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Shivaay's POV :
The light filtered through my dimly lit cabin, casting a soft glow on the sleek desk in front of me. I ran my fingers through my hair, my gaze fixed on the city lights beyond the large glass windows. A storm brewed inside me, and I couldn't shake it off.
"People here trembled at the mere thought of crossing paths with me. But her? That 5'5" storm of audacity dared to pour an entire cup of coffee on me. On me? Seriously... who does that?"
Flashback: Aahi's panicked expression as she spilled coffee on me, my composed yet stunned reaction lingering in the air.
"But that moment... the instant I caught her, my hand instinctively found its way to her waist..."
Flashback: I caught Aahi mid-fall, our eyes locking. Her eyes, squeezed shut in fear, slowly opened, meeting my intense gaze. Time seemed to stop.
"My heart... it stopped. Literally. The way she looked at me, as if the entire world vanished... Her cheeks flushed that perfect shade of pink. And for a second, I forgot who I was... or who I was supposed to be."
I sighed, my voice softening, conflicted. "Her eyes... they held an innocence that made you want to protect it. But me? I didn't protect... I destroyed. And that innocence? I wanted to ruin it. Not because I hated her... but because she made me feel something I couldn't afford to feel."
I slammed my hand on the desk, a frustrated growl escaping my lips as I shook my head, trying to erase the memory. Pacing the room, I wrestled with the emotions swirling within me.
"This isn't love. It can't be. It's infatuation, at best. But even then... why did her face keep invading my thoughts? Why did the memory of her soft voice, her shy yet defiant gaze, haunt me like this?"
Flashback: Aahi looking at me with gratitude and embarrassment, biting her lower lip. The scene dissolved into me looking away, masking my emotions.
"No. I couldn't go down this path. She wasn't someone you toyed with. She wasn't a fling. And the last thing I wanted was to break her heart when I didn't even know what I felt for her."
Later that night, I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, sleep evading me. Moonlight streamed through the windows, casting a serene glow. Something on the desk across the room caught my eye-a small ID card.
I got up, walked to the desk, and picked up the card. My eyes softened as I stared at Aahi's smiling picture.
"It wasn't like I'd never met a girl more beautiful than her. I had. But Aahi? There was something about her... something magical. Something I didn't want to lose... even though I knew I couldn't keep it."
With a heavy sigh, I clutched the ID card to my chest, leaning against the desk. The conflict in my eyes was palpable-desire, fear, and resignation warring within me.
