Edge Of The Night | ONC2024 ✓

Epilogue

It is not a singular, particular moment that he realizes he loves her. It is something as primal as breathing, as living, this sensation and realization that he loves her. She had stumbled into his life with a conversation at some ungodly hour but she had stumbled like an angel, like a person he had long been waiting for. And she made it all better, brighter and worth living for in a way he hasn't believed in despite abiding by it. For the first time in his life, he had found a person he wasn't an obligation to, a person he wasn't a burden on. He had found a person who wanted him, who understood him, who looked deep within him and saw something good and bright. 

She is the shining beacon in his life who had burnt on everything life had thrown her way and emerged through it beaten but alive. She is resplendent, the colors of his life which is ironic as she seems to believe herself to be bleak. But from his point of view, she is the moon, beautiful despite her craters, beautiful because of it. 

They are still neighbors but he spends more time in her house than his own. He watches her while she paints, brows furrowed in concentration and her lip captive of her teeth, feeling awe and fascination within him. She is so beautiful despite her bizarre outfits he now understands the reason behind, her hair always in a messy pony or bun and her glasses always slipping down the bridge of her nose or maybe it is because of it. She always shakes her head when he calls her beautiful, brushing it away because how can it be true when she has always been told she is ugly and mediocre. He understands it so he lets her brush it away because he knows with certainty that a day will come she will be able to accept it and more so, believe in it.

He loves her, his Abhira and he hopes she'll say the same.

_

It is not a startling discovery, the fact that she loves him. It is not something that crept within her and caught her unaware because it is something that has grown within her, beginning with the connection that feels like an invisible golden string. She has known in all the times he has held her, all the times he has watched her with pure admiration in her eyes, all the times he has recited poetry to her, all the times he has called her beautiful, the feeling that arises and tenderly warms her heart is what they call love. It is a beautiful feeling, so subtle yet profound. 

She loves him and he is the most beautiful something that has happened to her. He is breath, freedom voice. He is happiness, petrichor and bliss. He is home. Every time he holds her, his arms feel like safety. With him, her nightmares do not trouble her like before. He makes everything better. She smiles easy because of him. She feels lighter, she feels young. They watch movies together, they listen to songs and she reads romantic books, imagining him and blushing with the lush scarlet of love. She feels alive in a way she never has before.

She loves him, her Armaan and she hopes he'll say the same.

_

The room is lit in a dull lighting when she leads him in. He wonders why but remains silent because he realizes she has something significant to show. She wouldn't have interrupted his confession if not. She signals him to sit on the bed and he complies. She looks at him then, nervousness wrought on her face, her fingers fidgeting. He is about to hold her hand to convey his assurance when she takes a deep breath like she is preparing herself.

"Armaan, there is something I need to show you before you complete what you began to say"

"What is it?"

"My scars" she says after a moment of silence and his eyes widen in surprise.

"You--Gosh Abhira, you don't have to! You know it does not change anything for me. I-"

"Armaan no...this is more for me than for you okay. I know what you are saying but just let me do this alright"

Armaan hesitates but then agrees because he realizes she needs to do this for herself, just as she had said.