Star-Crossed Yet Not Aligned

Beneath the Facade

November's crisp air filled my lungs as I settled into my village home. Diwali's vibrant colors and brother's wedding festivities provided a welcome respite from studies and roommate drama. The peaceful atmosphere and 8 O'clock curfew were a balm to my frazzled nerves.

But on the day after Diwali, my serenity shattered.

A classmate's WhatsApp message shook me to the core.

"Hey, check this out!"

Attached was a photo of Aditi, smiling brightly, in a boat with Rohan, my classmate. Dev Diwali celebrated, and they were together.

My mind reeled.

What. The. Hell.

Aditi, my girlfriend, with another guy?

Coincidence? Friendship? Or something more?

I tried to brush it off.

"Maybe they're just friends."

But unease gnawed at me.

Why Rohan?

Why together?

Questions swirled like a vortex.

I suppressed them, attempting to focus on family and festivities.

Don't ruin this break.

Yet, images haunted me.

Aditi's laughter, Rohan's gaze.

Innocent friendship?

Or deception?

Doubts crept in like shadows.

Was I overreacting?

Or blind to reality?

Internal Turmoil:

My mind became a battleground.

Trust vs. Doubt.

Love vs. Betrayal.

Fear vs. Anger.

I couldn't shake off the feeling.

Something was off.

I began casually inquiring about Aditi's whereabouts during Diwali.

"Hey, how was your Diwali?" I texted a mutual friend.

"Good! Aditi came to Varanasi for Dev Diwali."

My heart sank.

Varanasi?

With Rohan?

More questions.

Did she lie to me?

Was she hiding something?

I scrolled through social media.

Aditi's posts.

Rohan's posts.

Any connection?

Any clues?

My anxiety grew.

Or fabricating a scenario?

The facade began to crack.

Days passed, and I remained in my hometown, preoccupied with my brother's wedding festivities. But the crack in the facade grew wider.

One evening, scrolling through social media, I stumbled upon Aditi's story.

Her, Rohan, and a new friend, Shreya.

Together, smiling, laughing.

My heart skipped a beat.