A Lot Like Moon & Stars | ✓

16 | antares

xvi.

A N T A R E S (brightness in the night sky)

It takes everything in me to stand in front of Mr. Dobriyal. I wrap my arms around myself, feeling my insides trembled, fingers clawing at the sadness thrumming through my veins. With my eyes open, I can see that the man standing in front of me is broken on the outside. But if I close my eyes, I'll see him dead in the inside.

I take a deep breath just to check if I'm whole. I let out the breathe slowly, slowly, slowly it will go away, it will go away silently like all the other things, and the realization hurting when I take another.

"What are you pondering over so much, Virat?" he asks, his voice resonating through the entire corridor. Glancing up at him, and trudge towards him.

"That whether am I going to be a dead man walking or an alive man dying after Tara dies." I answer with a stoic face.

Mr. Dobriyal closes his eyes for a brief moment and sighs. "Can we just pretend to be happy at least for her sake? She doesn't deserve your pessimistic attitude." he grits through his teeth, his brown eyes downcast.

"You out of all people talking about pessmisim is kind of am irony, specially when you're the reason why Tara's not going for the operation. Why don't you understand that we both would succumb to our sorrows eventually in her absence. We both would die anyway if she does." My blood boils from inside due to anger, but I try to keep the sharpness in my undertone to the minimum.

Well, try.

"No." Tara's voice comes from behind and before I know it, a hand links mine. She threads her fingers through mine gently and reverently, "You both won't die even if I do," she says, looking at her dad with a bitter smile. "Because the body will fight even if the soul has surrendered. The body will keep you alive even if your soul has died. The body will love you even if the soul has no one to love."

I give a piece of myself in the breathe as I smile at her. Tara leaves no stone unturned to make me realise why do I love her so much.

"Tara's right, Virat. I loved Misha too. And see, I'm neither a dead man walking nor an alive man dying. I'm just the same Arnav who was, and is irrevocably in love with Misha. But Virat," he turns towards me and gives me a soft expression, "You're a young man, you do deserve a second chance"

"So does Tara! I can't let Tara go." I tell him, my eyes moistening.

"That's because your love is young and innocent, vulnerable and hesitant." he replies while Tara simply nods at me, the hold of her hands on mine getting firmer.

I shake my head, letting out a dry chuckle. "No Uncle, my love is hopeful and brave. Because it takes everything in me to convince myself that Tara needs this life-threatening operation badly as it's the only way we can fight. She wants is as much as I do." Tara's hand leaves mine, as I grasp at the empty space. I try to reach out for her as her fingers slip past mine and she takes a step away from me. Suddenly I can feel the bolstering heat on my skin, and the cold, rough granite against my feet. They feel unforgiving just like the look Tara gives me.

"Tara still wants the operation?" Uncle asks, taken aback.

"No dad." Tara answers a little too quickly which makes Uncle a little too suspicious.