It's A Love Story (Edited)

The beginning

Swara's POV

The chirping of birds outside barely reaches me as I lie in bed, my pillow a fragile shield against the world. My face is streaked with the remnants of tears, and despite my peaceful slumber, my heart is restless. The reality of my situation weighs heavily on me, a constant reminder that love—while often celebrated as the pinnacle of happiness—can also be a source of profound pain.

"Swara... Swa... RA!"

The urgent call from outside my room jolts me awake. My mother, Dimple, is persistent, and I can hear the frustration in her voice. Despite my groggy state and overwhelming sadness, I manage to mumble a response.

"Mom, please... just five more minutes."

Her sigh is audible through the door, filled with exasperation.

"No, Swara! Get up now, or you'll be late for college. Since you enrolled late, I don't want you to be late on your first day!"

Defeated, I reply, "Okay, Mom... I'll be out in 20 minutes."

With that, my mother leaves, and I'm left to confront my tangled thoughts. My life seems like a series of moments I'm forced to endure, a cruel joke where I'm supposed to pretend everything is okay.

I'm Swara Rastogi—daughter of Dimple Rastogi, an interior designer, and Ajay Rastogi, who works for the PWD. From the outside, my life looks perfect, but inside, I'm broken.

It's been a month since I decided to face the world again. Today marks the beginning of my Mass Communication program at BFIT College. The thought of reuniting with my friends, and particularly facing Laksh Sharma, fills me with dread. He was everything to me—my partner, my confidant. But after our high school graduation, he left without a word, shattering my heart. Today is the first time in three months I'll see him again, and I'm unsure if I'm ready to confront the emotions he stirs within me.

I've tried to avoid him, even considered changing colleges to escape his presence, but a promise to Ragini—a promise to join her at this college—kept me here. I refuse to let Laksh come between me and my friendships.

I dress in white jeans and a mustard-colored top, my hair left loose and simple. There's no effort to impress anyone; today, I'm merely existing.

I head to the dining hall where my father watches me with concern. Our conversations have been non-existent for months, ever since the breakup with Laksh. They know something's wrong but don't know the full story. Today, like every other day, I grab my toast, exchange a quick kiss on the cheek with my parents, and head out.

My heart races as I approach the college. The anxiety of facing my friends—and Laksh—threatens to overwhelm me. I'm unsure how to act, how to smile, or even how to appear okay. Lost in my thoughts, I'm startled when I realize I'm already at the college entrance.

I make my way to the administrator's office to collect my timetable. As I scroll through my phone, I accidentally bump into someone, scattering papers everywhere.

"Hey, can't you walk properly? Don't you have eyes? You walk like this is your father's office. Newsflash: when you walk, look ahead, not at your phone."

The voice is dripping with sarcasm. The boy smirks, his arrogance palpable, before walking away without waiting for a response.

"Great. Just what I needed. Mr. Oversmart, the jerk. What a wonderful start to my day..." I mutter to myself.

Just then, a familiar voice calls out my name. I turn to see Ragini walking toward me, her face serious. A smile tugs at my lips as I rush to hug her. Her arms wrap around me tightly, and for a moment, I feel a glimmer of comfort.

"Where the hell were you? No calls, no texts, nothing. You're late to college by a whole month! I thought you were ditching me and our dream college."

"Oh my god, Ragu, you're so dramatic. I was with my uncle in Hawaii. He had some health issues, and I needed to clear my head."

Rajat joins us, and his concern is evident.

"You could've told us, Swara. We were all so worried."

I turn to him with a faint smile. "Sorry, Rajat. It was an honest mistake. I won't disappear like that again, I promise."

I hug Kavya next and reassure her as well. But then, I stop dead in my tracks. There he is—Laksh, standing at the edge of the group, his eyes moist. The man who shattered my heart into a thousand pieces.

"Hey," Laksh says softly.

"Hey," I reply quietly.

Laksh begins to speak, but the college bell rings, providing a much-needed escape. I let out a breath of relief and turn toward my class, making sure to avoid Laksh's gaze. I'm not ready to confront him yet. Not today.