Drenched Heart's || COMPLETED✔️||

🌸Echoes of Pain🌸

Anjali's attention suddenly shifted to something in the distance. Her heart skipped a beat, and her breath caught in her throat.

Her mind went blank as her heart raced, and she felt tears welling up, blurring her vision. The voices of Aahan, Arushi, and Aryan became distant, as if they were a world away. She couldn't stay there—not with him so close. Without a word, she abruptly stood up, her chair scraping loudly against the floor and drawing the attention of everyone at the table.

"Anjali?" Aryan's voice was filled with concern, but she didn't hear him.

Before anyone could react, she quickly grabbed her bag and turned, walking away from the table with hurried, shaky steps. The others exchanged confused glances, unsure of what had just happened.

"Anjali! Wait!" Arushi called after her, but Anjali didn't stop.

As she made her way outside the mall, the clouds that had been looming overhead finally gave in. Fat raindrops began to fall, slowly at first, but quickly turning into a steady downpour. The cold rain mixed with her warm tears, soaking her face, but she didn't care. She just kept walking, her thoughts spiraling in a whirlwind of memories and pain.

The streets became quieter as the rain intensified, and the city seemed to blur around her. Each step felt heavier as she wrapped her arms around herself, trying to shield herself from the world. Her clothes quickly became drenched, and her hair clung to her face, but she didn't stop.

Her legs carried her on autopilot, leading her down the familiar path toward home. The noise of the rain drowned out everything else, but inside her mind, the storm raged even louder. That face—the one she had tried so hard to forget—had brought back all the memories she had buried deep within—memories she wasn't ready to face yet.

She reached a corner, her legs finally giving in as she leaned against a lamppost, breathing heavily. The weight of everything crashed down on her, and she couldn't hold back the tears any longer. They streamed down her face, mixing with the rain as she stood there, feeling utterly lost and broken.

Just then, a voice called out her name. It was faint at first but grew louder.

"Anjali!"

She turned slowly, wiping her face with trembling hands. Through the haze of rain, she saw Aryan approaching, his clothes soaked but his expression filled with concern. He had followed her.

"Anjali, what happened? Are you okay?" he asked, his voice soft yet filled with worry.

Anjali couldn't speak; the lump in her throat made it impossible. Her chest tightened as emotions swirled inside her—fear, sadness, and confusion all at once. Aryan, clearly worried, stepped closer, unsure how to comfort her in such a vulnerable state.

He hesitated for a second, then gently placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice soothing. "Anjali... what's wrong? What happened?"

But the moment his hand touched her, Anjali flinched. Her body tensed up, and without thinking, she jerked his hand away, taking a quick step back. The move caught Aryan off guard, his hand left hanging in the air as his expression shifted to one of shock.