Love Rivals: The Day I Saw Your Tears

64. Regrets Are Meant To Be Painful

(Sarah's Pov)

As soon as I stepped into the house, I was met with a sharp slap across my face. The sting burned through my skin, and I stumbled slightly, but I wasn't fazed by the sudden hit. Mom stood in front of me, fury radiating from her, while Dad sat cold and expressionless on the couch, his eyes piercing through me.

Before I could say anything, Mom stormed off to the kitchen. When she returned, she had a spatula in hand and began hitting me with it, her anger pouring out in every strike. "Did we raise you, feed you, and make you an adult just to witness this shame? Why didn't you die before bringing such disgrace?" she yelled, her words as painful as the blows.

I couldn't even cry out or defend myself. There was nothing I could say that would make them understand the truth. Even if I tried, they wouldn't believe me. The tears rolled down my cheeks silently as I stood there, powerless.

Dad, his voice steady and cold, finally spoke, "Lock her in her room." His gaze never left the ground as he added to Mom, "And don't you dare give her any food tonight."

I stayed locked in my room for the rest of the day, my tears soaking the pillow as I cried, pleaded, and regretted everything.

Later in the evening, Shriya slipped into my room, a small plate of food she'd stolen from the kitchen in her hands. She looked at me with concern, but I shook my head, refusing the food. "I deserve this," I whispered, barely audible.

Lying there in the dim room, I gave up on the idea of revenge. It had fueled me for so long, but now, it seemed meaningless. I made up my mind ...whatever happened from now on, I would let it happen. I wouldn't meddle in Ryan's life anymore.

Because the regret of this second mistake cut deeper than the first, lingering far more painfully.

February 14, 2017 **************************

Valentine's Day!!!

The kids at school celebrated it with a lot of excitement and secret whispers, exchanging cards and little gifts. Their innocent joy made me smile. It reminded me of the playful teasing I used to direct at Shriya. I’d often poke fun at her for not having a boyfriend, even in college.

Once, during one of those teasing moments, I said to her, "You still don’t have a boyfriend? Even in college?"

Shriya raised an eyebrow, a touch of irritation mixing with something like fear in her eyes. "Who told you everyone has to have a boyfriend in college?" she shot back.

I shrugged, “Some of my friends already have boyfriends.”

Her face shifted, more serious now. She leaned in, her voice lowering, "You don’t have one, do you?"

I shook my head, "No."

With a sigh of relief, she added, "It's better you won't have it ever. Sarah, don’t say things like that at home, especially not to Maa. Keep it to yourself."

That day at school, I had a sudden realization—half of my classmates were in relationships with the other half. It felt like a hidden world had opened up before me. What surprised me even more was learning that seniors could date juniors. I had no clue before. I just assumed that boyfriends came from your own class, or at least had to be your age. The rest of the boys were brothers for rakhi.

And they mocked me. They didn't say it outright, but their words hit home: "Who would even want to make her his girlfriend? She’s too boring for a relationship."
It hurt, but I accepted it. Not everyone had to be like everyone else.

During break time, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy watching the other girls show off their Valentine’s gifts—teddy bears, chocolates, bracelets—luxuries I knew I would never get from home. I wished I could have those little tokens, especially knowing my mom wouldn’t buy me anything like that. But at the same time, I felt bad for the boys, knowing they probably spent all their pocket money or, worse, dipped into their parents' money for gifts.

Just then, Ryan appeared beside me and said, “Come with me.”

"Where are we going?" I asked, curious.

He didn’t reply, just gently grabbed my hand and started leading me toward the terrace. I couldn't remember if he'd ever held my hand before, but the moment our hands touched, a rush of butterflies stirred in my stomach, making me feel something I couldn’t quite explain.

Ryan was panting slightly as he caught his breath, staring straight into my eyes with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine. "Let’s be together," he said, his voice slightly shaky, yet serious. "I mean... be my girlfriend."

For a second, I felt like my brain short-circuited. My heart pounded in my chest, and I stood there, frozen in disbelief. Did I hear him right?
His words echoed in my mind, but I couldn't process them. It was too sudden, too unexpected. Never in my wildest dreams had I imagined something like this happening ... especially not with him.

He stood there, waiting for my response, his eyes searching mine for some sort of sign, but I was too stunned to even speak.

I let out a nervous laugh, thinking he must be joking. But then Ryan stepped closer, his face dead serious. "I'm not kidding, Sarah," he said, his voice steady.