🏙️ “Long-Distance Love, Close-Distance Pain” - Chapter 15

 

Chapter 15: Close Quarters, Closer Hearts

“Some silences are louder than any storm. Some distances are measured not in miles, but in unspoken words.”

12:08 AM — Mumbai. Cyclone Warning Level: Orange.

Rain battered the windows like war drums. The wind howled like it had secrets to spill. The city outside was shutting down—and inside the suite, the power flickered once…

…and went off.

Aditi froze mid-step in the bedroom doorway.

Aditya’s voice came from the other room, calm as ever:
“Backup generators are on for lobby and elevators only.”

She grabbed her phone. No network. No Wi-Fi.

Of course.

She stepped out into the dimly moonlit living area.
Aditya stood by the window, shirt half unbuttoned, tie gone, holding a candle he must’ve gotten from the minibar drawer.

He glanced at her. “Well, looks like the universe really wants us to talk.”

She didn’t reply. Just walked past him and opened her laptop.

Dead battery.

Great.

No signal. No charger. No escape.

Only him.

12:45 AM

Aditi sat curled on the couch, arms wrapped around her knees, staring into the soft glow of the candle.

Aditya sat across from her, legs stretched out, back resting against the other end of the L-shaped sofa.

Silence pulsed between them.

Finally, he broke it.

“You remember that night… when I missed your college fest?”

She didn’t move. But her lips tightened. “You said your flight got canceled.”

“It didn’t.”
Her gaze snapped to his.

Aditya continued, eyes down. “I was at the airport. I could’ve taken a red-eye. I didn’t… because I was afraid.”

“Afraid of what?” she asked, quietly.

“Afraid that if I came back, I wouldn’t be able to leave again. That I’d mess up everything I’d worked for. The internship. The future. I was selfish.”

Aditi let that sink in. The words she’d longed to hear. Years too late.

“You broke my heart,” she said softly, voice trembling.

“I know.”
He looked at her with eyes full of pain. “And mine broke too… the moment I saw your last text.”

Flashback — 2019.

"I waited… and waited. I can’t anymore. I hope you find what you’re looking for. Goodbye, Aditya."

He’d read it on a snowy bench in Boston. And hadn’t replied.

Cowardice wears a thousand suits.

Back to Present.

“You didn’t even fight for me,” she whispered.

“I didn’t know how.”

He stood and walked to the window. Rain shimmered down like shattered silver.

Aditi watched his back. The confident man everyone admired—suddenly looked small.

She surprised herself by saying, “You know what hurt more than you leaving?”

He turned.

She met his gaze. “The fact that… I still kept space for you. Every birthday. Every song. Every night I opened the door thinking maybe—just maybe—you’d be there.”

Tears glimmered but didn’t fall.

Aditya slowly walked toward her, stopping just an arm’s length away.

“I’m here now.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“I know. But let’s start with just being… here.”

He sat down beside her—not touching, just close.

The storm outside roared.

Inside, a softer storm swirled—of grief, warmth, longing… and an old love learning to breathe again.

When you’re forced into the dark with someone who once lit up your whole world… you don’t just confront the shadows. You confront yourself.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Unspoken Sparks - Chapter 6 (Last Episode)

  Chapter 6: The Confession & The New Beginning The tension in Raychand Industries had reached its limit. Rumors swirled. Whispers about Aditya and Aditi grew louder. Some speculated. Some envied. But Aditi stayed focused, as always—poised, distant, dedicated. Except now, her heart wasn't as quiet as her face. And neither was Aditya’s. He saw her in everything. In every decision. Every plan. Every moment of silence. Her absence made the air feel heavier. Her presence? Like calm fire. He had denied it for weeks. But now… he couldn’t anymore. That Friday Evening – Office Rooftop Aditi had just wrapped up late-night reporting. The office was nearly empty, and the city lights sparkled in the distance. She stepped out to the rooftop for a breath of air. What she didn’t expect… was him. Aditya stood there, sleeves rolled up, no phone in hand—for once. Just… waiting. He turned as she approached. “You’re still here?” she asked. “I was waiting for you,” he said softly....
Read more

đź–¤ The Monster Inside Me đź–¤ - Chapter 5 (Second Last) [“He thought he was a monster—until she looked into his darkness and chose to stay.”]

  Chapter 5: The Monster’s Voice Silence. That’s what Aditi chose after walking out of Aditya’s penthouse. Not the dramatic kind. The real kind — the kind that hurts more than any scream could. No calls. No messages. No replies. Nothing. And Aditya… he let her go. Not because he didn’t want her. But because he wasn’t sure he deserved her. It had been four days. Four long, echoing, manuscript-free days. Aditya sat in his study, the room heavy with memories and ghosts that had grown louder since Aditi left. Her absence was not quiet — it thundered in every corner she used to sit, in every coffee cup that remained untouched. So he did what he had always done with pain. He wrote. But this time, it wasn’t a book. It was a letter. A manuscript with no chapters, no structure, no edits. Just a title: “The Girl Who Dared to Touch the Monster” đź““ Excerpts from the letter: “I never told you, Aditi, but your voice made the screaming inside me quieter.” “You didn’t...
Read more

đź–¤ The Monster Inside Me đź–¤ - Chapter 6 (Last) [“He thought he was a monster—until she looked into his darkness and chose to stay.”]

  Chapter 6: Our Monsters Can Coexist Final Chapter Healing isn’t a sunrise. It’s a dim lightbulb that flickers. A hallway that echoes with memories. A slow dance with shadows that sometimes lead, sometimes follow. But when Aditi and Aditya began again — this time, it wasn’t about fixing each other. It was about accepting that maybe... they were never broken to begin with. Just bruised . And still beautiful. 🌅 One Month Later: Aditi moved into Aditya’s penthouse — not because she needed a place, but because he needed her in his. It wasn’t romance that brought her there. It was presence . Some mornings were silent — both typing, heads down, coffee cups clinking now and then. Other days were stormy — Aditya still woke up drenched in nightmares, still sat at the piano with eyes closed, fingers trembling. But now, when he broke... She was there to hold him. Not to fix. Just to hold. 🛋️ Their Therapist Asked Once: “How do you define your relationship?” Aditi...
Read more