Love Rivals: The Day I Saw Your Tears

141. Both In The Same Boat

The next day, I found myself sitting on the temple steps while Nitya went inside to pray. I was distracted, playing some mindless game on my phone, trying to keep my thoughts occupied. But nothing really worked; my mind always found its way back to her.

“Ryan?” A voice, soft yet so familiar, snapped me out of my trance. I looked up and there she was—Sarah, standing a few feet away, her eyes wide with disbelief.

“It’s really you,” she whispered, her expression a mix of surprise and something else, something unspoken.

I blinked, struggling to gather myself, a flood of emotions swirling inside me. After all this time, after all the distance, she was standing right in front of me. “You’re here?” I muttered, my voice barely audible as I fumbled to put my phone away.

My heart raced. My hands were restless, clasping together tightly, trying to hide how nervous I felt. There was so much I wanted to ask, so much to say, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead, I managed, “How... how are you?”

The sun was bright, casting a warm glow on her face, but I could see her squinting, struggling against the glare. I motioned to the space beside me and said, “Sit.”

She hesitated for a moment, but then she took a step forward and sat down next to me.

She handed me the prasad with a soft smile. “I finally did it. I’ve got a bank job— JA.”

My heart swelled with pride for her. “Sarah, that’s amazing! Congratulations.”

She acknowledged it with a slight nod before adding, “And you? You've been busy collecting all those trophies.”

I gave her a small, reluctant smile. “It’s not...  Sarah.” I glanced down at the temple steps. “You know... I failed my first semester in medical school. My dad pulled strings—his friend was the principal. Then I failed again in the second semester, and that’s when Dad introduced me to Nitya. She’s his friend’s daughter. She basically carried me through everything: notes, projects, even practicals. The truth is... I was never into medicine. My parents mapped out that path, and I just... followed it.”

I paused, exhaling slowly. “I was told I had to be at the top, always. So I did whatever I could to hold up that image.”

I glanced over at her, seeing the soft understanding in her eyes. “You want to know why Nitya stayed by my side all this time? It’s because I insisted her to. Without her, I wouldn’t have lasted this long in the hospital. I messed up surgeries, meetings stressed me out, and honestly, I barely knew what I was doing when it came to projects.”

I turned to face her fully, locking my eyes with hers. “I’m telling you this because I don’t think you ever got to hear my side. You thought you were a failure, but the truth is, I was one too. You lied about your job, and I lied about being successful. We were both struggling, just trying to make it through. But you—at least you didn’t rely on your dad’s influence or money like I did. You’ve earned everything yourself."

Meanwhile, Nitya approached us and  extended her hand to Sarah, holding a glossy wedding card. "You’re invited—to my wedding. 17th of July, Sunday."

Sarah’s face momentarily froze, her eyes widening as the news settled in. She blinked, clearly taken aback. “Your... wedding?” she repeated slowly, her gaze shifting from Nitya to me and then back to Nitya, trying to gather her composure. She forced a smile, though it was strained. “Congratulations.”

Nitya turned to me then, offering another card with a hint of playfulness. “The first card to its rightful owner,” she said, her tone teasing but deliberate. “You’ve got to come, no excuses.”

Sarah let out a small, awkward giggle, trying to mask her confusion. “You’re inviting Ryan?” she asked, her voice laced with a tinge of disbelief.

Nitya raised an eyebrow. “Why? Shouldn’t I?”

Sarah chuckled nervously and gestured toward me. “But why are you giving him a card? I mean... if he’s the groom, then—”

I blinked, utterly confused by the turn in the conversation, and looked at Sarah, trying to understand. Before I could say anything, Sarah grabbed the card and quickly read it. Her eyes widened, and a soft gasp escaped her. “It’s not him,” she murmured, almost as if to herself.

Nitya’s response was calm but with a cutting edge. “I don’t intend to wait forever,” she said with a slight shrug, her tone casual but her words deliberate. “Besides, I can’t marry someone who’s more in love with his video games than anything else."