kaho Na Pyaar Hai

What Are We?

Ariyana's POV

The morning after felt... surreal. I woke up in a haze, the remnants of last night's intimacy still lingering in my mind. Every touch, every kiss, every whispered word felt like a beautiful dream. But as reality set in, the weight of what had happened started to sink in.

Ruhaan and I... were we more than just friends now? Did what we shared last night change things between us? And if it did, was I ready for it?

I lay there, staring at the ceiling, my heart racing. I couldn't bring myself to call him, not yet. I wasn't sure what I was feeling, and I needed some time to figure it out. The emotions were still too raw, too new.

When I finally got up, I walked to the window, staring out at the busy street below. I could hear the faint honking of cars, people chatting, the world going on as it always did. But everything felt different now. I was different.

Third Person POV

Ruhaan had woken up early, his mind a swirl of emotions. He couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted between him and Ariyana. The moments they had shared were more than just physical; they were an opening, a rawness that he hadn't expected.

But as he stared at his phone, watching the clock tick by, he began to wonder: Had he crossed a line? He had kissed her, touched her, held her—was she feeling the same way he was?

His thoughts were interrupted when his phone buzzed. It was a message from Ariyana. He took a deep breath, unsure of what to expect.

Ariyana's Message:
"Hey, Ruhaan. Can we talk? I'm not sure where we stand after last night..."

His heart skipped a beat. She wasn't sure. Neither was he, but that didn't change the fact that something had happened, something they couldn't ignore.

He quickly typed back, his fingers trembling slightly.

Ruhaan's Message:
"I understand. I'm here whenever you're ready to talk. I'll wait."

A few minutes later, his phone buzzed again. Ariyana had called him. His heart pounded as he answered.

Ruhaan's POV

"Ariyana?" I asked, my voice soft but filled with concern.

"Ruhaan," her voice came through the phone, hesitant but clear. "We need to talk."

My mind raced as I tried to gauge her tone. "Yeah, of course. What's on your mind?"

There was a pause, and when she spoke again, I could hear the vulnerability in her voice. "I don't know what this is, Ruhaan. What happened last night... it was... incredible. But I don't know what it means. Do you?"

The question hung in the air, heavier than anything we had said before. "Ariyana," I said softly, sitting down on my bed, trying to collect my thoughts. "I don't know what it means either. But I do know that I don't want to lose what we have. Not after last night. Not after everything we've been through."

She sighed, a sound that told me she was just as confused as I was. "I'm scared, Ruhaan. I'm scared of what this could mean, of where we could go from here. I've never... been in a relationship before, not like this."

"I know," I whispered, my voice filled with empathy. "I'm scared too. But that doesn't mean we can't figure it out. I just want to be with you, Ari. Whatever that means, whatever it takes."

There was silence for a few moments before she spoke again, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't want to mess this up. I don't want to hurt you."

I felt my heart ache at the honesty in her words. "You won't hurt me, Ariyana. I'm not going anywhere. Not unless you want me to."

Her next words took me by surprise, though. "I don't know what I want."

Ariyana's POV

Hearing him say that—I'm not going anywhere unless you want me to—it hurt more than I expected. I wanted him to stay. I didn't want him to leave. But I was so lost, so unsure.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I just... need some time to figure things out."

Ruhaan's voice softened, and I could almost feel him through the phone. "Take all the time you need, Ariyana. I'll be here."

I ended the call after a few more exchanges, my mind buzzing with confusion. What was I really afraid of? Was it the fear of losing him? Or the fear of losing myself in him?

Ruhaan's POV

As I sat there in my room, the phone call with Ariyana echoing in my mind, I couldn't help but feel a sense of helplessness. I had told her that I'd be here, no matter what. But would she really believe me? Could she trust me enough to let go of her fear?

I wasn't asking her to change overnight. But what I couldn't understand was why she was so scared of this. I knew that last night had been more than just a physical moment—it had been a shift, an opening. Why couldn't she see that?

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a knock on the door. I got up and opened it, finding Misha standing there, concern etched on her face.

"You okay, Ruhaan?" she asked softly.

I gave a tight smile, running a hand through my hair. "Yeah, just... trying to figure things out."

She walked in and sat on the edge of my bed. "With Ariyana?"

I nodded, leaning against the doorframe. "I don't know what to do, Misha. I want to be there for her, but she's pushing me away. I don't understand why."

Misha sighed, her expression softening. "Ruhaan, you can't rush her. She's been through a lot. And she's scared. I know she cares about you, but you need to give her space to figure it out. You can't solve everything for her."

I felt my shoulders sag. "I just don't want to lose her."

"You won't," Misha said gently. "But you have to let her come to you when she's ready. That's the only way this will work."

Ariyana's POV

The next few days passed in a blur of thoughts and emotions. I still hadn't figured out what I wanted. Ruhaan was patient with me, but the distance between us was becoming more palpable.

I kept thinking back to our conversation, to his words. I could feel him waiting for me, wanting me to take that leap with him. But I wasn't ready. I was scared—of how deeply I had already let him in, of how much he had become a part of me.

And then, one evening, when I was sitting on the balcony, my phone buzzed again. A message from Ruhaan.

Ruhaan's Message:
"Can we meet? I need to talk to you in person."

I stared at the message, my heart skipping a beat. I knew what this was. He was asking for clarity. And deep down, I knew I couldn't keep running from it.