4|"Shattered hope"

Aaradhya’s mind was still racing as she left the hospital, the tension from her encounter with Zeeshan lingering in the pit of her stomach.

She barely remembered the drive home, her thoughts consumed with the unsettling feeling he had left behind.

What was it about him that made her so drawn to him? What was it that he wanted from her?

Her hands gripped the steering wheel tighter as she pulled into the driveway, the familiar sight of her home doing little to ease the weight on her chest. She needed space.

She needed peace.

But as soon as she stepped inside, the sharp voices of her parents echoed through the house, slicing through the silence.

“I’m not asking for much, Aarav!” her mother’s voice was raised, trembling with frustration.

“Why can’t you ever understand? I can’t keep doing everything alone!”

“I do my best, Misha !” Aarav’s voice boomed back, a harsh edge to his tone.

“But I have my own work, my own responsibilities! You think I don’t know how much you do?”

Aaradhya paused in the doorway, frozen.

It wasn’t unusual for them to argue, but tonight felt different. The tension was thick, crackling in the air.

“Always the same excuse!” her mother snapped.

“You’re never here when I need you, never here when things get difficult.

I’m tired of carrying this family on my own!”

Aaradhya winced at the words, the familiar sting of her parents' constant tension sinking deep.

They were always on edge, and tonight was no exception.

She quietly set down her bag and walked down the hall, her heart heavy.

She could feel the heat of their anger radiating from the living room, but she didn’t want to get involved.

Not tonight. Not when her mind was already in turmoil.

Just as she was about to retreat to her room, her father’s voice grew louder.

“Maybe if you showed me some respect, I’d have the time to care about what you’re complaining about! You don’t even see what I do for this family, do you?”

Aaradhya’s breath caught in her throat. She didn’t want to hear this. She didn’t want to feel this helplessness wash over her again.

But her mother’s next words stopped her in her tracks.

“Respect? Is that what you call this? You’re not the only one working hard, Aarav.

You’re not the only one struggling, but I guess you wouldn’t know that, would you?”

Tears welled up in Aaradhya’s eyes, but she quickly wiped them away, angry at herself for even allowing them to form.

She wasn’t a child anymore. She couldn’t fix their problems, couldn’t heal the cracks that had formed between them over the years.

But God, how she wished she could.

The shouting continued, and Aaradhya made her way to her room, closing the door softly behind her.

The quiet of her room felt like a distant oasis, but even here, the weight of everything lingered. Zeeshan’s cryptic words, her parents' endless fights, and the sense that she was losing control of everything around her.

She sank into her chair, staring at the window as the evening light dimmed.

Everything feels broken, she thought, her chest aching with the truth of it.

Aaradhya sat by her window, staring into the fading light of the evening.

The sound of her parents’ voices drifted through the walls, muffled but still sharp enough to cut through the stillness in her mind.

She didn’t know how much longer she could keep pretending like everything was fine.

Her family, her life—everything seemed like it was falling apart in slow motion.

Her phone buzzed, pulling her from her thoughts. She glanced at the screen, hoping for some distraction from the storm brewing in her chest.

It was a text from Dr. Mehra.

“I hope you’re doing alright after today’s session. Remember, take things slow with Zeeshan. It’s going to take time.”

Aaradhya exhaled, her fingers hovering over the keyboard as she considered responding.

She knew Dr. Mehra was right. She couldn't rush things with Zeeshan.

There were too many layers to peel back, too many complexities she didn’t understand. But the pull he had on her—the way he looked at her, like she was the only one who could help him—was haunting.

Was she the key?

She shook her head, tossing her phone onto the bed.

She needed a moment to breathe, to think clearly, to escape from the weight of everything.

Her eyes scanned her room, searching for something that would give her peace.

Her gaze landed on the bookshelf by the corner of her room, its contents comforting in their familiarity. She hadn’t read for pleasure in a while.

Lately, the books had been more of a distraction than an escape. But tonight, she needed something—anything—that could take her mind off the chaos.

She picked up a random novel, the pages yellowed with age, and flipped it open.

But before she could read a single word, her phone buzzed again, this time louder.

She sighed, already knowing who it was.

It was her father.

“Aaradhya, come down here.”

Reluctantly, she stood up, feeling the weight of her parents’ tension pressing down on her shoulders.

She could already guess what this was about. Her father probably wanted to talk to her about her mother’s outbursts.

It wasn’t the first time they’d fought, but tonight felt... different. It felt like something was about to break.

She walked down the hallway, her heart sinking with each step.

When she reached the living room, her father was sitting on the couch, his face etched with frustration and exhaustion.

Aaradhya hesitated, not sure how to begin. "You wanted to talk?"

He looked up, his expression softening as he saw her.

His voice was quieter now, the anger from earlier replaced by something else—something she couldn’t quite name.

“I’m sorry, Aaradhya,” he said, his voice hoarse.

“Your mother and I... we’ve been through a lot lately. It’s not your fault.”

Aaradhya swallowed hard, the lump in her throat threatening to choke her. “You don’t have to apologize, Dad.

I just... I don’t know what’s happening to us.

To this family. It feels like everything is falling apart.”

Her father sighed, rubbing his temple as if the weight of it all had finally caught up with him. “I know, kiddo.

I know. I don’t know what’s wrong with us, but I promise we’re going to figure it out. We have to.”

Aaradhya’s heart ached for him. She knew he was trying his best.

They both were.

But sometimes, trying your best wasn’t enough, and the cracks grew wider with each passing day.

She sat down beside him, her voice small but steady.

“I don’t want to feel like this anymore. Like I’m losing control of everything around me.”

Her father reached out, his hand resting on hers.

“You’re not alone in this, Aaradhya. We’ll get through it, I promise.”

But as she looked into his eyes, something deep inside her told her that maybe this time, promises weren’t enough.

The room felt cold, the silence growing heavy again.

It was like a dark cloud hanging over them, and no one knew how to chase it away.

Aaradhya squeezed her father’s hand before standing up, feeling the familiar ache in her chest.

“I’m going to my room. I just need some time alone.”

Her father nodded, understanding. “Take your time. We’ll talk more later.”

As she walked back to her room, she couldn't shake the feeling that everything she had been running from—her family’s struggles,

She closed the door behind her, leaning against it, feeling utterly alone.

---

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