Blueprints of Love

19. An Unexpected Truth

The Konkan streets were quiet, draped in the amber glow of hanging lanterns. The soft murmur of the waves crashing onto the shore filled the gaps in their conversation as Savi and Rajat walked side by side. Neither said much, their shoulders occasionally brushing, but the unspoken tension between them was impossible to ignore. Every glance, every hesitant movement carried the weight of emotions that had been buried for years.

Rajat knew it was now or never—if he didn't speak his truth, he might lose her for good. The thought alone made his chest tighten, but he forced himself to breathe and said, "I need to tell you something, Savi."

Savi shot him a curious glance, noticing the way his brows furrowed in seriousness. "What is it?"

Rajat exhaled slowly, as if gathering courage. "When I was in Paris... I met Anshita."

The name hit Savi like a slap. She came to an abrupt halt, her heart thudding in her chest. "Anshita?" she repeated, stunned.

"Yes," Rajat replied softly. "Your roommate from college. I ran into her at an event. We talked."

Savi's mind raced, the memory of Anshita stirring emotions she had buried long ago. "What... what did she say?" she asked cautiously, afraid of what might come next.

"She told me about you," Rajat answered, his voice hesitant. "About how you felt back in college... about how you felt about me."

The words hung in the air like a live wire, crackling with the weight of long-hidden truths.

Savi felt her stomach drop. "So, what?" she snapped, her voice rising. "You came back because you felt guilty?"

Rajat's eyes widened in shock. "No, that's not—"

Savi didn't let him finish. "You found out that I had feelings for you, and suddenly you felt what? Obligated to fix things? Out of pity?"

Her voice was sharp, dripping with bitterness, and it stung Rajat more than he had anticipated.

"No, Savi! It's not like that," he said quickly, running a frustrated hand through his hair. "It's not guilt. It's—"

"Then what is it, Rajat?" she demanded, taking a step forward, her eyes blazing. "Why now? Why after all these years? Why does it matter now?"

Rajat clenched his fists, feeling the weight of her anger. "Because meeting Anshita made me realise something."

Savi stared at him, her heart hammering in her chest, waiting for him to say the words that would change everything.

Rajat took a deep breath, looking her straight in the eyes. "It made me realise that I never really knew how much I meant to you. And now... I've fallen in love with you all over again."

The world seemed to tilt beneath Savi's feet. Her heart ached with longing, anger, and confusion, swirling together in a storm of emotions she couldn't control.

"That doesn't change anything," she whispered, her voice trembling with the weight of her hurt.

Rajat's gaze softened, filled with regret. "It changes everything," he insisted gently. "I didn't come back from the past, Savi. I came back because of what I feel now. I want a future with you."

But Savi shook her head, taking a step back as if putting distance between them could shield her from the pain. "You don't get to do this," she whispered, her voice breaking. "You don't get to show up and make me feel all these things again."

"I'm not trying to hurt you," Rajat said, desperation creeping into his tone. "I just— I want a chance to make things right."

But Savi could only feel the ache of old wounds reopening, the fear of letting him in again and getting hurt all over. Her heart felt too heavy, too fragile. "I can't, Rajat," she murmured. "I can't do this."

Before he could say another word, Savi turned and walked away, her footsteps crunching against the sand-covered path. Rajat stood there, frozen, helpless as she disappeared into the night, the sound of her retreating footsteps like the echo of a goodbye.

Savi ran toward the beach, her heart hammering painfully in her chest. The cool night breeze whipped against her face, drying the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. She hated herself for still caring. Hated how Rajat had stirred emotions she had buried so deeply that she thought they were gone forever.

The memories were relentless—his laugh, the way he used to tease her, the small moments that had meant everything to her. And now, after all this time, he was here again, claiming he had fallen for her once more.

Savi stumbled to a stop by the shore, gasping for breath. The ocean stretched endlessly before her, the waves lapping at her feet like soft whispers. She sank to the sand, wrapping her arms around her knees as the tears she had been holding back finally escaped.

Why did it have to be him? Why did he have to come back and undo everything she had worked so hard to forget?

The truth was, she wasn't just angry at Rajat. She was angry at herself—angry for still feeling this way after all these years, angry for hoping that maybe, just maybe, there was still something left between them.

But hope was dangerous. And love—love had only ever brought her pain.

The thought terrified her, more than anything else. Because if she let him back in, if she gave him her heart again, there was no guarantee he wouldn't break it. And this time, she wasn't sure she would survive it.

She hugged her knees tighter, the sound of the waves filling the silence around her. She didn't know how long she sat there, lost in her thoughts, but eventually, the weight of exhaustion settled over her. She closed her eyes, wishing—just for a moment—that she could escape the chaos inside her.

Rajat stood on the edge of the street, watching the spot where Savi had disappeared. The ache in his chest was unbearable, a heavy weight of regret and longing.

He had thought that telling her the truth would bring them closer. But instead, it had driven her further away.

He closed his eyes, dragging a hand down his face. How had everything gone so wrong? He had spent years convincing himself that he didn't need anyone, that love was just a distraction. But now, standing here under the Konkan sky, he knew the truth.

He needed Savi. And he wasn't ready to lose her—not again.

The realisation hit him like a tidal wave, overwhelming in its intensity. He had spent so long running from his feelings, but now that he had found her again, he couldn't let her go.

But he also knew that if he wanted her to trust him, he couldn't force her. He would have to be patient, even if it tore him apart inside.

Rajat looked toward the horizon, where the moonlight glimmered on the waves. It was a quiet reminder that some things—like the tides—couldn't be rushed. They had to come in their own time.

And so would Savi. He just had to hope that when she was ready, she would find her way back to him.

Until then, all he could do was wait—and fight for her, in whatever way she would let him. Because some things were worth the wait. And for Rajat, Savi was one of them.

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