The Unlikely Connection

Chapter 24: The First Fight

"Sanaya, please prioritise becoming financially independent first. It's important to have some security in case you face any challenges with our family," my brother advised over the phone. I had mentioned bringing Pallavi home, but he was strongly against the idea.

Pallavi, who was listening to the conversation on speaker, chimed in, "He's right, Sana."

My brother continued, "Listen to us, dear. Just because our parents love us doesn't guarantee their acceptance of your relationship with Pallavi. It's better to hold off on bringing her home for now."

I let out a sigh, and Pallavi gently squeezed my hand, offering me a reassuring smile. "Okay," I reluctantly agreed.

"Be kind to Pallavi," my brother added.

I scoffed and retorted, "You are my brother."

Before hanging up, he playfully replied, "Shut up, dumbo."

"Hey, did he really say that? Wow!" I scoffed.

But then, two warm hands cupped my face, and she said, "Calm down, sweetheart." I looked at her.

To be honest, I could look at her, in those mesmerising eyes, forever. I swear to god, I still can't believe the first person I ever liked, romantically, is actually mine. I mean, like I am dating her. This is just so unbelievable. Sometimes, it all feels like a dream. A dream I don't ever wanna wake up from.

Finally, I mustered the courage to ask the question that had been plaguing my mind for days. "Why don't you ever share anything about your family with me?" It caught her off guard. I could sense the same from the way her fingers stopped tracing my face. I realised that I knew nothing about her family, while she knew everything about mine. It was time for us to open up to each other.

She got up and dismissively replied, "It's nothing special."

I reached out and held her hand, saying, "It is special. For me."

She pulled her hand away, frustration evident in her voice. "Sanaya, please."

I couldn't understand why she was always so secretive. "What's wrong, Lavi?"

"Nothing. I just don't want to talk about it."

"Why? Don't you trust me?"

"What? Why are you bringing up trust now?"

"No, Pallavi. Sometimes it feels like you don't trust me. You know everything about my family, you've even spoken to my brother. You know where my home is. You know everything about me. But when it comes to you, I know nothing except for your name. Why is it like this?"

"Well, I never asked you to." The way she said those words, with no emotions as such on her face. My heart almost shattered.

"What? That's.. That's what being in a relationship is about. You didn't have to ask."

"In that case, this is who I am. You should have known that before." And with that, she stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

I stood there frozen. Tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn't help but feel a wave of sadness and confusion wash over me. It felt like a heavy weight had settled in my chest, making it difficult to breathe.

I sat there, alone in the silence, replaying our conversation in my mind. The realisation hit me hard - I didn't know much about the person I loved deeply. It made me question if Pallavi truly loved me in return. Did she not trust me enough to share her life with me? These thoughts gnawed at my heart, causing tears to stream down my face. Our moments. Was it all a lie? What if I am just a timepass to her?

At that moment, I felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness. I was not claustrophobic but that it felt like the room was getting smaller and there was no oxygen left in it, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was amiss in our relationship.

I need to get some air. I wiped away my tears. With a deep breath, I opened the door and stepped out.

I don't know how long I sat in the park. But after some time, when I felt like I could breathe, I decided to head back to the room. 'If it's meant to be, it will come to me, Sanaya.'

As I opened the door. I found her sitting on the edge of our bed. She stared into nothingness. I kept my stuff on the table as I approached her slowly, my heart heavy with a mixture of pain and love.

Gently, I sat down beside her. "Pallavi," I whispered, my voice filled with vulnerability. "I'm sorry. I just... I want to understand you better, Pallavi. I want to be a part of your life."

She looked up at me. Her eyes were emotionless and she looked pale as a pearl. I touched her forehead and asked, "Are you okay?" It doesn't seem like she has a fever.

"You wanna know about me?" she said.

"Huh?" I looked at her. But she looked away. "Let me tell you my story."

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Next Update: January 20, 2024.