Intensely Twisted Fate

Chapter : 7

Laranya's POV

I was incredibly stupid. Despite knowing deep down that Sumit was not the right person for me, I convinced myself otherwise. I ignored all the warning signs and stubbornly told myself I loved him. But as much as I didn’t want to admit it, my father, Preeti, and even Shravan were right. Sumit was never the one.

Last night, Shravan sat down with Dad to talk about everything. He laid it all out, but Dad didn’t say a word until Shravan was done. When Shravan finished, Dad stood up and hugged me without hesitation. No judgment, just love. "What’s gone is gone," he said, his voice warm. "Don’t dwell on it. Look ahead, at your future. And Sumit... He doesn’t deserve you." Those words, simple yet powerful, hit me harder than I expected.

And then, to my surprise, Dad agreed to Shravan’s idea of us going out together today. He didn’t even blink before giving his consent. I could hardly believe it. I’ve never seen him so quick to agree to something like this. Shravan and Dad exchanged a few words about it being a “boys’ talk,” and Dad actually laughed. It felt surreal, like everything was falling into place.

The next morning, I woke up in a terrible mood. I hardly slept, my mind consumed by everything that happened yesterday. Today was supposed to be a day of distraction, but all I could do was think about Sumit and Aparna, about all the mistakes I made. Sitting on the couch in my living room, I couldn’t stop replaying the past in my mind.

“Still thinking about Sumit?” Dad’s voice interrupted my thoughts. I turned to see him standing behind me, and I forced a smile.

“No. I believe it was a mistake on my part. I never chose the right person in my life,” I whispered, feeling the weight of it all.

Dad shook his head. “You’re wrong. You only chose one right person in your life, and that’s Shravan. He may have his own problems, but he’s here, standing by your side, talking to me about the past, about something that happened in your life. That’s who he is.”

His words left me speechless. No one in my life has been as selfless as Shravan, always putting my needs above his own. He listens to my rants, to my confusion, and yet he never opens up about his own struggles. He’s always been the strong one for me, quietly carrying the burden of his own issues. But when it comes to me, he’s there, unwavering.

Dad continued, “You know, when you were a kid, you’d fall down while running. But every time, you’d get up and start running again. You need to do the same now. You’ve fallen, but you’ll get up, just like you did before. Someday, I may not be there, but I want you to remember what I’m telling you now.”

“Dad, please don’t say that,” I interrupted, my voice shaky. I couldn’t bear to hear him talk like that.

But he wasn’t done. “No, listen to me. Our lives are filled with falls. We fall, we stand up, and then we run again. That’s how life works. Learn from it.”

I couldn’t help but think about his words. Falling, getting back up, and running again... it was a pattern in life, one that had shaped me as a person. And now, it was time to embrace it again.

Before I could say anything else, the doorbell rang, interrupting our conversation. I stood up and opened the door, only to find Shravan standing there, looking incredibly handsome in a casual half-sleeve tee and jeans. It was rare for me to see him so dressed down, since our hangouts usually happened during work hours.

“Will you just leave him standing there, or let him in too?” Dad teased from behind me. I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t stop the smile from forming on my face.

“Ready?” Shravan asked, looking like he was on some sort of mission. But of course, I wasn’t ready.

“Shravan, she’s almost ready. Just give her a minute,” Preeti chimed in, emerging from my room with a bag in her hand. She handed it to Shravan, then took me by the arm and led me to my bedroom.