Aadrika Malhotra, once the heart and soul of her elder brothers and the light of her younger ones, now finds herself distant from them. The close bond they once shared has blurred, shattered by a choice Aadrika was forced to make. After six long yea...
Avin lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling. Sleep had been elusive for days, ever since his conversation with Avik and Ayush. Their words kept replaying in his mind, gnawing at his thoughts. He sighed and sat up, the stillness of the room suffocating him. Across from him, Avik was fast asleep, his face serene in the dim light.
Feeling restless , Avin decided to take a quiet stroll through the house. As he passed by Aadrika's room, he noticed the faint light beneath her door. He frowned, debating whether to check on her. Curiosity and concern won out, and he pushed open the door softly.
Aadrika was sitting on the floor near her bed, her head resting on the edge of the mattress. Her journal lay open beside her, and a pencil had rolled lazily away as she shifted slightly in her sleep. Crumpled sheets of paper were scattered around, filled with words and scratched-out lines.
Avin stepped inside, his heart aching at the sight. She had fallen asleep mid-thought. A photo frame lay near her hand. He knelt beside her and gently picked it up. It was a picture of their family from years ago, one he hadn't seen in a long time.
His throat tightened. The carefree smiles in the photo felt like a lifetime ago-distant memories now overshadowed by the struggles each of them seemed to carry.
He glanced at the journal, where the page was filled with unfinished sentences:
"Why do I feel so lost?" "Why do they hate me?" "I can't let them see this side of me." "I need to keep it together for everyone."
Avin's chest tightened with guilt. How had he not noticed the weight she was carrying? Aadrika, who was always the strong one, always the anchor for the family. He had been so consumed by his own pain that he'd failed to see hers.
Carefully, he placed the photo frame on her bedside table and began picking up the crumpled papers. He hesitated to read further, respecting her privacy, but the few words he'd seen were enough to shake him. He neatly arranged the journal and papers on her desk.
He glanced at her again, debating whether to move her to the bed. Knowing she was a light sleeper, he gently slipped a pillow under her head. Then, grabbing a blanket, he draped it over her shoulders. She stirred slightly, murmuring something in her sleep. He knelt beside her and kissed her temple.
"I love you, Di," he whispered. "Just give me some time."
A part of him wanted to wake her up and talk to her, but he knew it wasn't the right time. Aadrika needed her rest, and he needed to sort out his own feelings first.
Leaving her room, Avin came back to his and sat down on the couch near the window. Looking at the moon, Avin made a decision. He couldn't let his fear and pain control him anymore. He couldn't keep pushing Aadrika away. He knew he needed to talk to her, to apologize for his behavior, and to let her know that he is there for her so that she doesn't need to go through everything alone.
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