One Month Later
Ruhi's POV...
It had been over a month since Sounak and I last spoke. Our last exchange was barely a conversation—me wishing him luck for his exams and his curt "Thank you" in response. I thought of calling him so many times, but what would I even say? My first-year exams ended yesterday, and I heard from Esha that his finals wrapped up last week.
I couldn’t shake off the regret gnawing at me. I’d spent so many years holding back my feelings, hiding behind my shyness. And now, with so much time lost, it felt unbearable not knowing how he felt.
Gripping my phone tightly, I paced my room, my thumb hovering over his number. Should I? What if he doesn’t pick up? What if he doesn’t care?
I pushed my doubts aside and pressed call.
The phone rang twice before the dreaded automated voice chimed in, “The person you are trying to reach is unavailable...”
The disappointment hit harder than I expected. I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced myself to leave a message instead.
"Hey, I... I wanted to tell you something important. Can you call me when you’re free? Or just message me."
---
8 PM – Dinner Table
Mom’s voice pulled me out of my restless thoughts. “Ruhi, have you thought about what you want to do after college?”
“Not yet,” I replied distractedly, poking at the food on my plate.
“You’re not a child anymore,” she pressed, her tone firm. “You need to take this seriously and start planning your career.”
Her words barely registered. My mind was elsewhere. I nodded absently, muttering, “I’ll think about it.”
My phone buzzed, jolting me upright. My heart skipped when I saw his name on the screen.
Without another word, I pushed my chair back. “Mom, I’ll talk to you about this later.”
She frowned, but I was already heading to my room.
---
The message was short and simple: “Yes.”
I hesitated, unsure how to respond. My fingers hovered over the keyboard, and before I could overthink it, I typed: “How are you?”
The reply came quickly. “I’m fine. And you?”
“Same.”
There was a long pause before I asked, “How did your exams go?”
“Pretty well, I think.”
I smiled faintly. “That’s great! So... what are your plans now?”
The next message took longer to arrive. When it did, it wasn’t what I expected.
“I’ve already sorted that out. I’m moving out in two weeks for work.”
I froze, rereading the words, as if they might change. My fingers trembled slightly as I typed, “Moving? Where to?”
“To the US. It’s for a job opportunity I’ve been preparing for.”
My stomach twisted. “You never mentioned this before.”
“I didn’t think the time was right to bring it up,” he replied simply.
The calmness of his response only made the ache in my chest sharper. He was leaving. Just like that.
I swallowed hard and typed, “Can we meet before you go?”
The reply was slower this time. “I don’t know. There’s a lot to do before I leave, and I don’t know if I’ll have time.”
Desperation welled up inside me. “Please, Sounak. Just once. I need to see you.”
“I’ll try my best,” he wrote.
I stared at the screen, unsure if that promise was enough. But I didn’t press further. “Okay. Good night.”
“Good night.”
---
I set the phone down and leaned back against the headboard, my heart still racing. It felt like the ground beneath me was slipping away. He was leaving, and I had so little time.
Regret weighed heavily on me. I should have told him long ago. I should have fought through my hesitation and let him know how I felt.
Now, with so much at stake, I couldn’t hold back any longer. I have to tell him. Even if he didn’t feel the same, at least I’d know.
Sounak had become such an important part of my life, even if he didn’t realize it. I couldn’t imagine letting him go without telling him the truth.
No matter what happens, I have to try.
YOU ARE READING
Marked By Darkness
Romance"Marking by Darkness" Ruhi's life has always been overshadowed by something dark. A haunting presence, a cursed bungalow, and the lingering ghost of her twin sister, threaten to destroy everything she holds dear. But when a mysterious figure from th...
