Healing each other

chapter 54

Arnav playfully dipped his finger into the cupcake batter, tasting it with an exaggerated, thoughtful look. "Hmm... needs more sweetness," he teased, making Arohi laugh as she lightly hit his arm with the spatula.

Her laughter filled the kitchen, soft and bright-until, her phone buzzed again. Arohi glanced at the screen, and the color drained from her face. Her father. Her smile faltered instantly.

The phone kept ringing, and Arnav, still chewing on a stolen bite of cupcake, glanced over. "Sweetheart," he said gently, licking the frosting from his thumb, "you should pick that up."

Arohi gave a hesitant nod and stepped out of the kitchen. With trembling hands, she finally answered.

"Di! What took you so long to pick up?" came the chirpy voice from the other side.

Arohi let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Anaya... baacha, why didn't you call from your number?"

"My phone's broken. Forget that-I wanted to tell you we're in Mumbai! Please come home, na? I've missed you. I want to hug you badly, di."

Arohi bit her lip, eyes stinging. Facing her family again after five long months felt like stepping into fire. "I... I don't know if I can -"

"Then do it for me, just once, please?"

There was a pause before Arohi softly replied, "Okay. I'll come tomorrow."

"Promise?"

"Promise," she whispered.

"I love you, di."

"Love you too

Arohi turned after ending the call, only to find Arnav standing at the kitchen doorway, his eyes slightly glassy, his jaw clenched-not with anger, but something much heavier.

She walked to him, her brows furrowed.
"Arnav?" she asked gently.

He looked at her, then looked down again. Before he could step away, Arohi cupped his face in her hands. That's when she saw it-a single tear sliding down his cheek.

Her heart tightened.

"Hey... why are you crying?" she asked, softly brushing her thumb across his cheek.

Arnav blinked, struggling to keep his voice steady.
"I heard you say... 'I love you' and for a moment I..."
He paused, then looked at her with hesitant, glassy eyes.
"If you love someone, Arohi... I won't stop you. You deserve to be happy. Just... tell me who it is, and I'll find him. I'll check if he's good enough for you."

Arohi stood there, heart thudding quietly in her chest, watching the way his words shook-not from anger, but fear. Fear of not being enough. Fear of losing someone he never truly believed he could have.

She gently wiped the tear off his cheek, her voice calm, kind, and clear.

"You misunderstood, Arnav," she said, with a soft smile.
"But that's okay. You're human. We all jump to conclusions sometimes."

He looked at her, trying to read the emotion in her eyes.

"When I said 'I like you', I meant " you, Arnav," she whispered. "There is no one else."

For a long moment, neither of them said a word.

Then, Arnav's lips parted slightly, disbelief still flickering in his eyes, but his heart began to trust. Arohi rested her forehead against his chest, letting the silence wrap around them.

And he finally let himself hold her.

Not with confusion, not with hesitation-just quiet, overwhelming relief.