Falling into the Chaos

Eighteen: The Fireworks

Zoya

I spent the entire day trying to act normal, but inside, I was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions.

Aditya had been avoiding me since our kiss, and it hurt more than I wanted to admit.

Today even...it's Diwali, I had hoped he would come to me, maybe compliment my saree, or at least talk about the kiss.

But he barely looked at me. He was so close, yet it felt like he was miles away.

Seeing him with Cheeku, hearing their laughter and seeing their bond, only made my heart ache more.

I tried to focus on the decorations, the preparations, anything to distract myself, but my mind kept drifting back to that moment we shared.

Every time I caught a glimpse of him, my heart would skip a beat, only to be crushed when he looked away.

I had dressed up carefully, choosing a purple silk-satin saree that shimmered under the lights.

I hoped it would catch his eye, hoped he would say something...anything.

But all day, he was distant, busy with the preparations, his attention anywhere but on me.

It felt like I was invisible.

As the evening drew on, the house filled with the warm glow of fairy lights and diyas, the scent of marigolds and incense filling the air.

Everyone was busy, chatting and laughing, but I felt isolated, waiting for a moment that never came.

Even Cheeku's infectious excitement couldn't lift the weight in my heart.

I caught sight of Aditya several times, his face serious as he directed the workers, his movements precise and controlled.

It was like watching a stranger, not the man who had held me so tenderly... kissed me with such passion. My frustration grew with each passing minute, the hope I had been clinging to slowly fading away.

Why couldn’t he see how much this was hurting me?
Why couldn’t he just talk to me?

I had expected something different today...a chance to understand what we meant to each other.

Instead, it felt like we were drifting further apart, the silence between us growing louder and more painful with every passing moment.

As the evening turned into night, Aditya had prepared a lavish Diwali dinner for Cheeku and me.

The food was delicious, but I couldn’t fully enjoy it with the tension hanging in the air. Each bite felt heavy, the unspoken words between us making the meal feel incomplete.
Once dinner was done, I helped Cheeku change and get ready for her bath.

Her laughter and excitement were a welcome distraction, but it didn’t last long.

Soon, she was off to her bath, leaving me alone with my thoughts again.

I came down the stairs, my steps slow and deliberate, each one echoing the uncertainty I felt inside. The house was now quieter, the earlier buzz of activity having died down.

I saw Aditya standing by the garden, his back to me, watching everyone disperse.

The fairy lights twinkled like stars, casting a soft glow over everything.

The diyas flickered gently, their warm light adding a magical touch to the night.

Everything was so beautiful, but the sight of his broad back was the most tempting.