9 parts Ongoing As I stood on the terrace, the words "Now is the perfect time" echoed in my mind. I felt an overwhelming surge of emotion in my chest, and I finally mustered the courage to say the three precious words: "I love you, Maryam."
Maryam's smile faltered, and her eyes widened in surprise. She looked like she'd been punched in the gut, her face pale and her lips parted in shock. The sound of her father's voice calling from the house broke the silence: "Maryam!"
She turned toward the house, her voice barely above a whisper: "Na'am Baba." Her father replied, "Zo," and Maryam turned to walk away, leaving me standing alone on the terrace.
I called out to her, desperation creeping into my voice: "I'm going back to India tomorrow. Think about it, Maryam. Please, I need an answer before dawn."
Maryam turned back to me, her eyes brimming with tears. She smiled sadly, and my heart sank. "I don't need to think about it, Rohan," she said, her voice trembling. "You and I can never be."
I asked the question, already knowing the answer: "Why?"
Maryam's gaze held mine for a moment before she looked away, her voice barely above a whisper: "We're from different worlds, Rohan. The distance between us is like the distance between the sky and the earth... I'm sorry."
With that, she turned and walked away, leaving me standing alone on the terrace, my heart shattered into a million pieces.