Stranger to Stranger

💓 CONFESSION 💓

■ The Reunion

♡ Arav was filled with anxiety, frantically booking the first available flight without a second thought. His mind was only on Tanya, hoping with every fiber of his being that she was safe. As he boarded, he closed his eyes and prayed, "God, please, keep her safe. Let me bear any pain, but please, give her nothing but happiness. She's suffered so much because of me. I want to fill her life with all the love she deserves, more than she could ever imagine. Just... please give us a chance for a happy ending."

♡ Regret weighed heavily on him. Arav thought of all the times he'd doubted her, of the hurt he caused by leaving without truly understanding her. And yet, destiny had given him a second chance. He whispered, "Thank you, God, for letting me fix my mistakes. I swear, I'll never leave her side again." With a renewed sense of purpose, he settled into his seat, his thoughts completely on Tanya.

♡ At the hospital, Tanya’s best friend and Dr. Vansh waited nervously for the surgery to end. When the doctor finally emerged, they listened as he explained Tanya’s condition with a heavy heart.

"Her left leg has suffered severe damage," he said solemnly. "It’s paralyzed, and recovery may take around six months. She’s also suffered a head injury, so we must ensure she’s kept calm, free from any stress."

They nodded, absorbing the news. Tanya was still unconscious, and they were told they could visit her the next morning.

♡ The next day, as Tanya slowly regained consciousness, she whispered hoarsely to her friend, "Where is the real Arav? Was he really here, or was it all a dream?"

♡ Her friend exchanged glances with Vansh, who sighed before speaking gently. "Tanya, I owe you the truth. Because of my mistakes, the real Arav left the city, hurt and confused. We didn't know where he went."

♡ But just as he finished, Arav returned to the city and rushed to the hospital. Standing outside her room, he watched her through the glass, his heart swelling with emotion. He was overwhelmed by how lucky he was to have her back in his life. "She's a blessing," he thought. "I won't make the same mistake again."

♡Taking a deep breath, Arav entered the room. Vansh, seeing him, immediately apologized. "I’m sorry, Arav. I thought you’d hurt Tanya, so I misled you on purpose." But Arav barely registered his words, his focus completely on Tanya.

♡Tanya looked up, her eyes widening as she recognized him. "Are you... really the Arav I met back in eighth grade?" she asked, voice trembling.

♡ Arav, his eyes filling with tears, took her hand softly and whispered, "Yes, Tanya. It’s me. Your best friend, the one you met as a stranger. And I’m so, so sorry for leaving you without understanding the truth. I spent seven years thinking I’d lost you forever. I thought you loved Vansh, and I left to give you the happiness you deserved, but... there wasn’t a single day I didn’t think of you. Not one day went by without me looking at your picture, missing you, wondering how you were."

♡ He paused, his voice breaking. "These seven years away from you have been the worst time of my life. If you need to be angry, if you need to punish me, I deserve it. Just… don’t let our story end with us as strangers. I can't go one more day without you. I love you, Tanya. I promise, this time, I’ll stay. You’re my only choice, the best choice, and I swear, I will never, ever leave you again."

♡ Listening to him, tears streamed down Tanya’s face. She tried to respond, her words catching in her throat, her emotions overwhelming. Finally, she found her voice and burst out, "You idiot! How could you even think of leaving me? I hate you for that! Do you know how much pain I went through because of you?" She paused, taking a shaky breath. "Promise me… promise me you’ll never leave me again, no matter what happens, even if there are misunderstandings. Don’t ever block me out of your life."

♡ Arav smiled, his own tears flowing freely, and wrapped her in a hug. "I promise," he murmured. It was their first hug, filled with years of unspoken feelings, tears of relief, and a shared joy that they’d finally found each other again.

♡ As they held each other, a doctor entered, his face serious. He cleared his throat, breaking the tender moment. Turning to Arav, he explained, "Tanya’s left leg is paralyzed. She won’t be able to walk for six months."

♡Tanya's face fell as she looked down, tears brimming in her eyes again. "How will I live like this for six months? There must be some way I can heal faster," she pleaded.

♡ But Arav knelt beside her, gently taking her hand. "It’s only six months, Tanya. I’ll be here with you every single day. You’ll heal, I know you will. And I’ll make sure that from now on, you only have happiness in your life."

♡ Looking into his eyes, Tanya felt a sense of calm she hadn’t known in years.

♡Then, as the room filled with silence, Arav took a deep breath. Gathering his courage, he looked into her eyes and finally asked the question he had been longing to ask. "Tanya, will you... will you be my life partner? Will you marry me, the stranger from eighth grade?"

♡For a moment, Tanya’s face softened, her eyes shining with emotion. But then, her expression changed. She looked away, her voice barely a whisper as she said, "I can’t, Arav."

Arav froze, his heart sinking. "Why?" he whispered, his voice choked with pain.

■ What is Tanya hiding? Will she truly turn away from the love they've found again? Find out in the next part!