Whispers of the heart

01

ANYA

The day began like any typical day, my obnoxiously loud alarm was ringing from god knows where in the room. Groggy and delirious I made my way to the kitchen to find Aria who was sitting on the bar stool looking just as tired as me. Aria was my cousin and also my best friend. I had grown up in Canada while she grew up in India but even then through video calls and texts we had always been close. So when she moved to Canada to complete her undergraduate degree we were inseparable. After graduating from university we decided to move out of my parents house and get a apartment together to be more "independent" but really we were just looking for a excuse to live alone.

I gave her a small nod both of us too disoriented to have a conversation this early in the morning. After drinking a cup of coffee I gained enough energy to get ready for the day.

"Aria hurry up, i'm going to be late" I knocked on her door and hoped she was ready because I couldn't afford to be late any more times this week.

A mix of hindi songs and taylor swift blasted through the car as I drove first to aria's office then mine. Aria worked at Safe wave Technologies as a cyber security analyst. While I was currently on winter break from law school and was interning full time at Kapoor Law, while they weren't a particularly big or famous law firm, working there provided me with several advantages. What stood out was their flexibility they were one of the few firms willing to accommodate my law school schedule, allowing me to work part-time during the academic term.

My day at Kapoor law was like any other, busy and hectic. I started the morning with doing some research for a ongoing litigation case, this one was serious with allegations of sexual assault, so I spent hours sifting through case law and precedents to find something that would be helpful. I was interning under Daniel Richards, a seasoned lawyer who is known for his vast knowledge and experience in the legal realm. His reserved demeanour made it challenging to connect with him at first, and I often found myself struggling to break through the barrier of formality between us. As I continued to learn from him, our relationship gradually transformed from initial apprehension to mutual respect and collaboration.

After a long hectic day at the firm it was finally time to go home and I couldn't wait to go and lay down in my bed. As I pulled into the parking lot at Safewave tech I got a text from her telling me that she will be 10 minutes late. While waiting for Aria, I turned off the car engine and leaned my seat back. My eyelids felt heavy, and I closed my eyes, letting the radio softly play in the background.

Suddenly, the familiar tune of the song Darmiyaan started playing; the song that I promised myself I would never listen to again. The song that was so intrinsically tied to him. As the haunting melody filled the car, memories started flooding in. Images of laughter, shared secrets, and unspoken feelings came rushing back, and I found myself lost in a time that seemed like a different life. Despite my best efforts, I found my mind wandering back to him the person I had promised myself never to think about. His face, his voice, his touch, everything felt so real, so palpable, as if he was right there with me. It was in these quiet, solitary moments that he found his way back into my thoughts, unbidden but not unwelcome.

I shook my head, trying to erase those memories. Just as I was recollecting myself back to the present moment, Aria appeared at the car window, her brow furrowed in concern. She slid into the passenger seat, her gaze fixed worriedly on me.

"Anya, are you okay? You looked pretty zoned out there." Her voice was laced with concern. I forced a smile onto my face,

"Yeah, I'm fine, Just tired, that's all."

Even though she didn't look entirely convinced, Aria let the subject drop as we pulled out of the parking lot and began the drive home. Upon arriving home, we both retreated to our respective rooms to unwind from the long day. I kicked off my shoes and changed into a comfortable pair of sweats before flopping onto my bed. Just as I was beginning to feel the exhaustion seep into my bones, my phone buzzed on the bedside table. Glancing at the screen, I saw it was a call from my mom.