shadow of the heart

Chapter 16: Drifting Apart

The decision to take a step back weighed heavily on both Nisha and Rohan. They had promised each other that it wasn't a breakup, just time to think and figure things out, but the distance between them felt more real than either of them had anticipated.

Days turned into weeks, and Nisha found herself struggling with the space between them. She wasn't used to this — to not being able to call Rohan whenever something funny happened, or when she had a tough day at work. The silence felt like a void she didn't know how to fill. The thought that maybe this was the beginning of the end gnawed at her every day, no matter how hard she tried to push it aside.

She tried to throw herself into work, but even that was a challenge. Her magazine's latest issue was on tight deadlines, and while Nisha was usually energized by the pressure, now it only exhausted her further. The once familiar rhythm of her career no longer felt like enough to distract her from the ache in her chest.

One Friday afternoon, Nisha was sitting in the office's break room, staring blankly at her half-empty cup of coffee. Her coworker, Priya, noticed the lack of life in Nisha's usually vibrant demeanor.

"Nisha, are you okay?" Priya asked, her voice full of concern. "You've seemed a little... off lately. Everything alright?"

Nisha blinked, pulled from her thoughts, and forced a smile. "Yeah, just a lot going on. Work's been stressful."

Priya raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "You know, I'm here if you need to talk. It doesn't have to be about work."

Nisha hesitated. She had kept the details of her personal life mostly to herself, not wanting to admit how much things with Rohan were affecting her. But the weight of it all was getting harder to carry alone.

"It's just... things with Rohan," Nisha finally admitted, her voice soft. "We decided to take a break, and now everything feels so uncertain. I don't know if we're going to make it."

Priya gave her a sympathetic look. "That sounds tough. Do you want to talk about it?"

Nisha sighed, staring into her coffee. "It's just the pressure. His family's been pushing for marriage, and I'm not ready. I thought we could work through it, but now it feels like we're drifting apart. And I'm scared that we won't be able to find our way back."

Priya nodded, her expression understanding. "Relationships can be so complicated, especially when families get involved. But taking a break doesn't always mean the end, you know? Sometimes it gives you both the clarity you need."

Nisha frowned, feeling the sting of doubt again. "I hope you're right. But the longer we go without talking, the harder it is to believe that we'll be able to fix things."

Priya gave her a reassuring smile. "Give it time, Nisha. If it's meant to be, you'll find a way back to each other. But don't lose yourself in the process."

Nisha nodded, grateful for Priya's words, though they did little to ease the knot of anxiety in her stomach.

That evening, Nisha decided to visit her parents. She needed the comfort of home, of familiar faces and the warmth of her mother's embrace. As she walked through the front door, the smell of her mother's cooking greeted her, and for the first time in days, Nisha felt a small sense of relief.

Her mother appeared from the kitchen, smiling warmly. "Nisha! I didn't know you were coming. What a nice surprise."

Nisha smiled weakly, dropping her bag by the door. "I needed a break. Thought I'd come home for the weekend."

Her mother's eyes softened as she wiped her hands on a kitchen towel. "You look tired, beta. Come, sit. Dinner's almost ready."

Nisha followed her mother into the kitchen, taking a seat at the dining table. Her father sat in his usual spot, reading the newspaper, but he glanced up when Nisha entered, giving her a nod of acknowledgment.

"So, how's everything going?" her mother asked as she stirred a pot on the stove. "How's Rohan?"

Nisha felt a lump form in her throat. She hadn't told her parents about the break. They had always been supportive of her relationship with Rohan, and part of her didn't want to disappoint them with the reality of their situation.

"Things are... complicated," Nisha said quietly, her gaze fixed on the table.

Her mother turned around, concern evident in her eyes. "Complicated? What do you mean, beta?"

Nisha hesitated before speaking. "We've been under a lot of pressure. His family wants us to get engaged, and I'm not ready. We decided to take some time apart to figure things out."

Her mother's face fell, and she moved to sit beside Nisha, placing a gentle hand on her daughter's arm. "Oh, Nisha. I'm sorry to hear that. But you and Rohan have always been so strong. I'm sure you'll find your way back to each other."

Nisha nodded, though her heart wasn't in it. "I hope so, Maa. But right now, it just feels... hard. Like we're losing each other."

Her mother sighed softly, squeezing Nisha's hand. "Relationships are never easy, beta. But you and Rohan have a deep bond. Don't give up hope just yet."

Nisha managed a small smile, but the uncertainty still weighed heavily on her. She wished she could believe her mother's words, but the longer the silence between her and Rohan stretched on, the more impossible it seemed.

Meanwhile, Rohan was going through his own internal turmoil. He missed Nisha deeply, but every time he thought about reaching out to her, the weight of his family's expectations came crashing down on him. His parents had been growing more insistent about the engagement, and it was becoming harder to avoid their questions.

One evening, his mother approached him while he sat in the living room, lost in thought.

"Rohan, beta, can we talk?" she asked, sitting down beside him.

Rohan nodded, bracing himself for the conversation he had been dreading.

His mother sighed, her face full of concern. "You've been distant lately. Is everything alright between you and Nisha?"

Rohan hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. "We're... taking some time apart. Things have been tough with all the pressure about marriage."

His mother's eyes widened in surprise. "Time apart? But why, Rohan? You and Nisha have been together for so long. What's the problem?"

Rohan ran a hand through his hair, feeling the familiar weight of frustration. "The problem is that I'm caught in the middle, Maa. I love Nisha, but she's not ready for marriage yet. And I'm tired of feeling like I have to choose between her and the expectations you and Dad have."

His mother frowned, her brow furrowing in confusion. "But, beta, we're only thinking of your future. You're at the age where marriage is important, and Nisha is a wonderful girl. We thought she felt the same way."

Rohan sighed, the exhaustion in his voice evident. "She does, Maa. But she has her own dreams, her own timeline. And I can't force her to fit into ours. I just need time to figure out how to make this work."

His mother's expression softened slightly, but there was still a trace of disappointment in her eyes. "I understand, Rohan. But don't let this time apart push you too far from each other. Love is hard to find, and once you lose it, it's even harder to get back."

Rohan nodded, his heart heavy with the weight of her words. He knew she was right, but the path forward felt more uncertain than ever.

As the days turned into weeks, Nisha and Rohan both found themselves drifting further apart. The silence between them grew louder, and the once unshakable bond they had shared began to feel fragile.

Neither of them knew what the future held, but both were starting to realize that love alone might not be enough to save them from the forces pulling them in opposite directions.

And for the first time, they both began to wonder if the distance between them was becoming too great to bridge.