"This is not a joke." father said angrily
"I am also saying the same papa, this is my life not a joke which you're cracking from my childhood till now." replied Yash with pain and hurt dropping from his voice
Yash Pratap , An average student with...
"Hazaaron khwaishein aisi ke har khwaish pe dam nikle,
Bahut nikle mere armaan lekin phir bhi kam nikle."
-Mirza Ghalib
I am really sorry for uploading this late, I was just caught up by my exams and family issue.
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Months had passed, and Yash's mental health seemed to crumble further with every passing day. His final results loomed dangerously close, like a storm ready to crash down on his fragile state of mind. Every breath felt heavier, every moment more suffocating.
One evening, Yash and Anubhav found themselves at Marine Drive. The waves crashed against the rocks, and the cold breeze carried the salty aroma of the sea. They stood side by side, silent. For Yash, it was a silence filled with the weight of expectations and the ache of an unspoken scream. For Anubhav, it was a silence of helplessness as he watched his best friend wither away.
Yash's shoulders were hunched, his hands jammed deep into his hoodie's pockets. His face, marred with faint bruises, stared blankly at the horizon.
Anubhav finally broke the silence. "So... how are you?" His voice carried an unspoken plea, a hope for honesty.
"I'm good," Yash replied, the words as cold and distant as the wind around them. He avoided Anubhav's gaze, pretending to focus on the glimmering city lights reflected in the water.
Anubhav exhaled sharply, frustrated yet determined. "Yash, stop it. Stop pretending." He turned to face him, his voice firmer. "I can see it. The sadness, the exhaustion... the bruises. You don't have to hide it from me."
Yash flinched at the words, his jaw tightening. For a moment, he said nothing, just stared at the waves crashing relentlessly. Then, he laughed—a hollow, bitter sound.
"Why does it even matter, Anubhav?" Yash's voice cracked, betraying the carefully constructed façade he had built. "I'm nothing but a disappointment to him. To them. No matter what I do, it's never enough. I've given up everything—everything—for those stupid expectations. And still..." He trailed off, his voice breaking completely.
Anubhav's heart clenched at the raw pain in Yash's words. "You're not a disappointment," he said softly. "You're worth so much more than you think, Yash. Why can't you see that?"
Yash shook his head, his hands trembling. "Because they don't see it. They don't care who I am or what I want. All they care about is their perfect little puppet. And now... now, I don't even know who I am anymore." His voice dropped to a whisper. "I feel like I've lost myself."
Anubhav placed a hand on Yash's shoulder, grounding him. "You haven't lost yourself, Yash. You've just buried him under their expectations. But he's still there—waiting for you to find him again."
