A Story Without You

Chapter 3: The Painful Realization

Aarav had always been good at pretending things were fine, even when they weren’t. After his conversation with siya, he tried to convince himself that he was just being paranoid, that the flashes of doubt were nothing more than figments of his overactive imagination. But as the days wore on, those figments grew larger, harder to ignore.

One evening, Aarav was headed to the campus café to meet Neeraj for their usual coffee and catch-up. The winter chill was creeping into the air, making students pull their coats tighter as they walked between buildings. As Aarav pushed open the door of the café, the familiar smell of brewed coffee and cinnamon met him, instantly warming him. He scanned the room and found Neeraj at a corner table, waving him over.

Before he could make his way there, Aarav’s eyes landed on a table by the window. siya was sitting there, and across from her was Rohit, the senior from the debate club. Their conversation looked animated, full of laughter and shared glances that felt too intimate for Aarav’s liking. His heart thudded painfully in his chest as he stood frozen in place, watching as siya reached across the table and playfully shoved Rohit’s arm.

Neeraj noticed Aarav’s halted steps and followed his gaze. A pained expression crossed his face as he put down his coffee cup and stood up. “Hey, Aarav,” he said, stepping closer and blocking his view. “You okay, man?”

Aarav blinked, his trance broken. “Yeah, yeah. Just... surprised,” he said, forcing a chuckle that sounded brittle. He could feel the café starting to close in on him, the noise of chatter and clinking cups suddenly too loud. “I need some air,” he mumbled, backing out the door before Neeraj could say anything more.

Outside, the cold air was a slap to his senses, but it wasn’t enough to numb the ache in his chest. He leaned against the wall, trying to take deep breaths, but his mind replayed the scene in the café on a loop. The way siya looked at Rohit—it was too familiar. The same way she looked at him.

“Aarav!” Neeraj’s voice called out, followed by hurried footsteps. He reached Aarav, concern etched deep into his features. “Talk to me. What’s going on in that head of yours?”

Aarav let out a shaky breath, the warmth of it clouding in the chilly air. “I don’t know what to think anymore, Neeraj. I thought she was different with me, but what if it’s all just... something she says to everyone?”

Neeraj’s eyes softened, and he placed a hand on Aarav’s shoulder. “I’m not going to tell you what to do, man. But you need to talk to her. Really talk to her. Not just brush it off like it’s nothing.”

Aarav nodded, though the idea of confronting siya felt like jumping off a cliff without knowing what waited below. “You’re right,” he said, more to himself than to Neeraj.

The next day, Aarav’s resolve hardened. He needed answers, and he needed them now. He waited outside siya’s classroom, his hands fidgeting in the pockets of his hoodie. Students streamed past him, their voices a blur as he focused on the door. Finally, she appeared, her eyes lighting up when she saw him.

“Hey, you! What’s up?” she said, looping her arm through his as they started walking down the hallway.

Aarav took a deep breath, preparing himself. “Can we talk? Somewhere quiet?”

siya tilted her head, curiosity mixed with slight worry. “Of course. Let’s go to the courtyard.”

They found a bench under the wide canopy of a banyan tree, leaves rustling softly above them. Aarav sat beside her, feeling the weight of what he was about to say pressing down on him like a physical force.

“siya, I saw you at the café yesterday,” he began, his voice steady but low. He watched as a flash of realization crossed her features, quickly replaced by a smile.

“Oh, you mean with Rohit? He’s hilarious, isn’t he?” she said, laughing lightly, but the sound rang hollow in Aarav’s ears.

“It’s not just about Rohit, siya,” Aarav said, looking at her intently. “It’s about what you say to me, how you make me feel like I’m the only one. But then I see you with him, with others, and I can’t help but wonder... do you tell them the same things you tell me?”

The smile faded from her lips, replaced by a look Aarav couldn’t quite read—part surprise, part something else, something that made his chest tighten. She looked away for a moment, as if searching for the right words, and when she spoke, her voice was soft.

“Aarav, you’re special to me. You are. But... I guess I never realized that what I say could come off that way.” She met his eyes, and for the first time, Aarav saw uncertainty there. “I don’t mean to hurt you. I just... I want to be close to people, to make them feel valued.”

Aarav’s heart sank as her words settled over him. The warmth, the affection, the words that had meant so much to him were suddenly stripped of their meaning, laid bare as gestures she shared with others. He nodded slowly, feeling the sting of tears he refused to let fall.

“I need to think, siya,” he said, standing up as the leaves above rustled in the breeze. “I need to figure out what all this means for me.”

siya reached out, her fingers brushing his arm, but he gently stepped back. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, and Aarav could hear the sincerity in her voice. But it wasn’t enough—not this time.

As he walked away, a painful clarity washed over him: love wasn’t just about hearing the right words. It was about knowing they were meant only for you. And for the first time, Aarav wasn’t sure if that was true.

Continued....