A Heartbreak That Changed Everything

I asked Shanaya whether she had ever been married. She hesitated for a moment before responding, “Before I tell you the truth, let me share some experiences from my past. Then you can decide how you see me.”

“Hmm… go on,” I said.

“In my final year of college, I had a boyfriend. But he betrayed me—he left me and started seeing other girls from our college. It hurt me deeply, and in my desperation, I tried everything to get his attention again. But nothing worked,” she admitted.

“And then?” I asked.

“After my final exams, I returned home, hoping that being away from college would help me move on. I thought I would finally find some peace, free from thoughts of him. But…” She trailed off.

“But what?” I asked, intrigued.

She sighed. “My father had already arranged my marriage—to a man six years older than me, the son of a wealthy businessman. Their family was well-off, and my parents thought it was the best decision for me.”

“Then?” I asked, my curiosity growing.

Shanaya replied “When I found out about it, my heart shattered. I locked myself in my room and cried for hours. Out of desperation, I called my boyfriend and begged him to come back. I told him I couldn’t marry a stranger—I wanted to be with him.”

“And then?” I pressed, my heartbeat quickening for reasons I couldn’t quite explain. Maybe, without realizing it, I had started seeing her as more than just a friend.

“He didn’t say much,” she continued, “He simply told me to get married. He didn’t have any feelings for me & he had already moved on.”

“Then, what did you do?” I asked.

“I felt completely hopeless after reading his reply. The thought of marriage began to terrify me. But my mom and sister kept encouraging me to speak with the man my father had chosen. So, I finally called him. His voice was gentle, polite—almost sweet. Yet, deep inside, I felt nothing for him,” she confessed.

“Every time he called, I ignored him. My mind was consumed by thoughts of my boyfriend. Then, one day, my dad came to me and asked if I was happy with the marriage,” she said.

“Why didn’t you tell him the truth?” I asked.

“I was terrified of his reaction. I didn’t want to disappoint him or face his anger. So, I forced a smile and told him I was happy and ready for the marriage,” she replied.

“Then?” I asked, already assuming that she had gone through with the marriage and later divorced.

Shanaya said. “Our families met and set the date for our engagement. Everyone was overjoyed—except me. The engagement happened, but even after that, I had no interest in talking to him.”

Her Sister’s Concern Unveiled the Truth

She paused before continuing. “One day, my elder sister came home from her in-laws’ place for a family event. She found me in my room. I appeared lifeless, like a statue,” Shanaya continued. “She grew concerned. She quietly closed the door behind her. Then she sat beside me and asked what was wrong. I couldn’t hold back anymore—I broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.”

“And then?” I urged.

“My sister panicked and tried to comfort me. She kept asking what had happened, again and again. Finally, I told her everything—I didn’t want to marry him. I felt nothing for him. It felt like I lost my identity. I was just a puppet being forced into something I didn’t want,” she said.

“Then what did your sister say?” I asked.

“She tried to console me and promptly asked her husband to gather some information about the guy. A few days later, we discovered the truth—he was of questionable character. He was known for making inappropriate comments to women and had been involved in multiple illicit relationships,” she revealed.

“Are you serious? And he was about to marry you? He could have ruined your life!” I exclaimed.

“Yes,” she replied, “I feel incredibly lucky to have escaped such a terrible fate. And now, I have a wonderful friend like you. Thank you for being a part of my life.”

Hearing her painful story, my heart filled with compassion for her. I found myself wanting to be there for her more and more. Though we never spoke over the phone, our WhatsApp chats became a space where we shared our thoughts, emotions, and unspoken feelings.

A Confession in the Dark

As days passed, my semester exams approached, but I found it hard to focus on my studies. My mind was occupied with something else—my upcoming trip to Uttarakhand. Excitement took over as I started shopping for the trip, meticulously planning every detail to make it unforgettable.

The night before my last exam, a fierce storm raged outside, and a power cut plunged my room into darkness. With no way to study, I found myself reaching for my phone and texting Shanaya. As our conversation deepened, I realized something—I was drawn to her. The feeling had been growing for a while, and now, in the quiet of the stormy night, I decided it was time to tell her.

“I want to say something to you.” I texted her.

“Yes, please say” she replied.

At the last moment, I hesitated. “No, leave it. I’ll tell you later,” I wrote, hoping to stir her curiosity.

“No, I can’t wait. Please tell me now.” she insisted.

Taking a deep breath, I finally typed out the words that had been lingering in my heart. “We’ve been talking for a long time, and we know so much about each other. Somewhere along the way, I developed feelings for you. I don’t know if it’s right or wrong. It might seem strange since we’ve never actually spent time together, but…I think I like you.”

For a moment, there was silence both in the room and on my phone’s screen. Then her typing bubbles finally appeared.

“Please don’t ask me to be your partner,” she wrote. “I’m not a good person. My ex blamed me for so much—I’m just not right for you.”

I frowned. “I’m not here to judge you. I’m not going to force anything on you. I just wanted to be honest about how I feel,” I replied.

Just as I sent the message, my phone’s battery drained completely, and the screen went black. The conversation was cut off, leaving me in the dark—both literally and emotionally.

This uncertainty left me restless. I wanted to check her reply, but with no power and my phone dead, I had no choice but to wait. It was already 3 AM, and exhaustion finally pulled me into sleep.

The next morning, the first thing I did was check if the power had returned. But it hadn’t. Frustrated yet pressed for time, I grabbed my charger and decided to charge my phone outside the exam hall.

The exam itself was a disaster. I hadn’t prepared well, and every question felt like a cruel joke. But strangely, I wasn’t too worried. We had three chances to clear a paper before it counted as a backlog, and my mind was preoccupied with something far more urgent—Shanaya’s response.

After what felt like an eternity, I finally submitted my paper and rushed out. My heart pounded as I powered my phone back on. The moment the screen lit up, my notification bar exploded with messages.

Shanaya had sent me about fifteen texts. As I scrolled through them, I realized something—she didn’t want to lose me, but she wasn’t ready to accept my feelings either. More than anything, she wanted me as a friend, someone she could trust, someone to whom she could confide everything.

I clenched my phone, re-reading her words, searching for hidden meaning. My fingers hovered over the keyboard, aching to type something—anything—but I swallowed hard and forced myself to type just one word: “Ok.”

I replied curtly, then forced myself to focus on packing for my upcoming trip to a beautiful hill station with my friend Nitin.

A Ray of Hope Aroused

By afternoon, Nitin arrived at my room, his luggage in tow, both of us buzzing with excitement. The trip was supposed to be a refreshing escape, but my mind was still tangled in thoughts of Shanaya.

Unable to hold it in any longer, I told Nitin everything—how we met, what we talked about, and how she responded to my confession.

He listened patiently, then said, “Don’t worry. She’ll say yes. From what you’ve told me, it’s clear she’s interested. But she’s looking for assurance that you won’t play with her emotions. That’s why she’s hesitating to open her heart to you.”

His words soothed my restless heart. Maybe he was right. Maybe Shanaya wasn’t rejecting me—she was just afraid. With that thought, I decided not to push her anymore. I would simply talk to her as a friend and let things unfold naturally.

We boarded the train at night. I snagged a window seat, pulled on my headphones, and let the music take over. Everything felt exactly as it should be. Then, my phone vibrated in my pocket.

It was a message from Shanaya.

The moment I read it, my heart skipped a beat. Instead of disappointment, excitement surged through me. There was something in her words—something that felt different, almost hopeful. I could sense a change, a hint of positivity that made my pulse quicken.

What did she say? That will be revealed in the next chapter.

Stay tuned…