Dear Destiny

29- Dear Memories

A/N- 5600 words!!!! Longest chapter ever written. Enjoy;)
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*ARIV*

I told the shopkeeper to tie them properly as I grabbed the bouquet, now ready, and with a grin, I started walking back toward Reet. She’d be thrilled to see this, I thought, chuckling to myself. She’s still just a kid at heart.

But when I returned to where I’d left her, I was met with an unexpected sight.

“Reet,” I called out, grinning, but my smile faltered slightly as I noticed she wasn’t alone. Atharv was there too, standing in front of her, dressed sharply in his tuxedo, holding a bouquet of red and white roses. In an instant, it hit me—Atharv was the date she’d been mentioning, the one who’d left her alone tonight.

Reet’s eyes had been fixed on him, but the moment she heard my voice, she turned around, and when she spotted the bouquet of Kinder Joys I held in my hand, her face lit up with excitement. She practically hopped toward me, her eyes wide with disbelief. “Is this for real!?” she exclaimed, reaching out for the bouquet.

But I couldn’t match her excitement, my gaze fixed instead on Atharv. There was something in his expression—regret, a shadow of pain as he looked at her. For a second, I felt like I was stealing something that wasn’t mine to begin with.

Reet’s joy dimmed a little as she noticed my guarded expression. Her arms, stretched out to hug me, fell slightly as I reflexively took a step back. She quickly masked her disappointment, trying to keep her smile intact.

Then, realizing Atharv’s bouquet, she turned back to him. “Is that…for me?” she asked softly.

Atharv looked at the bouquet, then back at her, and nodded. A smile bloomed on her face again as she took a step toward him. And for a brief moment, I felt a pang of something—maybe jealousy, maybe loss—but I bit it back. This wasn’t my place to interfere.

“Aww, these are so beautiful,” Reet said, gently taking the flowers from his hands. Atharv let out a heavy sigh.

“Sorry, Reet. I couldn’t make it in time… It was an—”

“Emergency,” she finished for him, her smile tinged with sadness. “But you didn’t even try to text me? You must have known I’d be alone on a night meant for couples.” Her voice was gentle, but her words carried a weight that was hard to ignore.

Atharv looked pained, like he was searching for the right words, but before he could say anything, Reet continued, “Anyway, if you don’t mind me asking… what kind of emergency was it?”

He swallowed, seeming at a loss. “I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to hurt you by not showing up. It was just… something really urgent.”

She gave a small, understanding nod. “I’m not hurt, Atharv. It’s okay, really. I understand.”

“No, I ruined your night…” he murmured.

“Of course not,” she said, shaking her head with a soft smile. Then she turned to me, her eyes sparkling with innocence. “Ariv made it incredibly special for me. Isn’t that right, Ariv?” Her gaze held so much warmth and trust, but I couldn’t bring myself to respond in kind.

It felt as though I was standing in the way of something—something that belonged to them alone.

“I think we should go,” I said, my voice coming out coldly, making her smile fade just a bit. “It’s getting late.” I turned to walk away, not daring to look back.

Behind me, I could hear Atharv and Reet talking softly, his apologies spilling out again and again, and her quiet reassurances. She kept telling him it was fine, that she understood. But in that moment, I felt as if I’d been caught between two forces, leaving me unsure of my place or what I truly wanted.