What I Couldn't Save

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Dhruvin chased after Aashna the moment she walked away, his legs moving before his brain even caught up. His heart pounded, not from exertion, but from the sheer panic that clawed at his chest.

When he finally caught up to her, she was wiping at her face furiously, as if trying to erase the evidence of her pain.

Without missing a beat, he looked at her and whispered, "Your place or mine?"

Aashna blinked, thrown off by his question. "What?"

He met her eyes, his expression unreadable. "Your place or mine, Aashu?"

Realization dawned on her. "Mine," she answered immediately. She needed space, but not solitude. She needed him, but in silence.

"My parents and Aryan have gone to our native place. They won’t be home for two or three days. And I don’t want Aaji and Aajoba to see you like this."

Dhruvin simply nodded, seeing her hug herself against the cold air of the night. Without a word, Dhruvin peeled off his hoodie—having a T-shirt underneath—and helped her put it on. She slipped into it, her fingers grasping at the fabric as if it provided her a lifeline. He didn’t question it. Instead, he walked to his bike, started the engine, and turned back to her. "Hop on."

The ride to her apartment was quiet, except for the occasional sniffle from Aashna. Dhruvin’s grip on the handles tightened each time he heard it. He wished he could take her pain away, bear it himself if it meant she never had to feel like this again.

When they reached, he led her inside and made her sit on the sofa. Without saying a word, he fetched her a glass of water and crouched before her, watching her carefully as she sipped it. He didn’t push, didn’t rush. He just waited.

And finally, when her breathing steadied, he asked, "Aashu, what happened back then?"

She placed the glass down with shaking hands, staring at it as if it held all the answers. "It started in fifth standard," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath. "You were in seventh. It began as stupid pranks—tripping me in hallways, stealing my lunch, name-calling. But it got worse."

Dhruvin’s chest tightened as he watched her struggle to get the words out.

"He tore my notes, Dhruvin. Every single one of them. Right before exams. I had to beg teachers for extra copies, had to stay up nights rewriting everything. He cut my hair once in the middle of class, and nobody did anything. He burned my hand with a lighter once. Just because he wanted to see how much I could endure before I cried. He poured water on me, making sure I had to walk around drenched, humiliated. He put garbage in my bag. He made me steal from my parents and give him money. And it went on… for four years."

Dhruvin’s hands curled into fists, his knuckles turning white. His entire body trembled as he absorbed every word. His breathing grew heavier, his anger simmering to the surface, but he forced himself to stay still. To listen. Because this wasn’t about him. It was about her.

Aashna took a deep breath, but it hitched in her throat. "In ninth standard…" Her fingers clutched the fabric of his hoodie, as if grounding herself. "He touched me."

Dhruvin snapped.

His entire body tensed, his jaw clenched so tight it ached, his vision blurred with rage. His nails dug into his palms so hard he thought they’d break the skin. He was vibrating with fury, barely containing the urge to tear the world apart.

Aashna reached for his hands and held them in her own, her grip firm yet fragile. "That was when I realized I couldn’t take it anymore. I begged my parents to transfer me. It was mid-semester, so close to boards, but they agreed. And that’s when it all started—the anxiety, the panic attacks. I shut everyone out. I befriended books. They were safe. They didn’t hurt me."

Dhruvin was crying. He hadn’t even realized it until she wiped away a tear that had rolled down his cheek. He caught her hand, pressing it against his face as he let out a shaky breath. "But why don’t I remember any of this? I was there, Aashu. I was in the same school. Why don’t I remember seeing you go through this?"

Aashna’s lips trembled. "Because you weren’t really there, Dhruv. You were going through your own struggles. You barely spoke to anyone. You were distant, lost in your own world. Your brain probably shut out everything else." Her voice wavered as she looked at him, her eyes filled with pain. "And I never wanted you to remember."

Dhruvin stilled. "Why?"

Aashna let out a shuddering breath, her own tears falling freely now. "Because I knew this would happen. You’d blame yourself. You’d hurt for me. But, Dhruvin, it wasn’t your fault. It was never your fault, my baby."

The endearment broke him.

Dhruvin pulled her into his arms, crushing her against his chest as he sobbed. She clung to him, her own tears soaking his shirt. They cried—cried for the lost years, for the pain she endured, for the guilt that weighed heavy on his heart.

"You’re fine now," he whispered against her hair, his voice raw. "You’re safe now. I’ll protect you. Always."

She pulled back slightly, looking up at him with red-rimmed eyes. "I’m sorry."

"Don’t you dare be sorry," he said, cupping her face. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

Aashna let out a broken sob and buried herself into his embrace again. They held each other for what felt like hours, their bodies trembling from the weight of everything that had finally surfaced.

And then, as the cries subsided, the rage set in.

Dhruvin wiped his face, his entire demeanor shifting. He stood up, his hands still shaking, but this time from unfiltered anger. "I will kill him."

Aashna’s eyes widened in fear. "Dhruvin—"

"No, Aashna," he growled, voice dripping with fury. "He doesn’t get to walk around like nothing happened. He doesn’t get to live his life like he didn’t destroy yours."

He turned towards the door, his breathing heavy, but before he could take a step, Aashna grabbed his wrist, her grip desperate. "Not today," she pleaded. "Please, don’t leave me."

Dhruvin froze.

His anger battled with the sight of her—a broken girl who had spent years suffering in silence. Right now, she didn’t need revenge. She needed him.

Slowly, he turned back and sat beside her. Taking her hands in his, he kissed her knuckles, his forehead resting against hers. "I’m not going anywhere. Not today, not ever."

Aashna let out a relieved breath as she held onto him tighter. For the first time in years, she wasn’t alone.

And neither was he.

❤️❤️❤️

Author’s Note

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