Let's meet again for the first time.
Her mother shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "Who will marry you now, when people get to know you were left by Vikram?" Before I could even process what I was doing, the words left my mouth.
"I wil...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Aarav’s heart pounded against his chest as he sat cramped inside the cupboard. The darkness was suffocating, wrapping around him like a tight, inescapable blanket. He could barely move, his legs tucked uncomfortably beneath him, and every sound from the outside world seemed distant and muffled. Panic surged through him as he remembered his fear of the dark. He started shouting for help, his voice echoing inside the small space.
“Help! Somebody, please! Let me out!” His cries grew more desperate with each passing minute, but no one came. The muffled sounds of laughter and conversation from the living room only intensified his feeling of isolation.
Aarav’s cousin had locked him in here as a prank. It was supposed to be funny, but it was far from it. Tears streamed down his cheeks, and he struggled to keep his breathing steady. He was on the verge of giving up, convinced he would be stuck in this darkness forever, when he heard a faint noise.
The cupboard door creaked open, and a sliver of light pierced through the darkness. Aarav squinted, his eyes adjusting to the sudden brightness. Standing before him was a small girl he had never seen before. She had a concerned expression on her face, her eyes wide with empathy.
“Are you okay?” she asked softly.
Aarav nodded, his voice choked with emotion. “Thank you for taking me out of here.”
Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears as she looked at him. “You must be afraid. I am very afraid of darkness.”
Aarav wiped his tear-streaked cheeks with the back of his hand. “I was, but you saved me, so I owe you one. You saved me from the darkness; now I will protect you from it.”
The girl smiled, her face lighting up with warmth and kindness. Without hesitation, she stepped forward and hugged Aarav. He was taken aback at first but then slowly wrapped his arms around her, feeling a sense of comfort and safety in her embrace.
She pulled away, a huge smile on her face. “By the way, I am Anika.”
Aarav extended his hand, his own smile beginning to form. “I am Aarav.”
Anika shook his hand firmly. “I am your new neighbor,” she announced with a cheerful glint in her eyes.
Aarav’s heart swelled with gratitude. Little did they know, their destiny had bound them together at that very moment. Aarav had found not just a friend, but a ray of sunshine that he would need in his moments of darkness. And in return, he promised himself that he would always be there to protect her from the shadows.
˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ Author's note: I hope you liked the prologue. Please comment and vote if you like it! Love:)
