Blueprints of Love

30. The Moment of Truth

Rajat lingers at the door, watching Savi sit motionless on the edge of the bed. The silence between them hums with unspoken emotions. He knows the weight of his confession is still sinking in for her, and he doesn't want to rush her.

"I'll give you space," Rajat murmurs gently, his voice low and steady. "I just wanted you to know that my feelings are real. I've made mistakes, Savi, but not loving you is not one of them."

Savi's gaze is distant, her mind a battlefield of conflicting emotions. She has spent years convincing herself that her old feelings for Rajat were misplaced, that they belonged to a past version of her—a girl who no longer exists. But now, standing on the edge of a choice she never thought she'd face again, the line between past and present feels blurry.

After a few minutes of silence, Rajat's gaze drifts around the room, and his eyes catch something on the nightstand. He takes a step closer and picks it up—a small, worn friendship band. His heart stutters in recognition. It was the same band he had given Savi back in college, a simple token of their friendship, long before love had complicated things.

"This old thing," he whispers to himself, turning it over in his hands. "I didn't think you'd still have it."

Beside it lies a journal, the pages yellowed with time. Curiosity pulls him closer, and he gently opens it. There, written in Savi's neat, slanted handwriting, are words from her college years. She had poured her heart out on these pages—every fleeting glance, every moment of longing, every time she had wished he'd notice her.

"He smiled at me today, and it felt like sunshine after days of rain."

"He'll never know, will he? How much I've wished for just one moment when he'd see me the way I see him."

As he flips through the pages, his throat tightens. He reads lines like:

"I laughed at his stupid jokes again today, pretending it didn't mean anything... but it did."

"When he said I looked good in a saree, I decided I'd wear one more often. At least, it made him notice me."

The depth of her feelings—feelings he had been too blind to see back then—hit him with overwhelming force. He stares at the journal, his vision blurring as a tear escapes his eye. He wipes it away quickly but not before another slips down, the emotion too powerful to contain. Each word is a reminder of what he missed—the love that had been right in front of him all those years, unrecognised and unreciprocated. And now, here it is again, fragile yet undeniable.

He wipes his face, glancing back at Savi. "I read your journal," he says quietly, his voice breaking just a little. "I never knew... I never realised how much you cared."

Savi doesn't respond immediately, her expression unreadable. She feels stripped bare, exposed in a way that terrifies her. But there's also a strange sense of relief—like a burden she's carried alone for too long has finally been shared.

Rajat moves closer and kneels beside her. His voice softens, filled with raw sincerity. "I've fallen in love with the person you are now, Savi. Not just the person you were back then. And if there's even the smallest part of you that still loves me, please don't push me away."

Savi looks at him, her heart pounding so loud she can hear it in her ears. Rajat's eyes—deep and earnest—hold the kind of promise she thought she'd never believe in again.

"But if you don't feel the same," Rajat continues, his voice barely a whisper, "I'll walk away. I'll leave and never bother you again. But you have to tell me now—because if you want me to stay, I'll stay. Always."

He waits, giving her the space to respond. When the silence stretches too long, he lowers his gaze and gives her a sad, understanding smile. "I'll be downstairs," he says, brushing a gentle hand over her shoulder.

Then, with a heavy heart, Rajat rises and walks out of the room.

In the hall below, the atmosphere is filled with nervous anticipation. The groom and both families stand together, exchanging polite conversation as the priest prepares the ceremonial space. Isha anxiously scans the staircase, hoping to see Savi make her decision before it's too late.

Rajat descends the stairs slowly, his chest tight with unspoken emotions. He looks toward the exit, each step feeling heavier than the last. As he nears the door, the noise of the gathering fades into the background.

He tells himself this is the right thing—to let her go if she doesn't want him. But every step feels like walking away from the future he's longed for, one that he didn't even know he wanted until he saw her again.

Just as he reaches the door, a voice breaks through the quiet.

"Don't go!"

Rajat freezes. The world seems to stop for a moment. He turns around slowly, disbelief spreading across his face.

Savi stands at the top of the stairs, breathless and trembling. Her heart is racing, and tears brim in her eyes. Every doubt she had moments ago vanishes. She can't imagine a life where he isn't standing beside her.

"Don't go," she whispers, her voice shaking. She steps forward, slowly but deliberately, as if each step confirms what her heart already knows. "Please... don't leave."

Rajat's breath catches, the weight in his chest lifting as hope surges back into his heart. He stays rooted in place, as if afraid that moving will break the moment.

He cups her face, his thumb gently brushing away a tear that rolls down her cheek. "You mean it?" he asks, his voice filled with cautious hope.

Savi reaches him, her hand sliding into his. Her touch is warm, familiar, and full of emotion—everything he had been waiting for. "I was so scared," she confesses softly, her voice thick with unshed tears. "I thought if I let myself love you again, it would hurt just as much as it did before. But losing you now? That would hurt even more."

Rajat stares at her, his heart swelling with emotion. "You don't have to be scared anymore," he murmurs, pulling her closer.

Savi's tears spill over as she wraps her arms around him. "Stay," she whispers. "Stay with me."

Rajat exhales a breath he didn't realise he was holding and cups her face in his hands. "Always," he promises. Without hesitation, he leans in, capturing her lips in a kiss.

The kiss is tender and slow, filled with all the emotions they've kept bottled up for years. It's not just a kiss—it's an unspoken vow to love, to forgive, and to build a new future together.

Around them, the hall falls into stunned silence. The groom, understanding the unchangeable tide of emotions between Savi and Rajat, gives a small, gracious nod. Isha smiles, wiping a tear from her eye, knowing she made the right choice by bringing Rajat back into her daughter's life.

Rajat pulls away just enough to rest his forehead against Savi's. "You'll never lose me and I love you!," he whispers, brushing his thumb across her cheek.

"I won't let you go and I love you too!," Savi replies with a smile, her heart finally at peace.

This is only the beginning of their new story—one built on love, trust, and second chances.

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