In Another Life

"In another life, we might fall in lo-" the words caught in my throat, strangled by the tears and knowledge of reality that threatened to drown me.

"No. You know we never will. Marry a guy you truly love Safa. Goodbye." Those were Azaan's last words to me, spoken on a night etched into my soul-May 17, 2014. That night, I clung to my pillow, tears soaking the fabric, and prayed to every god that might be listening, begging them to send me to a universe where I didn't have to lose my best friend, my first love. Alas, no god listened until a decade later - a decade too late.

Imagine quite literally running into your first love in a different decade, a different life. But in this decade, he is married and so are you. His face is a painful reminder of what never could be, yet he carries none of the memories that tortured you for a decade. Can muscle memory of beating hearts and fluttering kisses transcend time and fate? Or will Safa and Azaan, bound by a love that was never meant to be, simply pass each other by as strangers, as they have in countless lives before?

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Disclaimer: The following novel contains content some readers may find disturbing. Instances of child and sexual abuse, mental trauma, sexual scenes, disrespect towards certain religions, and mature language may be found throughout the novel. The characters' actions do not reflect the author's beliefs. Read at your discretion.

Perhaps I write too many tragedies, so fate refused me a happy ending. Regardless, Safa will have a happy ending even if Alya cannot.