𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 ♡ - | CHAPTER 62 |

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I watched her sleeping beside me, her body curled into mine as if she belonged nowhere else. A soft smile crept onto my lips. She looked so peaceful.

I kissed her temple gently, my fingers running through her hair like she was made of porcelain. My lips brushed her forehead again before I pulled her even closer into my chest.

I reached over and pulled the duvet above us. She shifted slightly, murmuring in her sleep, and I immediately stroked her head slowly, calming her into a deeper sleep.

How do I tell this woman I love her beyond reason?

How do I make her see that even if she pushes me away, I will never leave her? I promised her I wouldn’t.

My love for her is the kind that doesn’t vanish. It stays even when it hurts, even when it’s not returned the same way. Even if she is the one asking me to walk away.

My mind wandered back…
Back to that day. Seven years ago. The day everything changed. The day when I know how much she loves me.

FLASHBACK–

I stood there, shocked, my heart pounding. I couldn’t believe what I had just heard.

She had looked at me with calm, steady eyes. There wasn’t a hint of doubt in them. No fear. No hesitation. Only silence. Only detachment.

And it broke me.

“I can’t do this anymore… I am tired, Vihaan,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

It felt like someone had stabbed me right through the chest.

The rain had started falling, pouring down on us like the universe was crying with me.

Anger surged through me. My fists clenched at my sides, my jaw tightened, and I took a step closer.

But then…I saw her eyes.
Her hazel brown eyes,.always glowing, always full of mischief and life-Now it looks empty. Hollow.

Like something inside her had been taken away, and all that was left like a faded version of the my Ruh I once loved.

I wanted to ask her what happened. I wanted to hold her and shake her and beg her to fight. But I didn’t.

Because I was afraid.
Afraid that if I spoke, I would say something that would push her even further away.

And I couldn’t risk that.

So I stayed silent. For the first time ever, I ignored what her eyes were screaming. I didn’t listen to the unspoken words in them. She wanted to let go of me.

So I will.

“Fine,” I whispered, my voice cracking. I took a shaky breath.

“If that’s what you want, I won’t stop you,” My lips trembled. My breath hitched.

I let out a dry, humorless laugh as tears blurred my vision.

“You think I will be okay without you? You really believe that?” I asked, pain dripping from every word.

“You think leaving me will fix everything?”

I paused, swallowing the lump in my throat.

“It’s good I am leaving tomorrow then,” I said bitterly, emotionless.

“You won’t have to see me again. You will finally be free of me. That’s what you wanted, right?”My voice cracked on the last word.

A tear slid down my cheek.

And it was just the beginning of the storm inside me.

She gasped, “No, Vihaan…”

She reached for me, grabbing my wrist tightly.

“Please… don’t say that. It’s hurting me,” she said, her voice trembling, her eyes finally betraying her own pain.

Her touch… I could feel it.
But her distance?
Her silence?
That hurt even more.

I wanted to scream, but I didn’t.
Because I knew she hated raised voices. And I will never raise my voice at her.

I took a deep breath, trying to hold it together, “And what about me, Ruhanika?”

I asked, my voice was low and broken, “Do you think this doesn’t hurt me?”

Before she could answer, I pulled her into my arms.

Our bodies pressed together as the rain poured harder, soaking us both.

Our foreheads touched, our breaths mingled, our tears blending with the rain.

My fingers gripped her as if I was afraid she’d disappear-because deep down, I knew…She would.

And I am not ready for that.

I wanted to hold her. Fix it. But I was too scared.

“You hurt me so much today,” I whispered, brushing my lips against hers, “And still… all I want is to hold you like this.”

“I always just wanted to see you happy, Ruh. So we will do it your way. If this is what makes you happy… then I will give it to you.”

I kissed the corner of her lips, the softest kiss I have ever placed, filled with longing. A trembling, broken kiss.

“Ruhanika… please…take care of my Ruh,” I whispered.

And that…That broke me. That was the hardest sentence I have ever said in my life.

Because I knew…if I stayed, it would only bring more pain to us both.

Maybe it’s not the right time.

So I turned around.
I left.

Not because I stopped loving her.
But because I loved her too much to stay and see her hurt.

I didn’t know what I was doing. My head was spinning, my chest burning.

I didn’t expect things to end like this.

When I looked back one last time, she was still there…..crying.

Her lehenga was soaked and muddy from the rain, and every part of me screamed to run back and wipe her tears.

But I couldn’t.

I just couldn’t.

•••••

I sat quietly in the corner of my room, numb. Her diary pressed tightly to my chest, like I was holding a part of her.

My hands shook as I flipped through the pages again. I kept reading that same line again and again…. the one where she wrote how she liked me, how she had feelings for me.

Seven little dried flowers were stuck to the page, perfectly preserved.

Each one like a memory she never wanted to let go.

Then why did she let me go? Didn’t she trust my love?

Why is she hurting herself like this? Why can’t she just let me be there for her? I know what she’s thinking…. I know every thought that runs through her mind. I know her fears, her silence, her pain.

I remembered that day in the hospital……when I saw her lying there. Pale. Motionless. Tubes attached. That day… I realised how deeply I loved her.
I still can’t breathe whenever this image came to my mind.

Since then, I couldn’t sleep at night unless I was in her room.
I kept watching her breathe, scared she would take those pills again.
I was terrified I would lose her.

I closed my eyes, and her face flashed in front of me. So weak. So broken. But it wasn’t her fault.
She wasn’t okay…..not mentally, not emotionally.

Maybe…..maybe this isn’t the right time for us.

There was a soft knock on the door.
“Vihu, are you there?” It was my mom’s voice.

I didn’t say anything.

A second later, the door creaked open. She stepped in, holding a tired smile.

“Finally, the reception is over,” she sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Did you pack everything for tomorrow?”

I didn’t move.

“Vihaan?” Still no response.

She walked closer to me, and I suddenly turned around and hugged her tightly. Like a child. Like a son who had no strength left to handle alone.

“What happened?” she asked, shocked.

I fell to the floor, my arms still around her waist as she sat in my bed. I buried my face in her lap. I didn’t speak. My throat burned. My chest ached. My heart…was breaking.

She ran her fingers through my hair, her voice a little bit panicked, “Vihaan, you are scaring me. Please, talk to me.”

“I am fine…”I whispered, “I am just going to miss you all.”

“That’s not it.” Her voice softened.

“something is wrong. Tell me the truth.”

I couldn’t hold it anymore. I broke down completely.

“It’s about Ruhanika…” she whispered.

I froze.

She knew it.

She had always known it.

I nodded.

“She said she don’t want to be with me anymore, Mom.”

She didn’t say anything. She just kept running her hand through my hair.

“She said….she is not good enough for me. That I deserve better. That she only makes things worse for me…” My voice cracked.

“But how do I explain to her that… she is My Ruh. My peace. My everything.”

My voice broke.

“I have never loved anyone before, Mom. But this? This hurts so bad. I feel like there’s a hole in my chest I can’t fix.”

My mom pulled me closer. Her hands were shaking too now.

“She is hurting too, beta. She just doesn’t know how to show it” Mom said softly, her fingers still stroking my hair.

I didn’t reply for a moment. My throat felt dry, my heart heavy.

“She asked me to walk away…..and I did,” I whispered. “I only did it because I thought it would help her… but now it feels like I left a part of me behind.”

Mom reached out, wiping the tears rolling down my cheeks with the end of her dupatta. She looked at me….not just as her son, but as someone who was learning the hard truths of life and love.

“Sometimes,” she began, her voice tender but steady, “when people are drowning in their own pain……they push away the very person who wants to save them. Not because they want to lose them, but because they are scared they will pull that person down too.”

I looked up at her slowly, eyes red and teary.

“I wanted to be the one who stood by her, Mom” I said brokenly.

“I wanted to help her through this. I didn’t want her to feel alone.”

“I know, Vihu,” she whispered, placing a kiss on my forehead.

“But listen Vihu….love isn’t always about holding on with both hands. Sometimes, love means stepping back. Staying close, but giving the other person space to heal. It’s about being there….silently, patiently….so they know they can return when they are ready.”

I sniffled, trying to hold in another wave of emotion, “Do you think…do you think she will come back?”

Mom paused for a second, then nodded slowly, “I think… she’s already missing you, Vihaan. She just doesn’t know how to say it yet. Right now, her mind is clouded….by guilt, pain, fear….Let her breathe. Let her find herself again. And…. if your love is as true as you believe it is…. she will find her way back to you.”

Her words felt like a bandage over an open wound.

I buried my face deeper into her lap. Her presence made me feel small in the best way like a child who still had someone to run to when the world got too heavy.

“You are still young, Vihaan,” she said gently.

“You are both just teenagers….still figuring yourselves out. And with that comes heartbreak, misunderstandings, mistakes. These things…..they are part of growing up.”

I didn’t speak…I just listened.

“This was bound to happen one day,” she continued softly.

“Your first time feeling to someone…it’s beautiful, but it’s not always easy. Sometimes it breaks you open in ways you don’t expect. But it also teaches you how deep you can feel… how much you are capable of loving.”

I looked up at her again, a question in my eyes.

“Then what do I do now?”

She smiled warmly and cupped my face in her hands.

“You keep loving her, quietly if you must. You focus on being the best version of yourself….not for her only, but for you also. And if she finds her way back… you will both be stronger. And if she doesn’t…” she paused, a little sad, “then you will still become someone stronger because of that love.”

I didn’t say anything.

I just let myself cry again not the same kind of cry as before. This one was quieter, more peaceful.

She didn’t try to stop me. She just held me tighter.

And in that moment, I realised maybe what I needed right now wasn’t a solution, or even hope.

I just needed this her arms, her words, and the reminder that even if my heart was broken… I wasn’t alone.

And I know….my Ruh will come back to me. She just needs time, and I am ready to give her that.

I have seen it in her eyes.
Those beautiful hazel-brown eyes that always pull me in, no matter how far I go. They weren’t lying…they still hold so much love for me.

Even if her lips couldn’t say it, her eyes did.

She loves me.
I know she does….to the moon and back.

•••••

I couldn’t breathe.

I woke up feeling like something heavy was pressing on my chest.

My eyes fluttered open, and I realized I was in my bed.
I didn’t even remember when sleep took over me. I let out a deep sigh….It must have been Mom.

The blanket felt too tight. The air inside the room too still. I sat up, my throat dry, heart pounding.

And then I realized what I was missing. Her.

I walked to the balcony, desperate for a glimpse of her against the window like always…but tonight, even the curtains were shut. No light. No sound. Just silence. That kind of silence that screams something’s not right.

I rubbed my face. Restless. Uneasy.

And that’s when I saw him. Akshat Uncle….sitting outside their house.

What was he doing outside at this hour?

Without thinking, I grabbed a hoodie, tiptoed out of the house, and reached their gate. It was locked.

He noticed me and stood up.

“Vihaan? What are you doing here at this time?” His voice sounded tired.

Not just physically. It was like… something inside him had been worn down.

“I couldn’t sleep,” I said honestly. “And then I saw you sitting here. Is everything okay?”

He exhaled and rubbed his temple, voice low and tired, “Nothing is okay. Ruhanika had another anxiety attack….she just fell asleep. Locked her door. She didn’t speak to me. Didn’t come out for dinner. I kept knocking but…”

“What?” I cut in, feeling my chest tighten.

“Did she at least take her medicines?”

He hesitated.

That pause said more than anything.

He sighed, “I left them outside her door with food….but she didn’t take them. Kunal later went inside and made her eat and gave medicines to her.”

I felt rage crawling up my spine.
My fists clenched on instinct.

“Why are you letting this happen?” I snapped.

His face tensed.

“She needs help,” I said, voice rising.

“She needs someone to actually see her not leave her alone in that room while she breaks apart piece by piece”

His voice cracked when he finally replied, “I am her father, Vihaan. You think I don’t see it?”

I couldn’t stop myself.

“Then act like it” I shouted.

I don’t know what happened to me, it was the first time I behaved like this.

“I respect you, I really do. But tonight? I don’t understand your silence. You keep saying you care for her, but she is falling apart right in front of you and you are just… watching”

He didn’t say anything for a second.
Just clenched his jaw.

And then, in a low, trembling voice, he said, “You think I am not hurting too?”

“You think it’s easy to stand on the other side of a locked door and hear your daughter cry quietly into her pillow? Hear her muffle her sobs just so you won’t hear how weak she’s become?”

His voice cracked again, and for the first time…I saw it.

The pain in his eyes. Real. Raw. Heavy.

“I know I have failed her,” he whispered.

“I know I haven’t been the father she needed. And I’ll never forgive myself for that. But Vihaan, right now… I need you to do something for me.”

I blinked, confused.

“What?”

He took a breath. Looked me dead in the eyes.

“Please… stay away from my daughter.”

The world tilted beneath me.

“What?” I whispered, like I hadn’t heard him right.

He nodded slowly.
“I know it sounds cruel. I know how much you care. But I overheard your conversation with her in the park……I just came to find Ruhii…”

I froze.

He knows about everything.

“She is not okay, Vihaan,” he continued quietly.

“And she blames herself for everything….for your pain, for her own condition. She thinks being alone is the right thing. And that guilt that because of her nothing goes right in anyone’s life. It’s eating her alive.”

My throat tightened.

“But she is wrong,” I said, my voice cracking. “She is so wrong. I don’t want a life without her. I don’t want space. I just want her.”

He nodded slowly, his own eyes misty.

“I know. But she doesn’t. Not right now.”

I looked away, trying to hold myself together.

“Her therapist told me it’s because of the excessive emotional stress,” he added.

“She is young. Her brain doesn’t know how to cope yet. The breakdowns….the fear….the pulling away……it’s all her way of surviving. But Vihaan, it’s becoming risky.”

I blinked.

“She never told me this…” I said, heart breaking even more.

“Because she doesn’t want you to worry,” he said gently.
“But the truth is… she is constantly thinking about you. And I didn’t want you to be near her right now if your presence is only going to make her spiral further.”

I couldn’t speak.

I didn’t want to.

Because deep down…..I understood.

I understood why he was asking.

And that hurts the most.

•••••

The night passed, but sleep didn’t come.

The silence around me was deafening. I walked to the small backyard where I had planted orchids months ago. They were still tiny, fragile….. just like my hope. I carefully pulled out one sapling, roots intact, and repotted it in a new pot. My hands moved gently, like this tiny act of care could reach her somehow.

I placed the pot of white orchids on my balcony….the one facing her window. Maybe this way, my room would carry a trace of her, and she would know I never stopped waiting. That no matter how far we drifted, she was still home to me and always will be.

I returned inside, opened a small box, and pulled out our photographs, the ones we took during our secret dates. One by one, I pasted them on my wall. It wasn’t just decoration. It was survival. Even the walls needed to feel her presence.

I took her diary….the one she gave me and kept it safely in my bag, as if I was carrying a piece of her heart with me. Then, I dragged a chair to the balcony and sat. She always woke up around 5 a.m.

Maybe today she would come out and see me. Maybe she would d ask me to stay.

But she never came.

The sky changed colors. Morning arrived. The world started moving again, but she didn’t appear. Her windows stayed closed, and so did the part of me that hoped.

Eventually, I had to leave for the airport. My parents were up early. Di came over to say goodbye. Even Kunal bhai stopped by.

But not her.

That was my answer. She didn’t want me anymore. I kept staring at her balcony one last time, just in case… But nothing.

Mom hugged me.

“Everything will be alright,” she whispered.

I nodded. But my heart said otherwise.

And just like that, I left.

SIX MONTHS LATER-

“Ares, get up. You set the alarm just to ignore it again?” I groaned, walking over to shut it off. My roommate was still snoring.

This is life now…..early mornings, lectures, and a roommate who puts alarm but never wake up.

Ares and I met a week after university started, and we somehow quickly clicked. He’s actually funny, chaotic, and clumsy, and he reminded me a lot of Yash with his laziness. It made me smile.

After grabbing my laptop, I called Tanya like I always did.

“Hi…..how are you?….and…” I asked, trying to form words.

“Ruhii is okay,” Tanya replied.

“Finished her breakfast, took her medicines, and went for her classes. Therapy sessions are now weekly.”

I exhaled deeply. Relief and longing tangled in my chest. That was my routine for the last six months….calling Tanya or Vani for updates. Sometimes even Sid or Yash. Everyone knew I needed to hear about her, even if I couldn’t talk to her myself.

“She is getting better,” Tanya added. “Her therapist says her progress is strong. There is even a chance she might not need sessions anymore.”

I smiled, eyes stinging. My Ruh is healing.

Later that day, while scrolling through my alternate account…..the one I made just to see her updates…..I saw a group picture she posted. She looked beautiful. She looked…..happy.

Until I saw the comments.

People shipping her with a senior. Calling them a perfect match. Someone even tagged him.

What nonsense.

I clicked on the tag, my thumb hesitating just a second before it hit the screen. My heart was pounding, thudding against my ribs like it already knew something I didn’t want to face.

The page loaded. His profile was Private.

A lump rose in my throat. I stared at it.

Did she move on?

I couldn’t breathe. The air suddenly felt too thick. My hand dropped the phone like it was burning. I rubbed my face, trying to calm myself, but everything inside me twisted. My stomach turned. My thoughts raced.

I didn’t even know who he was, and yet, my chest ached like I had lost her all over again. Like every second of the distance had finally caught up to me. Maybe I had hoped too much. Maybe I was still clinging to a version of her that only existed when we were together.

But she was still in my every breath. Still in every plan I made. Still…..mine, in the quietest corners of my heart.

And yet, here I was……sitting alone, scrolling through a stranger’s private profile, hoping he wasn’t who I feared he might be.

A week passed.

But the thought never left me.
It lingered like a shadow, slipping into every quiet moment, every silent night, every time I stared too long at my phone.

I tried asking Tanya and Vani, indirectly…..but they didn’t know anything.

The uneasiness inside me kept growing.

What if she is really going away far from me this time?

What if she is starting to forget me?

I couldn’t take it anymore.

So I booked a flight.

Back to Delhi.

I don’t have a plan.

I don’t know what I will say when I see her.

I don’t even know if she’ll want to see me.

But I do know one thing….I need to.

Because no matter how much the world feels like it’s falling apart inside me…
Only she has ever made it feel like home.

•••••

She lived in a hostel, but usually visited home on weekends. And that’s why I came on the weekend. I waited, praying I would get a glimpse of her.

But what I saw wrecked me.

She was walking with a guy. He smiled…..and hugged her.

She hesitated….just for a second.
But then…she just put her hand on the side of his shoulder and pulled away.

Even if it was brief, even if she stepped away right after…..That moment was enough to shatter something inside me.

They were looking happy.

She don’t love me? Was I just a temporary in her life…

I turned around and walked away before my legs gave up beneath me.
I couldn’t think.

There was this gift in my hand – something I had picked for her. To celebrate her healing. Her strength.
To remind her she is not alone.

But now?

I didn’t know what to do with it.

I ended up at a small park nearby – the one we used to pass on evening walks. I sat on the cold bench, gripping the gift tightly, like it would hold me together.

But nothing could.

Night had already fallen…and I still had to give her this gift. This was for Ruh.

Eventually, without thinking, my steps took me to her house.

And there it was….Veena aunty’s ladder. Still resting quietly on the side wall, like a forgotten secret.

Our secret.

I let out a bitter smile.

Even the damn ladder remembered us better than other person.

I climbed to her balcony. The spare key, the one she gave me long ago, was still where we used to keep it.

I unlocked the door quietly. Her room greeted me with dim warmth.
Books stacked unevenly. Papers, scribbled notes, the scent of vanilla lingering in the air.

Her laptop was still on, the screen softly glowing like a tired heartbeat.

And there she was.

Fast asleep.

Curled up on the bed, exhausted.

Her chest rose and fell slowly, but her face…..It looked like she had fought a war with herself and barely survived. Tear-streaked face. Fragile.

My heart squeezed.

Had she cried herself to sleep again?

I stepped closer, the floor creaking under my weight.

My hand moved before I could stop it…brushing a strand of hair from her forehead.

She didn’t stir. Just sighed softly, lost in some faraway dream.

I leaned in.

Almost kissed her. Almost.

But I stopped.

Because I didn’t have the right anymore.

I stood there quietly, placed the gift beside her and turned to leave.

But of course, I messed up.

My hand hit the table. The laptop tumbled slightly, and suddenly, a voice recording started playing.

It was…..us.

Our old conversations. Banter, laughter, silly fights, sweet nothings. My voice. Her voice. Us.

She jolted awake, panic flashing in her eyes as her chest rose and fell in quick, shallow breaths. Disoriented and afraid, she tried to sit up, but I reached out quickly, gently placing my hand over her mouth.

“Shh… it’s me,” I whispered, barely audible.

She froze beneath my touch, her body stiff. But then… her eyes met mine.

And everything got stilled.

Her breaths slowed, eyes still wide but softening as recognition sank in.

“Vihaan…” she whispered against my hand, like she wasn’t sure if I was real.

I slowly removed my hand.

Tears welled up in her hazel brown eyes….the same ones that always swallowed me whole. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to.

Because the laptop screen was still glowing.

The recordings were playing-our old voice notes, laughter, late-night rants…moments we once called home.

The recordings kept playing. Her eyes welled up. My heart broke.

She had been listening to us.

I whispered, “I know I shouldn’t be here. I am sorry. I just….wanted to give you this. I should go-“

But she grabbed my hand.

Her fingers trembled as they touched my face.

“You are real?” she whispered, her tears falling freely. “I am not dreaming?”

I couldn’t answer. My throat was tight.

Before i could turn back she suddenly, she hugged me.

And I broke.

We held each other tightly. Months of distance, pain, silence, all washed away in that one embrace. She cried, curled up on my lap.

“I am sorry,” she whispered through sobs.

I stroked her back gently, “For what?”

“For hurting you, for letting you go, for pushing you away…..for not fighting harder,” she said.

“It’s okay… don’t say anything,” I whispered softly, gently rubbing her back as she her breath fastened.

“Just breathe. I am here now. You don’t have to say a word.”

I can’t see her like this.

She held on tighter, her fingers clutching the back of my shirt like she was scared I’d vanish if she let go.

“Just let me say it… please,” she whispered, her voice shaky, still hugging me.

I pulled back just enough to look at her.

Her eyes were glassy, her lips trembling.

I held her tighter.

“I thought I was doing right,” she continued, “but all I did was break both of us. I was wrong. I can’t live without you…I want you….no…I need you. I know I was selfish, only thinking about myself but didn’t even think how much I had hurt you……but I needed you Vihaan.”

“Ruh…” I said softly, “you were never selfish. You were scared. And I understand.”

She stood up slowly, walked over to her cupboard, and opened the drawer with shaky hands. I watched her quietly as she pulled out a diary and held it tightly for a second before walking back to me.

Her eyes were glossy again. She held the diary out toward me with trembling fingers.

“This…” she said softly, “this is everything I couldn’t say. All the things I wanted to tell you…..but couldn’t. You know I am bad at expressing my feelings.”

I always knew she found comfort in writing. Her diary was the only place she could say the things she couldn’t say out loud.

I took the diary from her gently, my fingers brushing against hers for a moment. She looked away.

I opened it.

The first few pages were full of words…..messy, rushed, full of emotion. As I flipped through, each page pulled me deeper into her world. Pain, confusion, apology, love…..it was all there.

She had written about how much she missed me.

How she would replay our voice notes late at night, just to hear me talk.

How she kept watching our old school farewell videos because seeing us together made her feel a little less alone.

How she always wears a clip which i gifted her like it could hold her the way I used to.

My vision blurred.

“I am sorry,” she whispered, barely audible.

“I never meant to hurt you. I swear.”

I closed the diary, placed it gently on her bed, and pulled her onto my lap without saying a word. I held her close, her head resting against my chest.

“I know,” I said quietly, my voice shaking. “I always knew.”

We sat like that for a while-no words, just silence and the sound of our hearts remembering each other.

She shifted a little, sitting beside me. Her eyes searched my face, nervous.

“Can I ask you something?” she said, her voice low and unsure.

I nodded.

“Will you still be with me?” she asked. “Even after all this? After everything I did?”

I looked at her…. really looked at her. The tired eyes, the shaky breath, the fear of being unloved. And yet… she is still my Ruh.

“When was I ever not?” I said gently stroking her hair.

She didn’t smile. Her gaze dropped to the floor like she couldn’t believe she deserved that kind of answer.

That small hesitation?

It broke my heart all over again.

So I took her hand in mine and whispered, “You don’t have to earn my love, Ruh. You always had it. Even in silence. Even in the distance. Even when you thought you lost me.”

She hugged me, tears slipping down her cheeks.

“It feels like a dream,” she whispered.

I held her close, “It’s not. I am really here.”

“I wanted to say all this before but…..I…you know….,” she stuttered because of hiccups.

“Shhh,” I hushed her gently, rubbing her back.

“You don’t have to explain. I know everything, okay? Please don’t stress yourself anymore.”

We sat quietly for a while. Her head rested against my shoulder, the silence warm and full of things we didn’t need to say out loud.

After a few minutes, she asked softly, “When did you come here?”

I looked at her and said, “Because I needed you… I needed my home, my Ruh.”

She looked at me, confusion laced in her gaze.

“I thought…..you had someone else,” I admitted, my voice low.

“That senior guy…..people said things. I thought you had forgotten me. I need the answers, Ruh.”

She took a deep breath and shook her head, “It was nothing, Vihaan. Just rumors. He is kind, yes. But he is not you. No one could ever be you.”

I blinked, my heart believe her words.

She continued, voice soft but steady, “And i could always feel your presence… even when you weren’t here. Every time Tanya brought me cheesecake for no reason…..every time Vani got white orchids…every time Yash sent me perfumes telling he bought it for his family and friends….and every time Sid video called me and watched horror movies with me because I was feeling sad… and everytime I knew it was you,” She paused, tears welling in her eyes.

I smiled, eyes stinging.

Ruh sat beside me, her hand brushing against mine, as she said, “I never stopped loving you, Vihaan.”

I turned to her, slowly. She wasn’t looking at me…her eyes were fixed on the floor.

“When I pushed you away, stayed silent… it wasn’t because I didn’t want you. I wanted you more than anything….and i regretted everything I said that day…..Making you feel unwanted. But now I know… I was just running away…”

A tear slid down her cheek, “But I hated who I had become. That anxious, scared version of me. I kept thinking, What if my pain becomes too much for you to carry?”

I listened to her my hands rubbing her back gently.

She finally looked at me, “please don’t ever think someone else could take your place. Not then. Not now. Not ever.”

I felt something shift inside me-something I had been holding back for so long.

She slowly reached for my hand and held it tightly.

Her voice cracked, “I never thought of any other guy. I was just surviving. Waiting to become someone worthy of you.”

My eyes shut as a tear escaped.

“You always were,” I said softly.
“Even at your worst, you were still the only one I wanted.”

She broke down completely then, crying into my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around her.

And for the first time in months…
it finally felt like the pain had quieted.

I picked up the gift I had brought for her and walked over to the bed where she was sitting.

The soft moonlight slipped in through the window, casting a gentle glow on her face. I sat down beside her, holding her diary close. We both opened it, slowly reading the words she had poured out for me….raw, honest, emotional.

She tried to get up but i pulled her gently into my lap. My arms wrapped around her waist. Her head rested against my shoulder.

My Ruh is with me…. not just physically, but emotionally, fully present. That feeling…..it was beyond words.

I took out the gift and held it out to her.

“What’s this?” she asked curiously, a small smile playing on her lips.

“Wait a minute,” I said, standing up. I closed the balcony door and windows carefully, making the room a little darker. Then, I turned off the lights.

The only thing left was a small projector I had brought. I switched it on.

Suddenly, the room was filled with tiny glowing stars….a whole galaxy dancing across the walls and ceiling.

She gasped. Her eyes widened with wonder.

I knew it. Her love for stars is insane.

“You like it?” I asked, walking up behind her and wrapping my arms around her shoulders from the back.

She nodded, still staring at the stars filled on the ceiling of too., “It’s beautiful.”

I leaned in and whispered, “Whenever life feels heavy…..when it feels like nothing is going right… just turn this on. And remember, there’s always light…even in the darkest times.”

She smiled and turned to look at me.

That smile… soft and full of something I couldn’t name, made everything worth it.

We sat down again, neither of us saying much. Just soaking in the moment.

It was close to midnight when she broke the silence.

“Vihaan?”

The way she said my name made my chest feel warm. Like she was holding something fragile in her voice.

“Hmm?” I replied.

“Are we….together now?” she asked gently, her tone unsure, almost afraid.

I smiled, remembering something.

I leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek, “Is this enough to tell you what are we to each other?”

She blinked in surprise, remembering how once upon a time she had done the same……using small gestures instead of big words to show her love.

I smiled, “No matter what happens, Ruh. I will always be with you. I will never leave and stick to you like a ghost loving you for your whole life.”

She let out a soft laugh and leaned into me.

That laugh, that closeness…I wanted this forever.

We stayed like that for a while….wrapped in each other, hearts beating in sync.

Something ached inside me.

Not the sharp kind….not pain….but that slow, deep pull you feel when you are holding the one you love, and the world finally feels still. Ruh is in my arms, her breath warm against my chest, her fingers gently resting near my heartbeat.

But something inside me whispered:
Say it.

I looked down at her, her eyes still looking those stars.

I ran my fingers lightly through her hair and said it, finally.

I need to tell her.

“I love you, Ruh.”

This was the first time I am saying those words. Her eyes widened, and her breath hitched. She stared at me like she wasn’t sure if she heard it right.

“I love you, Ruh, endlessly, boundlessly-without limits, like a force that will never fade.

Those words had lived in my chest for so long, buried under silence and distance. Saying them out loud now… it felt like finally breathing after being underwater too long.

A tear rolled down her cheek, and she didn’t even try to hide it.

She gave me the smallest real smile hugged me.

“I love you too,” she whispered.

Her voice was barely there, but it carried everything I’d been dying to hear.

“I love you Vihaan, In every breath I take…in every heartbeat…..in every pulse that flows through me.”

I leaned in, slowly, carefully.

Our lips met… it felt like home.

The kiss wasn’t urgent. It didn’t need to prove anything. It was soft, honest. A kiss that said, I missed you. I waited. I never stopped. Her hands gripped my shirt lightly, as if making sure I was real. Mine cradled her face, memorizing the way she fit into me.

When we pulled apart, she didn’t move far – just rested her forehead against mine, both of us breathing quietly.

I pulled her back down beside me, wrapping my arms around her like she belonged there……because she did. She curled into my chest, her fingers resting gently over my heart.

“When is your flight?” she mumbled softly.

I smiled, pressing a kiss on her forehead, “Tomorrow night.”

She hummed sleepily and closed her eyes but after a few minutes she told her head and looked me.

“Don’t you think I always mess things up because of my insecurities and constant overthinking? I feel like I just keep making everything worse,” she mumbled, her fingers absentmindedly playing with the buttons on my shirt.

I gently pulled her closer, pressing a soft kiss to her nose, wrapping my arms tighter around her like I could shield her from every ounce of self-doubt.

“Then, I will always be there for you to clear the mess and erase those insecurities and overthinking from every cell of your body to every corner of your soul,” I whispered, running my fingers through her hair,

She looked up at me with those hazel-brown eyes, soft and searching, before quietly snuggling deeper into my chest.

And as I held her, something inside me finally settled.

For the first time in months, I didn’t feel lost.

Because she was here.
And she still loves me.

•••••

I spent the entire day with Ruh. In the morning, I met Mom and Dad. Prisha di wasn’t home, she had to leave for a meeting out of state.

I told Mom everything about Ruh and me. She was so happy, smiling ear to ear. After that, I went back to her.

She wanted to visit the floral garden again, just like old times. We walked hand in hand on those same paths, sat on our favorite bench, and even laughed at the silly jokes we once made. But this time, it all felt different….warmer, more special… because now, we were choosing each other with open hearts.

Ruh told me later that her dad is trying…..slowly, he is changing. But she still finds it hard to open up to him. I understand. Wounds between a father and daughter take time to heal.

And now, we are at the airport. I had told everyone not to come. Just her. Just us.

She sat beside me in the waiting area…..arms folded, lips pouting, and eyes staring at the floor like it had offended her.

“Why are you glaring at the floor, poor thing didn’t do anything,” I teased, bumping her shoulder gently.

She rolled her eyes. My Ruh was back.

“Don’t irritate me,” she huffed, but I could see the wobble in her lips.

I smirked, “Aw, you will miss me that much?”

“Why would I miss you?” she snapped, trying to act tough. “At least I’ll have some peace without you constantly annoying me.”

I leaned in closer and whispered near her ear, “you will miss me more than your morning chai and your orchids.”

Her pout deepened.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” she said with narrowed eyes.

“Oh really?” I chuckled. “Then why won’t you look at me properly? What’s wrong with your eyes?”

I was just teasing…..but the next moment, she began crying.

Without thinking, I sat on the floor in front of her as she wiped her tears quickly.

“You are so bad. Always teasing me” she said, trying to smile while the tears kept coming.

“Bas, bas, meri Ruh,” I said softly, wiping her cheeks. “Itna kaise ro leti ho? Do you have a water tank hidden in your eyes?”

She glared through her tears and suddenly launched herself into my arms.

“I am just worried,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

I held her tighter and gently pulled away to look into her eyes.

I reached into my bag and took out two small folded paper. They were one was pastel blue, the other, pastel pink.

She looked at them, confused. “What is this?”

“Wait,” I said, a small smile plastered on my face.

As i fold those papers turning them into two small paper rings.

I turned to her, “Right now I don’t have anything…..just paper. But I have heard promises don’t need precious materials. Just a little love and……maybe two paper rings,” softly chuckled, flickering her forehead slowly.

She glared at me rubbed her forehead.

She took the blue ring.

“And what’s the promise?” she asked, gently turning it in her fingers.

I took her hand and slid the ring onto her finger, “That no matter where I go, how far I am, or how many days pass… I will always be yours. We will face everything….arguments, distance, fights, confusion…. but we will never leave each other’s side. No running away. Just us, finding a way back every time.”

Tears filled her eyes again, but this time, they didn’t scare her.

“We promise to face everything like a mature person……to talk, not walk away, not taking impulsive decisions,” she added.

I nodded.

“Yes, there will be fights, differences, and moments where we get time to even talk with each other. Life will get busy…..deadlines, careers, unexpected chaos and some days, it might feel like we are drifting. But somewhere in all that noise, we will always find each other again.
We will grow, make mistakes, learn, and still choose each other….not just in the easy moments, but especially in the hard ones. And no matter where life takes us, our love… it will remain Constant,” I whisperd for caressing her cheeks.

She smiled and said, “There. You are officially stuck with me, Mr. Raichand.”

“And I love being stuck with you, Miss Oberoi,” I grinned, kissing her forehead in public, not caring who saw us.

She blushed and gently hit my arm. “Shut up,” she whispered, hiding her smile.

“I want the blue one,” she said, pouting as I give her the pink ring.

“Jaisa meri Ruh ka hukum,” I chuckled, swapping the rings as she giggled.

I made her pastel blue paper ring in her finger and she made me wear the pink one, and she proudly showed off her blue one.

I smirked, holding up her hand, “Look at this….we are engaged now, Ruh.”

She looked away, shy, whispering, “Stop it…”

I could see her pink tint on her cheeks as she tried to look away but i pulled her.

I laughed, watching her lean her head onto my shoulder. That’s my Ruh. The one who hits me when she is shy.

The final boarding call echoed through the airport.

“I have to go,” I said softly.

She nodded, eyes still downcast.

I kissed the top of her head. We didn’t need to say anything more.

The promise was made. And i know we both fulfilled the promise.

As I stood to leave, I paused… then ran back, pulled her into a quick kiss on her lips, and whispered near her ear, “I love you, Ruh.”

She gasped, blushing, and a tear slipped from her eye again. But this time, she wiped it with a smile.

“I love you more,” she whispered.

The announcement repeated.

I looked back one last time. She waved, her paper ring catching the airport light like it was made of diamonds.

I kissed my ring and smiled. Everything was finally falling into place.

And I promised myself…..I would never, ever leave her side.

FLASHBACK ENDS-

I looked at her sleeping face. I know it was hard for us to stay apart. And if you think we never fought…oh, we did. So many times.

There was even a moment when I was scared I would lose her again. But then, out of nowhere, she showed up at my dorm, standing at the door and saying, “Let’s fix everything”. She’s just… the best.
I still remember we had a big fight, and I wasn’t feeling well. I opened my dorm door, and there she was, without saying a word, hugging me tight.

That’s just her. Always showing up when I need her the most.

But there’s one thing that still stays with me….before I left her house, her dad had asked me to stay away from her. He didn’t like us being together.
He thought that being with me might make her think impossible things again, and that it could affect her health.

I still remember how heavy that moment felt…. his voice firm and serious, and mine full of anger. I never wanted to argue with him, but I had to speak up.
For her. For us.

I had a huge argument with Akshat uncle that day. But later, when he saw Ruh truly happy with me, he never said another word.
Sometimes, I wish I had controlled my words better…..maybe I went too far. But when it comes to her…to us…how could I stay silent?

The good thing is, we’re together now.

And I just hope it stays this way….no more misunderstandings, no more distance, no more hurdles.

————————————
Finally Chapter 62…!!

(One more thing….many of you are facing issues on Wattpad so I started posting on scrollstack also if Wattpad doesn’t work you can read there also…..✨)

So how was the chapter???

Your favourite scene…??
Mine was when they confessed those three words to each other💗 and paper rings😭😭✨
My babies are already engaged 🤭

I hope it turned out well….I truly wish you understood what I wanted to convey. I know it may seem a little weird. Many people think it’s childish….some even say Ruhii is weak. But that’s how it is when someone is a little more sensitive and still a teenager. I could have written the whole breakup part, but trust me, there was no need. I wanted to show that two teenagers can love each other, stay together, and handle things as a team. I just hope I did justice to that.

I ended up changing a lot of scenes again because they just didn’t feel right. I wanted to show things in a more realistic way. Most relationships at this age don’t work out, yes….because they are young and make immature choices. But that’s exactly what I wanted to highlight. Teenagers are still growing. Immaturity is what shapes maturity. Their decisions may seem impulsive or irrational from an adult’s perspective….but if they don’t make mistakes, if they don’t learn to apologise and work through things… then how will they make relationships work?

Bahut saare comments and Votes krna I am waiting for your comments 🩷 koi kanjusi nhi Krna comments krne mai 😭

Enjoy Reading ❤️

Stay tuned for further updates…!!!

Bye Cutiepies…!!🍁

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