THE UNKNOWN

The Boy on the Bench

The sun rises and the sun sets. The pain we carry will someday disappear. Loneliness will fade like the dust in the air.

That day, I saw a boy crying alone on a park bench. His shoulders trembled with every silent sob. I walked up to him and asked, yoo "What's wrong, little buddy? Why are you crying?"

He wiped his tears and replied, "I lost my girl. I feel so lonely. Everyone hates me. No one loves me anymore."

I didn’t respond immediately.

I looked into his eyes — they were heavy with pain and loss. I sat beside him.

"Look up," I said. "The clouds moving across the sky carry the stories we'll never know."

He looked at me curiously.

"What’s your name? Have you ever loved someone? What’s your story?"

I smiled.

His curiosity reminded me of someone.

"Sure, buddy," I said. "I’ll tell you everything."

The Frame I Didn't Choose

I was born into a simple middle-class family. We weren’t poor, but we didn’t have more than we needed. My father carried all the responsibilities and made sure I completed my education. My parents were like any other — full of love, expectations, and dreams for me.

I used to be soft, kind, and emotionally expressive. But as time went on, things began to change.

The Sleepless Nights

I hated the nights. That’s when the past chased me.

“Thinking about the past makes no sense.”

I remembered the phrase: "Sometimes holding on does more damage than letting go."

But I couldn't let go.

I was just an average student, with an ugly face and a soft heart. In childhood, I thought I had friends — people I considered family. But I was wrong.

The pressure of being average when everyone expects you to be great is a quiet, suffocating kind of pain.

THE ACTUAL STORY

Being average came with its own baggage. There was always pressure—family pressure, societal pressure—because my parents had a good reputation. Everyone expected something from me.

At 16, I was an extrovert. Then, without warning, I slowly turned into an introvert after matriculation. That shift became a major turning point.

My kindness made me a target.

They mocked my face, my voice, my nature. I laughed along like a clown in a circus, trying to believe they meant no harm.

But it hurt.

Whenever I tried to stand up for myself, they ganged up on me again. It wasn't just one group — it was everyone.

I thought the people around me were my friends. I thought they were my brothers. But they weren’t.

I began to wonder: was I the problem?

The major turning point.

THE TRAUMA

After school, I took a different path from my friends. That separation brought loneliness. I was kind, always helping others—even if it cost me. But I got hate in return. I used to motivate people, but they only demotivated me.

I used to ask myself: Is it my face? My nature? Or My kindness?

People used to make jokes about me—my looks, my behavior. I forced a smile while my heart cracked inside. They called it jokes. I believed them—like a clown in a circus.

Whenever I tried to stand up for myself, they ganged up on me. I was broken. Not just by friends, but by almost everyone I met. That’s when I realized:

"If a king is placed in a circus, the circus doesn’t become a palace. The king becomes the clown."

Pure Heart Turned Cold Heart!

I gave up on being kind. I started hating people, society, everything. I had always hoped someone would see my value. But no one did.

People used me as an option, never a priority. I listened to everyone’s problems, but no one listened to mine.

That’s when I understood: being lonely isn’t a curse. It’s a blessing.

They called me heartless. A boy who couldn’t see others cry was now accused of having no heart. And I'm crying once again!

The Art of Being Lonely

Loneliness isn’t just a word—it’s a battle.

They said, “Share your emotions.” But who would listen? There is no one except my shadow

I started treating people how they treated me. I ignored them when they needed me. I hated them when they tried to love me.

“They said, ‘Go where you’re valued.’ So I disappeared.”

Falling in Love with Machines

The only thing I never regretted was loving machines.

They don’t judge your looks. They don’t betray you. They don’t leave.

“I fell in love with machines—not because they worked for me, but because they never left me in my hard times.”

Motorcycles became my heartbeat. And the untold story.They didn’t just carry me physically. They carried me emotionally.

I believe,

“The motorcycle you choose reflects the character you hold.”

Time moved on. I graduated. I had nothing left to lose. I built my own motorcycle and started riding it and i thought no one would disturb me again,

But-- God has other plans.

Met Her in Silence, Left Her in Storm

I Was Fine… Until I Saw Her.

I had found peace with machines and solitude—until I saw her.

She was beauty in silence. A mystery. A moment. A storm waiting to happen.

My heart raced for the first time in years.

Her eyes,

Her hair,

Her smile,

Her face,

Made me smile after years.

I never thought i would fall for a woman for the first sight.

I first saw her on 22nd January, and I fell for her instantly.

I lost her in the crowd, and I thought I would never see her again.

But I was wrong.

I saw her again at a coffee shop, sipping her drink.

I was just passing by, but my heart started racing again.

Without thinking, I parked my motorcycle and ran inside,

But she was already gone.

God’s plan

I lost her, I told myself.

But God had some other plans with me.

I believed in destiny, and a week later, something incredible happened.

I was on public transport when I saw her through the window.

She was heading into a shopping mall.

I jumped out of the bus and ran towards her.

This time, I found her.

I had always struggled with a phobia — I couldn’t talk to women.

I had never spoken to one before.

But that day, I gathered all the courage I had and walked up to her.

I asked her name.

She looked at me and said, “Meera.”

My heart started to race.

I didn’t know what was happening to me my hands were shaking, my throat went dry.

She looked at me and asked, “Are you okay?”

I somehow managed to say, “Yes.”

We shared a brief moment of eye contact... and then she left.

I dreamed about her for the next week.

Then, one fine day, when I was playing guitar at the same coffee shop,

She came back.

She walked up to me and said “Hi.”

Her voice ran through my veins like electricity.

And when I looked into her eyes, they sparkled — like stars blinking in the night sky.

I went silent.

My hands began to tremble again. My throat went dry.

My heart started racing like it was competing in the Olympics.

I managed to whisper,

"Hello... how are you doing?"

She smiled softly.

"I'm good. What about you?"

I replied,

"Yeah, I'm fine..."

But the truth was, inside, I was dying for her.

Her fragrance — delicate, familiar — pulled me in like gravity.

Her voice — majestic and warm — made me fall deeper, without a parachute.

Her eyes... they weren’t just eyes.

They were galaxies — searching, aching, as if looking for something only the universe could offer.

And her face… for a moment, it reminded me of my mother — comforting, gentle, divine.

I got lost in her presence.

I started to stare.

She waved her fingers in front of me and said,

"Hello? Are you there?"

I blinked, snapping back to reality.

"Yeah... sorry, I just... drifted."

She smiled again.

"You always like this with everyone or just me?"

She chuckled, trying to ease the awkwardness.

I smiled shyly.

"No… just you. I mean—you're kind of hard to ignore."

She tilted her head, amused.

"Oh? Why’s that?"

I hesitated but decided to be honest — even if just a little.

"You have this... presence. It's like when you're around, the rest of the world fades out."

She looked surprised for a second, then looked away — almost like she didn’t know how to respond.

We sat down.

"So… you play the guitar?" she asked.

"Yeah," I said, trying to calm my nerves. "Sometimes. But only when I'm thinking too much."

"And what are you thinking now?"

I paused.

"About how someone can be a complete stranger and still feel like the most familiar part of your soul."

She looked at me.

There was silence. Not the awkward kind — the meaningful kind.

"That’s... deep," she said quietly.

Then she looked down and added, "I don’t usually talk to strangers like this."

"Maybe we're not strangers anymore," I said.

She smiled, but there was something in her eyes ~ a shadow, a weight.

Something unspoken.

And I already knew

She was hiding a thousand storms behind that smile.

Behind the smile

“Meera…”

(softly, nervously) “I know this is random but… will you come with me on a small trip? Just you and me. Just for a day.”

Meera:

(surprised, hesitant) “A trip? No… I don’t think that’s a good idea. My parents… and I have things to do…”

Me:

(sincerely) “I’m not asking for forever, Meera. Just one day. One break. One memory. You always take care of everyone, why can't you take care of yourself? can I be selfish and ask you to live for yourself, just today?”

Meera:

“I don’t know… i can't decide

. what if—”

Me:

“What if? What's holding you? Just one day I'll make it memorable for you that you never forget.

What if it’s not about escaping life, but feeling it?”

Give me a chance meera.

Please? Just one day memories that's it.

Meera:

“Okay… just one day.”

Me :

Is it yes?

Thank you meera thanks a lot

I never thought meera would come with me for a road trip.

One day memories

I stood outside her house, helmet in one hand and hope in the other.

Moments later, the engine roared and so did their silence, comfortable, calm.

The road unwound before them like a ribbon, and for a while, the world melted into songs playing from a shared pair of earphones—one in his ear, one in hers. No hands touched, but hearts did.

Meera:

“You’re crazy! You know that?”

Me:

“Only for today! Hold on tight!”

Meera:

“You know I’ve never done this before. This… freedom?”

Me:

(turns back) “That’s why we’re doing it. I wanted to show you what it feels like when the world finally lets go of you.”

We both shared our numbers and started for the trip hoping this will turn out good

The engine roared for me when I'm silent

One tea many memories

The sky turned orange and

I stopped the bike near a small roadside tea shop, wind still brushing through Meera's hair. We sat down there.

One paper cup. One tea.

Meera:

“One cup?”

Me:

“One cup. One moment. One memory. No more, no less.”

(I gently handed her one side of my earphones. A slow song plays.)

Me:

“You know… I’ve always wanted to share a song with someone who gets the silence in between the lyrics.”

Meera:

(softly) “And I’ve always waited for someone who understands words I never say.”

(We sip the tea together, the music starts playing,and this is silence louder than any sound.)

I still remember...

The birds on the trees above us, sharing love without fear.

And we, just below,

Sharing the same love, without a single word spoken from the lips but stories from the eyes.

We reached our destination, the wind is breeze like it has to go somewhere.

At Night, After Setting the Tent

(We finished our favorite soup, sitting by the fire. The stars are above, a peaceful silence surrounds us.)

Meera:

"Do you ever feel like the stars talk"

Me:

I replied with "Maybe they just listen"

Me:

(looking up) “Look at that sky, Meera. Doesn’t it feel like it’s waiting to be seen?”

Meera:

(whispers) “It’s beautiful… but it still feels like something is missing.”

Me:

(turns to her gently) “It was… until now. You filled it.”

Meera:

“Why does this feel like a dream?”

Me:

“Because this night... isn’t meant to die. Even if the world moves on, this moment will stay.”

Meera:

(softly) “You know… I almost said no.”

Me:

(sincerely) “I’m glad you didn’t. Because this… right here… this is the part of my story I’ll never stop reading.”

Meera:

Thanks a lot, for these moments

Me:

I just gave a smile

And we both started laughing. The wind started breezing, some stars started falling from the sky.

and I'm dying for her in my mind.

To the city again.

We came back from the trip,

The roads behind us were quiet, but my heart wasn’t.

I dropped Meera at her house.

No promises. No words. Just a soft smile before she walked away.

Back in my room, I opened my bag and there it was.

A tiny plant. Roots wrapped in care, like a secret gift.

I called her.

"You forgot something," I said.

She paused for a moment, then softly replied,

"I didn’t forget. I left it there" she replied

Me:

What? I asked.

Meera :

Thank you.

Thank you for everything she replied

I smiled.

She laughed.

And somehow, I laughed too.

We didn’t say anything more.

We just laughed—together, apart, across a call.

And for a moment, it felt like the world paused with us.

Outside my window, the first rays of the sun chased away the night.

The light slowly began to eat the dark.

And there I was...

Still thinking about her.

After the story

So after that trip…

Days passed. But she stayed — in my mind, in my music.

One evening, I was sitting at the same coffee shop, strumming my guitar. The tune I was playing… it was something I made during our trip. Something only she would understand.

And then, I heard her voice.

"Still playing that old thing?"

I froze. My fingers stopped on the strings. I didn’t have to turn — I already knew it was her.

But I did. I looked back… and there she was. Meera.

My eyes… I swear they lit up like the night sky that never ended. For a moment, I just wanted to run to her, hug her, ask her where she had been, why it felt like she was gone forever.

But I didn’t. I just smiled — held it all in and said,

"Where have you been?"

She walked over, sat across from me, and casually said,

"Was busy... just went shopping and stuff."

Sorry i know you missed me.

Shopping.

I nodded, hiding the little storm that started brewing in my chest.

"So, what’s special today?" I asked, trying to keep it light.

She took a sip of her coffee and said,

"Nothing really. I just wanted to sit somewhere quiet."

Quiet.

We both knew this place was never about the coffee.

I started to ask,

I don’t know what came over me , maybe it was fear, maybe it was fate ,

But I went deeper.

Something in me whispered:

If I let her go now, I might never find her again.

So I looked at her, carefully, and asked softly,

"Can I ask you something… without making things awkward?"

She tilted her head, curious.

"Sure..."

I hesitated, then said ~ almost in a whisper:

"Are you... in love with someone?"

She blinked, caught off guard.

"What?" she asked, like she didn’t hear me right.

I looked down, afraid to meet her eyes.

"I mean… are you in a relationship?"

Silence.

She took a deep breath, and for a moment, her smile faded.

Her eyes changed — from bright to distant.

Like she suddenly stepped into a memory that still haunted her.

"Yeah," she said.

Her voice was quiet. Not proud. Not shy. Just... tired.

"His name is Akhil."

She paused, searching for words.

"We’ve been together for a while. Since college."

I nodded slowly. Every word felt like a knife to my chest.

"Is he good to you?" I asked, almost against my will.

She looked away. That silence again.

"He used to be," she said.

"In the beginning… it was all magic. He was charming, spontaneous, full of life."

Her voice, even when it spoke of pain, was like a melody I couldn’t stop listening to.

Even heartbreak sounded beautiful when it came from her.

She continued,

"But people change. Or maybe love does. We started fighting. I started shrinking. I stopped recognizing myself. But our families… they’re close. It’s not just about us anymore."

She sighed.

"They’re getting us married in a few months. I don’t even remember saying yes. It just… happened."

I felt something in my break.

Not dramatically. Not loudly.

Just a slow, quiet crumble.

Like a candle running out of wax.

"Do you love him?" I asked.

She looked at me. Her eyes — that once held stars — now looked like they were drowning.

She whispered,

"I don’t know what love feels like anymore."

And at that moment, I realized…

She wasn’t happy.

She was surviving.

I wanted to hold her pain, to shield her from it.

But I also knew — she wasn’t mine to hold.

I smiled, trying to hide the hurricane inside me.

But she noticed.

"What about you?" she asked.

"Are you in love?"

I looked at her and thought:

Only with the girl who’s about to marry someone else.

But all I said was,

"I was… for a few seconds. And those seconds felt like a lifetime."

She didn’t say anything after that.

Neither did I.

We sat there in silence, both of us drowning in different oceans.

And I knew —

I had already lost her.

Even before I got the chance to tell her what she meant to me.

Time fades away!

I asked what's with you?

She looked out the window, voice soft ,too soft for a world this cruel.

“His name is Akhil. My family adores him. His family and mine... they’ve already set everything in stone.”

I looked at her, trying not to let my emotions speak louder than my words.

But they did anyway.

"Do you love him?" I whispered.

She sighed, not immediately answering.

"I used to think I did."

A pause.

"But now? I don’t know. I feel like I’m trapped in a story someone else wrote for me."

I clenched my jaw, heart pounding.

"Why are you still in it, then?"

She turned to me slowly.

"Because not all cages have locks. Some are made of guilt… of expectations... of family."

Her voice was starting to tremble.

I leaned closer, my voice almost breaking.

"WHY ALWAYS ME GOD?"

It slipped out of me, not meant for her to hear ~ but she did.

"What did you say?" she asked.

I looked away.

"Nothing."

But it wasn’t nothing.

I was asking why life always shows me something so beautiful — only to tear it away just when I start to believe it’s mine.

She looked down, rubbing her fingers nervously.

"You’re a good listener," she said.

"I used to be" i replied

I forced a smile.

"It’s easy when the voice is worth listening to."

My eyes went heavy, even though she noticed it but she acted like there was nothing.

Her lips curled into a sad smile. For a moment, it felt like she wanted to stay.

But then — her phone rang.

She looked at the screen, and her face changed.

"It’s my mom," she said.

"They’re waiting for me at the venue. Akhil’s family is there."

I felt the ground shift under me.

"You’re leaving?"

She stood up slowly.

"I have to. We’re finalizing the engagement date today."

"Wait—" I stood up too, panicked.

"Can I… can I at least call you?"

She looked at me, her eyes soft but heavy.

"Things are getting strict now. They’re deleting my social media. Changing numbers. I probably won’t have this phone by tonight."

I froze.

No goodbye.

No future.

"Will I ever see you again?" I asked, voice trembling.

She gave the faintest smile — the kind people wear when they're dying inside.

"If destiny allows… maybe."

And she turned away.

I watched her leave, just like she had the first time.

But this time…

It was forever.

Got my first scar in love.

Flashback : The collage days!

I sat there long after she left, staring at the empty chair.

Suddenly, my thoughts slipped back —

To a classroom, years ago.

I was in college.

My so-called gang used to tease girls — nothing serious, just immature stupidity.

There was this one girl in class. Everyone had a crush on her.

One day, the gang started chanting my name with hers.

Laughing. Teasing. Loud.

I didn’t even say a word — I never did.

But she stood up, walked straight to me in front of the whole class,

And shouted,

"You? You look ugly as hell. Why the hell would I ever need you?"

The entire class exploded in laughter.

I didn’t move.

Didn’t react.

Didn’t even know what to say.

I just sat there… numb.

And my eyes started to water the tear drops are falling from my eyes and passing through my face.

BACK TO THE PRESENT!

Sir, your bill.”

The waiter’s voice snapped me out of the memory.

I nodded, i cleaned my tears on my face and acted like nothing ever happened and i reached for my wallet with shaking hands.

The seat across from me was empty again.

Like it always has been.

I realized something, right then —

Nobody ever really chose me.

Not in childhood.

Not in college.

Not now.

And maybe...

Nobody ever will.

The Deep Talk WithIn Me.

I sat there, motionless.

The clock kept ticking like it had somewhere to go —

But me? I was stuck.

One hour later… a knock.

A courier.

I opened it casually, like it was just another bill,

But what I found instead…

“You are invited to the engagement ceremony of Meera & Akhil.”

My heart didn’t just break.

It shattered — piece by piece, breath by breath.

That was it.

The final nail.

Not in the story.

In me.

I held that card like it was a gun pointed straight at my soul.

Even the paper smelled like her perfume.

Cruel.

I whispered to myself ~ because who else would listen? Cause I have no one.

"Why always me?"

No answer.

Just silence.

Just the humming of the machines in my room — the only things that stayed.

There was no one to talk to.

No friends to call.

No shoulder to lean on.

Just… me.

And the street dogs that wander near my house every evening.

And the broken old guitar that still has her scent on its strings.

And the machines I built just to feel in control of something — anything.

I looked outside —

It was a bright day.

But for me?

Everything went dull.

The world turned grey the moment she left.

The sparkle I once had —

The one she gave me,

The one I saw in her eyes —

Gone.

And I started crying.

Not with loud sobs.

Just the kind of crying where tears fall quietly,

Where your lips shiver and your chest tightens

And you just… break.

I whispered to the empty walls,

"I never asked for much.

Just someone who'd stay.

Someone who’d choose me.

Not out of pity.

Not out of pressure.

But because they really… wanted to."

I stared at the invitation again.

"Be with someone who chooses you every day,

Not just when they’re in the mood for you."

That’s what my dad told me once.

I was 16.

He said it so casually.

But it hit me today.

So Deep.

Because she never chose me.

Not once.

Not really.

And I…

I keep falling for people who are already walking away.

I remember the date.

It's 22 again.

The day I first saw her.

The day my heart lit up.

The day my story started —

And the day my soul got its first scar.

Funny how the day that brought you life

Can also become the day you start dying slowly. Mental health is drowning again. I cleaned all the tears on my eyes, and face. I looked up at the sky and i smiled knowing it was not the first time that I got hurt.

The Engagement

. The Day She Became His

Time flies like it always does — when you're not ready.

The day had arrived.

I stood outside the venue for a while, just… watching.

My heart didn’t want to walk in.

But my legs betrayed me.

I stepped inside, into a world I was never meant to be part of.

And there she was.

Meera.

Dressed like a queen.

Radiant. Ethereal. Divine.

But her eyes…

Her eyes betrayed her smile.

They were screaming silently — the same way mine were.

She stood there, covered in gold and jasmine,

Surrounded by friends and family,

Everyone was laughing, cheering,

Throwing petals like dreams in the air.

But inside?

Only two people in that entire room were dying slowly —

Me and her.

She saw me.

Our eyes met.

And in that second, time stopped.

I saw it — the tears she wouldn’t let fall.

She saw it — the pain I couldn’t hide anymore.

But we both smiled.

Fake. Forced.

Like two actors playing roles written by fate.

And then…

Akhil walked in.

Perfect suit. Perfect hair. Perfect life.

He walked towards her with the confidence of a man who has everything.

Including her.

I wanted to hate him.

I wanted to scream.

But how do you hate someone for having what you love —

When you were never even chosen to begin with?

I stood there in the corner,

A ghost in a room full of joy,

Watching her slowly disappear into someone else’s forever.

They exchanged rings.

Everyone clapped.

I didn't.

I couldn’t.

My palms stayed closed —

Holding onto all the words I never said.

All the love I never got to show.

And I saw her…

Smiling for the cameras,

But crying through her soul.

They were all celebrating.

Everyone was happy…

Except me.

And her.

She looked like she belonged to him.

But I knew — deep down —

A piece of her still belonged to me.

And that made it worse.

Because she couldn’t fight.

And I couldn’t save her.

Two people in love…

Standing miles apart

While inches away.

When EYES Speaks what LIPS Can't

The crowd had started to thin. Laughter echoed faintly. Cameras are still flashing in the background.

And then… she walked toward me.

Meera.

Her steps were hesitant, her hands trembling slightly — but her face tried to stay composed.

We stood in front of each other.

We didn’t say anything.

Because what can you say when your heart is screaming but your lips are sealed by reality?

Her eyes met mine.

Both of us… full of tears.

But we didn’t let them fall.

Not here. Not now.

Then he walked up beside her.

Akhil.

Smiling, glowing. The man who got her.

She turned to him and said quietly,

“This is... my friend. He’s the one I told you about.”

I gave a slight nod, forcing a smile so tight it hurt.

Akhil:

“Hey hello nice to meet you! Meera said a lot of good things about you. Thanks for being here, man.”

I shook his hand.

His grip was firm.

Mine was trembling.

Main Character (smiling faintly):

“Yeah… wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Akhil:

“Please join us for lunch. It's just downstairs. Would love to have you, man.”

I wanted to scream.

I wanted to leave.

But instead, I smiled again.

Because I’ve been lying to the world my whole life.

Main Character

“Sure. Thanks for inviting me… Means a lot.” ( with a nod)

I looked at Meera for a second.

Her eyes were glassy.

She was biting her lip, trying to stay strong.

Akhil

“I’ll go check on my mom, you guys come down when you're ready.” (cheerfully)

He walked away.

And the silence between us returned.

I finally whispered,

“You look happy.”

She didn’t respond.

Her hand gently touched the engagement ring like it was a knife.

A tear rolled down her cheek.

I wiped mine before she could see.

Main Character (voice cracking):

“I guess this is it, huh?”

“You finally got your ‘forever.’”

She looked at me, her voice barely a breath.

Meera:

“Not all forever feels like home.”

I closed my eyes for a moment.

That one sentence…

It broke me.

“I hope he holds your heart like it’s made of glass.”

A pause.

“Because if he drops it… I won’t be around to pick it up this time.”

She looked like she wanted to say something.

Maybe “Stay.”

Maybe “Save me.”

But she didn’t.

Because we were surrounded by blessings —

And all we had between us was a curse.

Two tears fell at once.

One from her.

One from me.

Both invisible to the world.

Return

I walked away from there…

Leaving behind my hopes, my smile, and the last pieces of my heart.

I returned to my room — the only place that ever comforted me.

But tonight, even these four walls feel like hell.

My broken guitar, started singing softly and humming back softly.

As if it knew I needed a song to cry into.

As if it missed my voice… even when I didn't.

I strummed a few chords.

And somehow, my heart skipped its own beat.

My brain stopped working — or maybe it’s just tired of trying.

Now I understand what people mean when they say:

“It hurts so good in love.”

I couldn’t sleep.

Not because I didn’t try…

But because rest doesn’t come when your soul is bleeding.

I stepped outside for air,

But the wind brought her scent, her memory, her shadow —

Still walking beside me,

Like a ghost that never left.

The Last Hope

Now the DARKNESS feels like heaven and the light feels like hell

I came out, after a long time to the same cafeteria where I got a scar on my heart

I walked into the same old cafeteria the one that once gave me butterflies, now just brings silence. I sat in the same corner. The chair across from me still felt like it belonged to her. I ordered a coffee. Just like before. Only this time, I was missing my other half.

The waiter placed the cup on my table, and before I could take a sip, I heard her voice — the one that used to light up my darkest nights.

It's meera:

“You’re drinking coffee without me?”

My heart dropped.

I turned around slowly, already knowing who it was.

She was standing there, smiling — but it was the kind of smile that hid a thousand tears.

Main character:

“I already drank a curse. This coffee’s just to wash it down.”

She sat across from me like she always used to , without asking, just belonging there.

Our eyes met.

So familiar, yet strangers now.

Meera :

“I didn’t think you’d come back here.” (somthly)

Main character (me):

“Neither did I. But pain has a habit of dragging me back to whe

re it all started.”

A heavy silence. The air itself was holding its breath.

Meera:

“I’ve been thinking… about you. About that day.

About everything that you never said.”

Me

“Yeah… I am always good at silence. Just never good at timing.

Meera

“you have anything to tell me.”

My chest tightened. I froze.

The pain punched me straight into the soul.

Me:

“no nothing...”

Meera:

“ohh ok- okay you'll get,

Someone better who wasn’t... broken and loves you forever.”

Me :

(“I didn’t want to be better. I just wanted you.”) I told myself.

I have no luck i replied ( smiled hardly)

Another pause.

The only sound was the coffee machine behind the counter and the noise that was running in our brain

The Peace That I Needed

Me :

“We weren’t silent.

We were just too loud in all the wrong ways.”

She looked away, wiping a tear before it could fall.

She reached into her bag and handed me an invitation.

I opened it

And i already know what it is.

"Akhil weds Meera."

My world stopped. My heart didn’t just break… it shattered.

I stared at it, lost.

She looked at me, tears threatening to fall.

"Please come to my wedding," she whispered, her voice trembling.

I smiled.

Not out of happiness—just to hide the storm inside.

I couldn’t say a word. I just stood up… and walked away.

Left the invitation right there on the table.

Left her.

But she called out my name again and again, begging me to wait.

I didn’t stop.

Outside the cafe, I saw a couple of them cuddling , laughing, loving, and living.

I hated it.

I sat on my motorcycle, my eyes burning.

And then...

I twisted the throttle.

Top speed. No brakes.

I wasn’t running from pain—

I was racing towards it.

I wasn’t trying to survive.

I was trying to feel something that could match the pain in my chest.

I felt the wind tear past me.

I closed my eyes,

Waiting for the crash.

Waiting for the end.

Waiting…

To finally feel peace.

Truck horns loudly and shattered

(The main character is dead!)

MEERA

Started talking...

I sat alone in the same corner of the cafe where everything once felt warm. Now, it’s just... cold.

The invitation lay open on the table in front of him—"Akhil weds Meera."

I saw his smile, but I knew it wasn’t real.

It was the kind of smile you give before falling apart.

I wanted to scream,

“It should’ve been you.”

I wanted to rip that card and say,

“This isn’t what I want!”

But I couldn’t.

Because my life…

is not mine anymore.

He stood up, didn’t say a word.

Left the card.

Left me.

“Wait…” I cried, my voice breaking.

“Please don’t leave me like this…”

But he was gone.

And I was still sitting there,

shaking, crying, like it would hold me together.

I looked around.

No one noticed.

No one ever really does.

People think I’m lucky—marrying someone like Akhil.

But they don’t see the nights I cry into my pillow,

And the Sleepless Nights.

Because I loved Akhil... once.

A long time ago.

Before he walked into my life.

That boy who felt like home.

That boy whose silence speaks louder than a thousand poems.

That boy I fell in love with was too late.

I tried.

I tried to express it.

But every time I looked into his eyes, my voice died in my throat.

Because how do you tell someone you love them,

I couldn’t go against my "parents."

I couldn’t go against "Akhil".

And I definitely couldn’t go against " society’s".

So I stayed silent.

And in that silence,

I buried the only love that ever truly felt alive.

I still remember the way he looked at me,before he turned around.

Like a piece of him broke forever.

And I let it happen.

Now I sit here,

with shaking hands and a fake smile for the wedding.

But inside… I’m dying.

I’ve been marrying a man from my past,

but I’m in love with the man who walked away.

And the worst part?

He’ll never know.

Because some love stories…

are written in silence,

and buried in tears.

After Days

The room was empty when I left it.

But I knew you'd come one day, Meera.

I always knew.

So I left this for you.

Because I couldn't say it to your face—

Not because I didn’t want to,

but because loving you was never simple for me.

It was everything.

"Meera,

You’ve always been the most beautiful kind in my world.

And I…

I’ve been the silent storm waiting for you to see me.

I watched you laugh,

cry,

dream,

and fall in love with someone who wasn't me.

And I stayed.

Like a shadow—loving you from the corners you never looked into.

You never knew what your voice did to my heart.

You never knew how your smile saved me on days when I wanted to disappear.

You never knew how many nights I stayed awake imagining a world where you were mine.

I never confessed.

Not because I didn’t feel it,

but because I felt it too much.

And now... it's too late.

By the time you read this,

I’ll be part of the wind,

the rain,

the silence.

But I left behind three things:

This letter, my motorcycle keys and the plant that you gave me —beside this note.

Take it, Meera.

Ride it like I used to.

Treat the plant like how you want to treat me

Let it remind you that someone once loved you so deeply,

so madly,

so completely,

that even death couldn’t erase it.

I’ll be watching from above.

Smiling.

Always."

After Reading the Letter

Meera's heart shattered

She clutched the letter, her hands shaking.

Tears streamed down her face, each word of the note burning deeper into her soul.

She walked out of the room, holding the keys and the plant like they were pieces of my heart.

And then—

The sky cracked open.

The first raindrop kissed her cheek like it carried his goodbye.

The sky wept.

He was crying.

She looked up—

"Why didn’t you tell me?"

Her voice broke as the rain fell harder.

She held the motorcycle key close to her, like she was holding him.

“I’m sorry. I love you too. I always did… I was just too scared.”

She rode that bike away from the house,

not just to feel the wind—

but to feel him.

And somewhere above the clouds,

I smiled.

Not because she was gone,

but because finally…

she knew.

The Final Goodbye!

(Heaven)

The little boy on the bench beside me wiped his tears.

He had been crying for a while—

just like I once did.

But now…

he looked up at me, eyes wide, not with sorrow,

but with courage.

Maybe he heard my story.

Maybe he felt it in the silence between us.

Maybe… souls speak louder than voices.

I got up slowly,

And started walking again,

The boy looked at me with curiosity and many questions in his eyes.

"Hey!" he called.

"You didn’t tell me your name… who are you?"

I turned around,

the light brushing across my face.

I looked at him

And gave a gentle smile

"Just someone who loved too much, and spoke too little,".