14

The room was quiet, the faint glow of Aryan's desk lamp casting soft shadows along the walls. He sat on his bed, his back resting against the headboard, phone in hand. His laptop was open beside him, though he hadn't been paying attention to it for a while. His thoughts were tangled—Tara's face, her eyes avoiding his, the softness in her when she let her guard down for even a second. Every moment replayed itself, pulling him deeper into the ache he had grown so familiar with.

His phone buzzed in his hand, snapping him out of his thoughts. Dad.

He answered quickly. "Hi, Dad."

"Hi, beta. How are you? Settling in well?" His father's voice was steady, healthier than it had been in a long time. The treatment was done now, and Aryan knew he was better, but still, that concern never really left him.

"Yeah... I'm good. Everything's fine here. How are you feeling? Why are you awake so early? It's only 6am."

"I'm good, beta. All clear now. You don't have to worry anymore. And I'm awake because I gotten into a habit of waking up earlier."

Aryan smiled faintly, the relief still hitting him every time he heard it. "I'm glad. Really glad, that you're fine."

There was a brief pause before his dad shifted the topic. "Have you thought about the studio? I managed to find one in your accommodation building. I think it's a good idea—you'll have your own space. It'll be better for you."

Aryan sighed, leaning his head back against the wall.

"Hmm... I don't really have an issue here, Dad. It's fine."

"I know, but trust me, it'll be better for you in the long run. Less noise, your own place... You can focus more—especially since you have the business to manage too."

Aryan closed his eyes for a moment. He knew his dad was right. "Okay... Fine. You can confirm it. I'll move."

"Great. I'll finish the payment and let you know when you need to shift."

There was another pause, and then his dad's voice softened. "Beta... Are you okay?"

Aryan's jaw tensed slightly. He knew what was coming.

"I heard about... her."

Aryan's chest tightened. "Dad... Don't worry about it. I'll manage."

"I know you will. But can I give you some advice?"

Aryan let out a small breath, already knowing he wouldn't refuse. "Yeah... Go on."

His father's tone was gentle but certain. "You can't change the past, beta. But you still have a say in your future. And look at the odds—she's still around you. That has to mean something."

Aryan closed his eyes, the weight of those words settling over him. "She'd probably run the other way if she saw me coming."

His dad chuckled lightly. "Since when did you give up, Aryan? You're a Deshmukh—you have Deshmukh genes. You've never backed down from anything before."

Aryan shook his head, his voice quieter now. "This is different, Dad. It's not about winning... She's not a prize. I don't want to... I don't know. I just want her to..."

He trailed off, frustrated by the knot of emotions he couldn't untangle.

His father understood. "I know she's not a prize, beta. But you can still win her—win her heart. The right way."

Aryan bit the inside of his cheek, his fingers lightly tapping the edge of his phone.

"Yeah... I get it."

The conversation slowed, the words hanging in the air. Finally, Aryan cleared his throat. "Just let me know when I need to move, okay?"

"I will. Take care, beta. And... don't lose hope."

Aryan nodded, even though his dad couldn't see it.

"You too, Dad. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

The call ended, and Aryan let the phone drop onto the bed beside him. He stared at the ceiling for a moment, his chest heavy with everything he was feeling—regret, hope, and that endless longing for what they had once been.

He didn't know if he could fix it. But he knew one thing for sure.

He was going to try.

~•~

The sun was out, casting a warm glow over the football field as Aryan and Karan ran down the pitch, their feet pounding against the grass in the midday. They were in the middle of an intense practice session with a few other guys from the university team. The air was full of laughter, the sound of boots kicking the ball, and the occasional shout as they played.

Aryan had missed this—the rush of the game, the camaraderie, the feeling of freedom it gave him. His thoughts weren't on Tara for once, just the ball at his feet, the energy of the game, and the competition.

When the whistle blew signaling the end of practice, the group jogged over to the side of the field to catch their breath, clapping each other on the back and exchanging grins.

Karan wiped the sweat off his forehead and looked at Aryan with a raised eyebrow. "Bro, wanna grab coffee and lunch? I've been craving something outside campus all day."

Aryan chuckled, his usual playful energy returning.

"Of course, man. Lead the way."

The two of them walked off the field together, talking casually, laughing about the game and teasing each other about missed passes or bad shots. They made their way to a nearby café, where they grabbed a table by the window. The cafe was busy, but the atmosphere was relaxed, the soft hum of conversations and clinking cups in the background. They ordered coffee, with Aryan getting his usual black coffee while Karan went for an iced latte.

They settled in, and for a while, the conversation was light, talking about courses, modules, and plans for the semester. "So, are you ready for the final project in the advanced coding class?" Karan asked, stirring his coffee. "It's gonna be brutal, man."

Aryan nodded, a little distracted, but listening. "Yeah, I'm working on it. Should be fine though."

There was a moment of silence between them, and Karan studied Aryan for a second before speaking up again. "Listen, can I ask you something?"

Aryan raised an eyebrow, intrigued but slightly hesitant. "Yeah, shoot."

Karan leaned forward, lowering his voice as if he wanted to make sure no one else could hear their conversation. "What's going on with you and Tara? I mean, I noticed it that day when we all met up. You two seemed like strangers. And from what I remember from first year, it wasn't like that at all. You guys were..." Karan trailed off, his expression pensive. "You were different."

Aryan sighed deeply, a heaviness settling in his chest as he thought about how much had changed. "You know, the reason I had to go to India... everything got messed up. I lost contact with everyone once I got back. There's.... A huge story behind that—which I'll tell maybe later. But she broke up with me, rightfully so. I was in a bad space for the last year. And by the time I was able to come back here, I didn't know how to face her, how to approach her. She's angry at me, and rightfully so. We broke up, and I... I didn't deserve her. I don't even know how she feels now."

Karan looked at him, then shook his head with a quiet laugh. "Aryan, you know it wasn't easy to win her over in the first place. You didn't just get her that easily. But trust me, man—she doesn't hate you. She's hurt. And I'm not gonna say that's something to just brush off. But I know she still looks at you with something. I saw it when we were all together the other day. You have a chance, bro. You're both still in the same friend group, and that's not a coincidence. It's your shot. Don't lose it."

Aryan sat back in his chair, his gaze distant as he thought about Karan's words. His chest felt tight again, but this time, it wasn't just with uncertainty. It was something else—something stronger, like a flicker of hope that had been buried too deep for too long.

"I never lost hope, Karan. I just... I don't know what to do. I don't know if she wants me to stay silent, if that's what she needs. For all I know, she'd rather be miles away from me."

Karan's eyes softened, his voice firm. "Look, man. You're not the kind of guy to give up, and you know it. She's your girl. How can you stand there, watching her with anyone else? Just imagine that. She's yours, Aryan. She always was. You need to show her that."

Aryan felt a rush of something sharp, something that was equal parts anger and determination. "I know she's mine. And she always was. But I... I just..." He cut himself off, the frustration leaking through his words. He rubbed his temples for a moment, exhaling slowly.

"I don't know what to do. I don't know how to make things right. I'm scared I'll make things worse instead of better."

Karan leaned in closer, his expression intense. "Listen to me, Aryan. She's hurting, yes. I'm not gonna tell you to ignore that. But you need to show her that you're still here for her. Let her yell at you, scream at you if she needs to. But let her do that in your arms, not in someone else's. And you—be the one who's there when she's done, when she's ready to heal. You're the one who needs to fix this, man. And you can. I know you can."

Aryan's eyes flickered with a new light, a sense of purpose coming back to him. "Yeah... I can do this."

The conversation seemed to pause, a calm settling between them. Just then, Aryan's eyes flickered to the window, and he saw her—Tara. She was walking toward campus with Aisha and Priya, unaware of him watching from across the street.

Karan saw where Aryan's gaze had gone, and he smiled knowingly. He placed a hand on Aryan's shoulder.

"She's yours, man. Get her. Go on."

Aryan's gaze never left Tara. He straightened up, his voice low but confident. "Yeah. She's mine. And I'm going to get her back."

He stood, his heart pounding with new resolve, the past, present, and future all crashing together in that one moment. As he looked at Tara walking toward campus, he knew what he had to do. And this time, he wasn't going to let her slip away. Not again.

💜