Aarohi was halfway down the street when her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, seeing her mother's name on the screen. A rush of guilt hit her, but she hesitated before answering.
"Hello?" she said quietly, her voice almost a whisper as she braced herself.
âAarohi, where are you?â Neelam's voice was strained, laced with tension. âYou need to come home right now. Your father and I... we need to talk to you.â
Aarohi stood still for a moment, her heart pounding. She could sense the worry in her motherâs tone, the way her voice trembled as though holding back more than just concern. It wasnât just about her absence at the wedding; something more was at play. Something that felt like it had shifted in their relationship, something she couldnât explain.
"I'm sorry, Mom. I... I had something urgent to attend to at college," she said, trying to sound convincing, though the lie felt heavy in her chest.
There was a long pause before Neelam spoke again. âAarohi, please... donât make this harder than it is. Your sister is hurt, and your father... heâs doing his best to keep everything together. Vihaan and his parents are here, and theyâre asking about you. Please come back. I donât want to explain this any further.â
Aarohiâs grip on her phone tightened. Her motherâs plea hit her harder than she expected. Her thoughts, which had been so focused on avoiding the wedding, now swirled with guilt. How had she allowed herself to get to this point? She hadnât even considered the strain her absence would cause. She wasnât just avoiding a wedding; she was letting down her family, her sister. She was leaving them to face Vihaanâs family alone.
Her breath caught in her throat, and she felt a lump form. "Okay, Iâll come back." The words left her lips almost automatically, but inside, she felt torn between going back to face everything sheâd been trying to escape and staying away to preserve the fragile space sheâd built for herself.
Before she could second-guess herself, she hung up and stood there for a moment, her mind swirling with conflicting emotions. She had left in anger and frustration, feeling trapped in a situation she didnât want, but now, with her family calling her back, she realized just how much she had hurt them.
Aarohi let out a slow breath. She knew she had to go back. She couldnât leave her parents to bear the full weight of the situation, especially not when they were already under so much pressure. But the thought of returning to the weddingâto face Vihaan, to face the entire mess she had been trying to avoidâmade her stomach turn.
With her heart heavy and a mind filled with questions, she slowly turned and began walking back toward home. Her steps were slow at first, unsure, but gradually, the weight of guilt and the call of responsibility pushed her forward. Each step felt like a heavy burden, but she couldnât stop now.
Aarohi had made her choice, though it didnât feel like a choice at all. It felt more like she was being pulled back into the life she had tried to escape. The life she hadnât been able to control.
As she walked closer to her house, the sounds of the wedding still faintly echoing in the distance, she could feel the heaviness of what was to come. The wedding. Vihaan. Her family. And most of all, herselfâwho she had been avoiding for so long.
With every step, she realized she couldnât keep running.