REGRETS: An Unspoken Longings

HEALING

u*Suhani’s Point of View**

7 years later....

The late afternoon sun streamed through the windows of my small apartment, casting a golden hue on the walls. I had been living here for a few years now, ever since I graduated and moved into this quiet neighborhood. The bookshelves were lined with textbooks and novels, a testament to my focus on my career and my passion for reading. The room was filled with a calm silence, interrupted only by the ticking of the clock.

I sat on the sofa with a cup of tea in my hands, looking out the window. My life had been solitary since I left college. After everything that happened, I had thrown myself into my studies and work, trying to forget the pain of my past. My parents, initially strict and watchful, had relaxed over the years, assuming I had moved on. But some things don’t heal so easily.

As I took a sip of my tea, a sudden knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. I wasn’t expecting anyone. My heart skipped a beat. For a moment, I considered ignoring it. But the knocking continued, persistent and steady.

Setting my cup down, I walked to the door, curiosity mingling with unease. I peered through the peephole, and my breath caught in my throat. It was Nandini and Saanvi. I hadn’t seen them in years, not since everything fell apart.

I hesitated, a mix of emotions washing over me—anger, confusion, sadness. What could they possibly want after all this time? Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I opened the door.

“Suhani,” Nandini said softly, a hopeful smile on her face. Her eyes were bright with emotion, a mix of nervousness and anticipation.

Saanvi stood beside her, looking just as nervous. “Hi, Suhani,” she said, her voice barely a whisper, filled with a gentle plea for forgiveness.

I stepped back, my expression guarded. “What are you doing here?” My voice was more clipped than I intended, but I couldn’t help it. The sight of them brought back so many memories—good and bad.

They entered slowly, glancing around my apartment, perhaps trying to gauge how much my life had changed since we last saw each other. Nandini was the first to speak. “We…we wanted to see you. It’s been a long time.”

“Seven years,” I replied, not bothering to hide the bitterness in my voice. “Why now?”

Nandini and Saanvi exchanged a quick glance. Nandini spoke up first. “I’m getting married, Suhani. To Vivaan. We wanted to invite you.”

A flood of emotions surged through me at the mention of Vivaan. Memories of our college days, of our group of friends who once felt like family, all came rushing back. I felt a pang of something I hadn’t felt in a long time—nostalgia mixed with a bittersweet longing. “Congratulations,” I managed to say, my voice softer now. “I’m happy for you both.”

“Thank you,” Nandini replied, relief evident in her voice. “But that’s not the only reason we’re here.”

Saanvi nodded, stepping closer with a serious expression on her face. “We came to talk about everything that happened. After you left.”

I stiffened, feeling the old wounds threatening to open again. “There’s nothing to talk about,” I said sharply. “It’s all in the past.”

Nandini shook her head, her eyes pleading. “No, Suhani, it’s not. It’s been haunting us for years. We need to make things right.”

I frowned, not understanding. “What do you mean?”

Saanvi took a deep breath and began to explain. “We’ve wanted to reach out to you for so long, but we didn’t know how. After you found out about the bet and your parents took you away, we all fell apart. You cut ties with Veer and with us. But we never wanted things to end this way.”