stepped out of the hospital into the cooling evening air.
The entire time, Alisha's hand never left mine.
She held onto me like I was her anchor-as if my touch gave her the strength to fight back the memories that tried to pull her under.

As we walked into the fading light of evening, side by side, I knew one thing for certain-
Alisha hadn't just walked into a hospital today.
She'd walked through fear... and come out stronger.
____________________________________

One year later

A lot had changed over the past year—slowly, subtly, but unmistakably. Alisha and Dip had grown closer. Too close.

At first, it was just casual... study sessions, library meetups, a shared laugh in the corridors. But soon, she started skipping classes to hang out with him. There were weekend movie dates, surprise lunches, even quiet dinners. I remember one particular evening—she’d asked me to drop her at a restaurant. I did. I smiled. But inside, something twisted.
It hurt.
Still, I told myself I was happy for her. Dip wasn’t exactly my favorite person, but he wasn’t a bad guy either. And if Alisha smiled because of him, who was I to question it?
Everything seemed fine—until it wasn’t.

Just before our final year ended, out of nowhere, they announced their breakup.

No warning. No fights anyone had seen. Just silence, followed by an abrupt ending.

We asked them what happened—me, Rahim, Rishi... everyone. But neither gave us a real answer. They dodged, shrugged, said vague things like “it was mutual” or “it’s just complicated.”
The only solid detail we got was this: Dip had dumped her.

I was furious. I cornered him once—grabbed him by the collar and asked, "What the hell happened?" I needed to know what he did to her, what went wrong.
But before he could speak, Alisha stepped in—like she always did—and pulled us apart. And then, without even looking me in the eyes, she said softly, “Let it go.”
That broke me more than any answer would have.

She didn’t trust me with her pain. She didn’t let me in.
I wanted to scream. How could you hide from me? Me—who stood by you through everything? But I stayed silent.
I should’ve been angry, and maybe I was. But somewhere deep down, a selfish part of me felt a flicker of hope… that maybe now, with Dip out of the picture, she’d return to me. To us.

But that didn’t happen.

After the breakup, instead of growing closer, Alisha drifted further away. She stopped calling, stopped waiting for me after class. I figured maybe she just needed space. Heartbreak does that to people.
So I gave her time.
And time… kept moving. Quietly, painfully.

Watching Alisha like that… broken, quiet, distant—it did something to me. It hurt in places I didn’t know could ache. She was no longer the girl who’d tease me for my messy handwriting, or randomly call at midnight just to talk about dreams that made no sense. She was someone else now… someone carrying an invisible weight.

And Dip? God, I couldn’t even look at him without my blood boiling. I didn’t know what had happened between them, but whatever it was, he broke something in her that she didn’t deserve. And what made it worse… I couldn’t do anything about it.
I didn’t even know the reason.
I was completely helpless. Powerless.
I wanted to fix it—I needed to fix it—but how do you save someone when you don’t even know what’s drowning them?
Every time I saw her looking away when I tried to meet her eyes, every time she ignored my texts or smiled just to end a conversation quickly—I felt it, that sharp twist in my chest. Like I was losing her, slowly… and there was nothing I could do.
And somewhere deep down, guilt was eating me alive.
Because it was me who had pushed Dip into saying yes to her proposal.

It’s a strange kind of pain—watching someone you care about fall apart, and realizing you’re completely powerless to hold them together.

College was over, just like that. The campus that once held our laughter, our arguments, our moments - it all faded into memory. I still remember how, at first, Alisha was excited about doing M. Tech with me. We had plans. Dreams to study side by side, chase something more - together.

But things changed. She changed.
One day, out of nowhere, she told me she wasn't going to do M. Tech.
"I need something else," she had said, eyes distant.
"I need something for me."
I didn't argue. I couldn't.
Because deep down, I knew - if she felt caged beside me, I'd rather let her fly.
So I went ahead with M. Tech, alone. And soon after, I joined my father's company. Suit, tie, morning meetings, deadlines - a whole new world where emotions were currency you didn't spend too freely.

Alisha and I drifted.

Our conversations, once hours long, became occasional texts.
Our meetups, once spontaneous, had to be planned like corporate schedules.
Somewhere between exams and new responsibilities, we stopped being us.

She found her passion in writing. Completely, unapologetically. It consumed her. And I watched from the sidelines - proud, confused, sometimes even envious of how certain she was of what she wanted.
And then came the conversation I wasn't ready for.

"I'm moving to Mumbai," she told me over a cup of coffee one rainy evening.
"To build a life... my life. As a writer."

I remember staring at her, half in shock, half in awe.
Mumbai - so far, so unforgiving.
How would she manage?
Would she be safe?
But what caught me most off guard wasn't the city.
It was her words.
"I want to make new friends, Jayant," she had said.
"I want someone like me. A girl who gets it... who gets me."
I didn't know how to respond.
Was it confusion in my chest? Or heartbreak?
Maybe both.

She left. And I stayed behind with unanswered questions and a number I called every single day.

I followed her journey from afar - through phone calls, late-night messages, social media updates. I watched her grow, bloom, stumble, rise again. And every time her name flashed on my screen, I felt alive.

But without her, everything felt a little greyer.
My days were routine. My nights were quiet.
Friends were now buried in their careers, just like me.

After M. Tech, I joined the company full-time. Slowly, I adapted. Changed.
In the office, I became sharper, sterner. People said I'd become cold.
But the truth is, you can't afford to be soft in places where smiles are often misread as weakness.

Yet, in the middle of all that hustle, all that pretending...
And whenever life gave me even the smallest window, I didn't think twice.
I booked the earliest flight, packed lightly, and found myself on my way to Mumbai - to her.
To Alisha.
No matter how chaotic things were at work or how exhausted I felt, the moment I knew I could see her, it was like something inside me lit up again.
It wasn't about the city.
It was never about the city.
It was her.
Always her.
It was about her presence - the way she made silence feel comforting and chaos feel like poetry.
Even if it was just for a day or two, even if all we did was share coffee and stories that didn't make it to the phone calls, it was worth it.
Every single time.
I never forgot her.
I don't think I ever will.
Because no matter how far she went,
Alisha remained the one part of my life I never quite figured out how to let go of.
And maybe... I didn't want to.

_______________________________
🫶