chapter 20

It was another quiet night in Ahmedabad. The kind where the city hummed softly in the distance, and the cool breeze from the balcony was a welcome relief after a long day. Aarti sat on her chair, her chai cup warm in her hands, but her thoughts were far away.  She had been trying to ignore the flutter in her chest whenever Kabir was near, trying to pretend that their easy friendship was just that—a friendship. But lately, it felt like she was lying to herself.  They had fallen into an easy routine—morning chai, evening chats, sharing silly jokes. But tonight felt different. Kabir was unusually quiet, his gaze drifting to the stars above them as he leaned on the railing.  Aarti watched him, her heart beating just a little faster.  Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of silence, Kabir spoke, his voice quieter than usual. “Mehta, there’s something I’ve been meaning to say.”  Aarti’s heart skipped a beat. She didn’t know why, but she felt suddenly nervous. “What’s up, Singh?”  Kabir turned to face her fully, his hands resting on the railing as he met her eyes. “I’ve been thinking a lot about this… about us. About how we’ve been hanging out, talking, laughing, and… honestly, it’s been the best part of my day for a while.”  Aarti swallowed, her palms suddenly sweaty. “I—um, yeah, me too. It’s nice, isn’t it?”  Kabir nodded but didn’t look away. “I value this, Aarti. I value you. And I’m not scared to admit that anymore. I don’t know where it’s going, but I’m not afraid to find out.”  Aarti’s breath caught in her throat. His words, simple and direct, were everything she had been trying to avoid. Everything she had been too scared to admit.  Her heart raced as she tried to form a response. She wasn’t sure what to say. She had spent so long guarding herself, keeping her emotions locked away, afraid of getting hurt. But here was Kabir, standing in front of her, saying all the things she had wished someone would say.  He was open. He was honest.  And for once, Aarti didn’t feel the need to hide.  She set her chai cup down and took a step closer to him. “Kabir…” Her voice was soft, unsure. “I’ve been scared. Scared that this—whatever this is—might complicate things. Scared that maybe I’m not… ready for it.”  He took a small step toward her, his expression gentle. “Complications don’t scare me, Mehta. And I don’t think you’re someone who needs to be ‘ready’ for anything. I think you just need to trust yourself. Trust us.”  Aarti’s heart pounded as she looked at him. “I want to, Kabir. I really do.”  Kabir smiled, his eyes filled with warmth. “Then we’ll take it slow, one step at a time. No pressure. Just us, figuring this out together.”  Aarti felt a weight lift off her shoulders. The uncertainty that had clouded her thoughts for so long seemed to dissipate in an instant. There was something about Kabir’s honesty, his openness, that made her believe this could work.  “I think I can do that,” she whispered.  Kabir’s smile widened, and before she knew it, he had reached out, gently taking her hand in his. The touch was simple, yet it sent a ripple of warmth through her.  “We’ll take it slow,” he said again, his voice steady. “But I’m here, Aarti. And I want to see where this goes.”  Aarti looked at their hands, then up into his eyes. For the first time in a long while, she felt like maybe, just maybe, she didn’t need to be afraid.  “Me too,” she said softly.  And in that moment, under the soft glow of the fairy lights on their balconies, Aarti knew that whatever happened next, it was worth exploring.. To be continue...