“You’re thinking about him,” she finally says, her voice quiet, tentative.
“Mom…” I start, hoping she’ll let it go.
She chuckles softly. “Don’t try to dodge it, my love. I can see it in your eyes. You can fool yourself, but you can’t fool a mother.”
“It’s just friendship,” I whisper, my heart pounding, the words feeling empty even to myself.
Mom sighs, her fingers still threading through my hair. “Maybe. But don’t shut the doors on your feelings before you even know what’s behind them.”
I squeeze my eyes shut and don’t say anything.
She continues, “These old eyes have seen enough to know when a man’s heart is true. And that young man—he has a good heart. I see it in the way he looks at you.”
A lump forms in my throat. “Mom, I don’t know if I’m ready for this.”
She presses a kiss to my forehead. “Then take all the time you need. But don’t let fear keep you from something that could be really, really beautiful.”
I stay quiet, my heart tangled in emotions I don’t know how to name.
Mom’s fingers continue their soothing rhythm, brushing through my hair, as if debating whether to say more. Then, with quiet insistence, she speaks again.
“Just promise me, whatever it is you’re feeling… don’t run from it,” she says, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. “Not everything has to be decided tonight, but don’t lock your heart away out of fear.”
I swallow hard, my throat tight, but I still manage to slowly lift my head and meet her eyes. They are warm, knowing, filled with a love that sees right through me. But I don’t know what to say to her.
She studies me for a moment, then smiles—a small, understanding smile that tells me she already knows my answer, even in my silence.
“Goodnight, my love,” she whispers, pressing a tender kiss to my forehead before standing up.
I watch as she walks away, and just like that, I’m alone again—with nothing but the storm inside me.
A small part of me wonders if I’m holding myself back from something more—something I’ve wanted for so long but am too afraid to admit.
Closing my eyes, I take a few deep breaths, trying to steady myself. When I finally open them, my gaze drifts back to the sky. The stars blink down at me, indifferent to the turmoil in my heart. I don’t know how long I sit there, lost in my thoughts, exhaustion settling over me. My eyes feel heavy, my body drained, but still, I can’t bring myself to go back to my room.
Just then, my phone rings, cutting through the silence. I glance down.Aditya.
My breath catches. My heart betrays me with a wild, unsteady beat.
God, why?
I exhale in a rush, willing my heart to steady, trying to quieten the emotions threatening to take over. My fingers hover over the screen, hesitation tightening around me like a vice.
I could ignore it. Let it ring. Pretend I’m already asleep.
But I know I can’t.
With a sigh, I finally swipe to answer.
“Aditya…”
“Were you sleeping?” His deep voice washes over me, warm and soothing, but that only unsettles me further.
I press my lips together, gripping the phone a little tighter. Lying would be so easy. A simple yes, and this conversation would end before it even begins. But something in his voice tells me to be honest.
“No,” I admit quietly. “I couldn’t sleep.”
There’s a beat of silence, then a soft sigh from his end. “Me neither.”
