SHE SAW ME

TWO WORLDS COLLIDE

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Kahini stood frozen in place, her body locked in an icy grip of terror, while the rest of the room buzzed with joy and excitement. Her family's faces were lit with laughter, unaware of the storm brewing inside her. They were all here—her family, her parents—the people she had carefully kept at a distance for years. They would never understand. They could never accept her. Not as a lesbian. Not as someone who had defied everything they believed in. And yet, she still loved them. That love was tangled in with years of shame, secrecy, and guilt, but it was there, always there.

The only way she had survived was by finding a fragile balance, keeping both sides of her life—her family and Sanam—separate, so they would never collide. But now, here they were, all in one room, staring back at her. It felt like the walls were closing in, suffocating her. Her vision blurred, the faces of her family fading into a soft haze. But three faces remained in sharp focus, painfully clear: her mother's, her father's, and Sanam's. Her mind went blank, frozen with shock. She couldn't think. She couldn't speak. She couldn't even blink. all she could do was stand there, helpless and lost.

"K," Shirish's voice brought her back from the haze. The darkness that had clouded her mind slowly lifted, and as her surroundings came into focus, the first thing she saw was Sanam's eyes. Worry, love, and a thousand unsaid things shimmered in her gaze, and Kahini's heart clenched.

Sanam knew her too well. She understood what was going on inside Kahini—the storm of emotions, the panic clawing at her chest. Sanam wanted nothing more than to close the space between them, to wrap her arms around her and whisper that it would all be okay. But she couldn't. And that knowledge crushed her.

In that moment, the weight of reality settled into Kahini's bones. Her worried gaze flickered from Sanam to her parents, their faces glowing with radiant smiles. It felt like a knife twisting in her chest—the two worlds she'd fought so hard to keep separate were now colliding in the most unpredictable way. She drew a shaky breath, mentally steeling herself to face what was ahead, though every fiber of her being wanted to run.

"W-what is going on?" Kahini's voice trembled as she spoke, her shock evident in every syllable.

"It's called a surprise, beta," her father replied, his warm smile beaming with pride.

Kahini forced a smile, feeling the tension tighten around her like a vise. She moved slowly towards her parents, trying to compose herself, but her mind kept drifting back to Sanam. Her gaze locked onto Sanam's for a brief moment, and it was as though they were speaking in the silent language only lovers knew. Are you okay? Kahini's eyes pleaded.

Sanam smiled softly, just enough to reassure her—It's under control. Yet the need to reach out to her was overwhelming, and as Kahini passed by Sanam, every step felt like she was walking away from the comfort and safety of her love. All she wanted was to feel Sanam's arms around her, to bury herself in the warmth that had always been her refuge. But for now, they had to pretend. For now, they had to be apart.

"Jay Shree Krishna, Mummy, Papa," Kahini greeted softly, bending down to touch her parents' feet, her heart heavy with emotions as she sought their blessings.

"Happy birthday, beta. God bless you. Look at you, you look so pretty in a saree," Veena cooed, dropping a tender kiss on Kahini's forehead.

"Thank you, Mumma. How are you? How did you get here? Did you walk up?" Kahini asked anxiously, her gaze scanning her mother's face with concern. She knew how delicate her mother's heart condition was, how dangerous the hilly roads could be.