A tale of love ,
A tale of healing ,
A tale of trust ,
A tale of discoveries ,
Nothing changed, yet she felt the loss,
But you can't lose something that never was yours
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Started - 11th April 2024
1K reads- 3rd...
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The low hum of the airplane engines thrummed in Shri’s ears, a steady vibration beneath her fingertips as she traced the edge of the foldable tray table in front of her. The air inside the cabin was cool, sterile, carrying the faint scent of coffee and fabric softener from the flight attendants’ uniforms.
Her heart pounded, a slow and heavy rhythm against her ribs, but she forced herself to sit still, her hands folded in her lap. She had made it this far. There was no turning back now.
She tilted her head against the window, staring at the endless stretch of sky outside. Clouds drifted lazily beneath them, a sea of white that looked almost soft enough to touch. Zimbabwe was still hours away, but her mind had already landed there.
Riyan Parag.
She whispered the name in her mind, letting the syllables roll over her like a forgotten melody.
He was real.
That should have been a comfort. It should have given her a sense of relief, knowing that she hadn’t imagined him. That every moment she had spent in that other life—every conversation, every shared glance, every touch—had been tethered to something real.
And yet, it didn’t bring her peace.
Because reality had a cruel way of rewriting stories.
In this world, Riyan Parag did not love her.
Worse—he didn’t even know she existed.
Her stomach twisted painfully at the thought. She had spent days preparing herself for this, trying to convince herself that she could handle it. That she was strong enough to face him, to watch him move through the world as if she had never been a part of it.
But now, sitting 30,000 feet above the ground, she wasn’t sure anymore.
How was she supposed to look into the eyes of the person who had once held her so tenderly, who had whispered secrets into the hollow of her throat, who had kissed her like she was the only thing that mattered— —only to realize those eyes wouldn’t recognize her at all?
She clenched her fists, nails pressing into her palms.
Aarav had called this closure. He had said she needed to see it for herself, that it was the only way to finally let go.
But what if seeing him didn’t make it easier?
What if it made everything worse?
What if, instead of closing a door, it flung it wide open, letting all the feelings she had been trying to lock away rush back in, stronger and more unbearable than before?
Her throat ached as she swallowed hard.
She thought about the first time she had met him—really met him. The way he had looked at her like she was something precious, something irreplaceable. The warmth in his touch, the quiet intensity in his voice when he said her name.
