You Belong With Me

32

Sourav's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing his face before he masked it with a practiced calm. He felt a sudden pang in his chest, his heart skipping a beat at the mention of Rahul's name. It was a name that had once been so dear to him, a name that held a multitude of emotions—love, pain, regret. His mind raced back to the days when he and Rahul were inseparable, sharing dreams and aspirations, victories and defeats. But those days were long gone now, buried under the weight of their broken relationship.

"Rahul?" he murmured, his voice soft, but it echoed loudly in Sourav's mind, stirring up memories he had buried deep.

"Yes, Rahul, my fiancé." she confirmed, her eyes holding his gaze, as if challenging him to deny the connection.

Sourav swallowed hard; his throat suddenly dry. He could feel the weight of her words pressing down on him, stirring up memories he had long tried to forget.

"Rahul talked about me?" Sourav asked, his voice betraying a hint of vulnerability, despite his best efforts to remain composed.

"Yeah! He told me about your captain - vice-captain era and how good of a captain you were," she replied, her voice filled with admiration.

Sourav couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at Rahul's words, but it was overshadowed by a wave of guilt and regret. He knew he had hurt Rahul deeply when he ended their relationship all those years ago, becoming the villain in his story.

As he looked at her, he realized there was more to this encounter than met the eye. He had no idea how much Rahul had shared about him, but one thing was certain—this woman knew more about him than he had ever imagined.

And as they sat there, Sourav couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something extraordinary. But he also couldn't shake the feeling of guilt and regret that gnawed at him from the inside, reminding him of the pain he had caused Rahul and the hidden feelings he still harbored for him.

Sourav's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized her, silently measuring her against an invisible yardstick of maturity. "You look too young to be his wife?" he questioned, the doubt evident in his voice.

Vanshika met his gaze with unwavering confidence. Her eyes, brimming with a wisdom beyond her years, held a resolve that defied any doubt cast upon her. "Oh, we don't care about the age gap, you see," she began, her voice steady and assured. "All that matters to us is love."

As she spoke, there was a subtle defiance in her tone, a quiet rebellion against societal norms that sought to dictate who could love whom. She continued, her words ringing with conviction, "He loves me, and I love him too. We are not scared of society or people judging us. We can fight our battles together."

Sourav's mind whirled with conflicting emotions. On one hand, he couldn't help but admire the girl's fierce determination to stand by her love, regardless of the obstacles thrown in their path. Yet, on the other hand, her words stirred a pang of regret within him, reminding him of his own past choices.

He remembered the day he had ended things with Rahul, citing society's disapproval as the insurmountable barrier between them. The memory weighed heavily on his conscience now, juxtaposed against the girl's unwavering resolve.

Lost in his thoughts, Sourav found himself unable to articulate a response. Instead, he simply nodded, a silent acknowledgment of the strength he saw in the girl before him.