Destined – A Marriage of Convenience Love Story: Chapter 10

This is part 11 of 11 in the book Destined: A Marriage of Convenience

Destined: A Marriage of Convenience

Destined – A Marriage of Convenience Love Story: Life Together

5,342 words, 28 minutes read time.

A Marriage of Convenience Love Story Set in Kolkata

Destined: A Marriage of Convenience Love Story – Chapter 10
Life Together

Don’t forget to read Chapter 9 of Destined: A Marriage of Convenience.

https://payaldedhia.com/destined-a-marriage-of-convenience-love-story-chapter-9

Destined – A Marriage of Convenience Love Story

Abhoy

I tried to sleep as my legs dangled over the armrest of the couch. My back had finally given me an ultimatum. It wanted a better place to sleep, better conditions, anything other than this cramped couch.

I hadn’t slept properly since the day I got married, since the night I shifted here.

With a sigh, I sat up and rubbed my face. A dull ache settled between my shoulders as I stood. Quietly, I walked towards the terrace door and eased it open. Before stepping outside, I turned to look at Mehek. She was fast asleep, lying on her side, completely unaware of me. Satisfied that I hadn’t disturbed her, I walked to the mini fridge, pulled out a beer, and slipped onto the terrace.

A small table and chair sat near the railing. I dragged the chair closer to the edge, sat, and rested my legs on the table. Taking a deep breath, I took a long sip. The chilled beer slid down my throat, instantly cooling the restlessness that had been building inside me. A cool breeze drifted across the terrace, carrying the faint scent of flowers from our rose garden below.

Life was slowly finding its rhythm again, if happiness wasn’t a requirement. I had accepted the couch. Mehek had accepted the bed. We barely spoke unless it was necessary, and somehow the days kept moving.

But another problem had surfaced. The honeymoon.

Mom and Dad had started bringing it up almost every day. They wanted us to go somewhere, spend time together, begin our married life properly. I didn’t know how to explain that Mehek and I were barely surviving under the same roof. The idea of spending days alone with her felt exhausting.

She hated me. Like her life depended on it. Like if she smiled at me even once, she would get burned. Or burst up like a balloon. Or at least that was how it felt.

I didn’t know what her problem was… but she refused to accept me in any way, not even as cordial strangers.

Inside the bedroom, she refused to look at me, barely answered when I spoke, and acted as though I didn’t exist. Yet the moment we stepped outside, she transformed into the perfect daughter-in-law. She laughed with Ishika and Ishwari, helped Maa in the kitchen without being asked, spoke politely to everyone, and made sure no one felt ignored.

Sometimes I wondered if I was the only person she disliked. I knew I told her there would be no love… but I had taken care of her. I had even taken her shopping to buy presents for her family.

Love didn’t dominate marriage; respect did. But she refused to give one if the other wasn’t on the table as well.

The relatives had all left, and the house had returned to normal. I had taken her to her parents’ place for the Ashtamangala ceremony on the eighth day as per the customs, and let her stay there for three days. I had even gone to pick her up and had dinner with her family. They had prepared a lavish meal, and I had eaten as a son would.

I thought that would earn me brownie points, make me a little better in her eyes, but it didn’t make a difference. But one good thing happened. Those three nights had been the first proper sleep I’d had since the wedding because I could finally sleep in my bed again.

Then she returned.

And I quietly shifted back to the couch.

I wasn’t used to this. Every morning my back protested a little more than the previous one. I needed to think of another arrangement, but no one could know. Not Maa. Not Baba.

They had sacrificed enough for me already.

The least I could do was let them believe their son and daughter-in-law were happy.

I knew this arrangement couldn’t continue forever. Sooner or later, the conversations would shift from honeymoon to children. Mehek was still young, so I could ask everyone to wait a few years.

Beyond that… I didn’t know.

I wasn’t trained for this. I also wanted love in my life… but… I couldn’t forget Yagini. I still carried her photo in my wallet, though I hadn’t once pulled it out. Because that would be cheating and… I didn’t know how low I could go from here.

I lifted the bottle again but didn’t drink. Instead, I rolled it slowly between my palms.

The way Mehek behaved with me now made it painfully obvious that she didn’t want me. Maybe she never would.

But she hadn’t been like this before Panchgani.

She never wanted this marriage, but she hadn’t been this cold before. There had been hope and warmth, but after the trip it was as if she realized there could be nothing between us. So she had stopped trying altogether, building up a wall around her.

The next day, at breakfast, Maa was adamant.

“Tell me, where are you taking Mehek?”

“Mom…”

“You have to go somewhere. You just got married, and you’re already back to work. Mehek is alone at home the whole day, and it hasn’t even been a month. Abhoy, I’m not listening to any excuses anymore. I’ve taken matters into my own hands.”

I sighed, but then stared in surprise as she slid an envelope towards me.

I opened it and turned it over. A few papers slipped onto the table.

Flight tickets along with a hotel confirmation.

I checked the destination.

Kashmir.

Wow.

It was supposed to be one of the most romantic places in the country, and Mehek and I weren’t even cordial anymore.

I instinctively looked at her.

Her eyes were fixed on her plate as though the paratha in front of her demanded her complete attention. But my gaze must have reached her anyway. She swallowed, and a faint blush slowly colored her cheeks before she lowered her head even further.

If she wouldn’t even look at me, how could we go out somewhere?

I turned back to my mother. “Maa, I don’t have time right now.”

“I’m not asking.” She folded her arms. “Three days from now, you’re going to Kashmir for a week. End of the story.”

“Dada, send us lots of pictures,” Ishika said excitedly. “And I’ll make a list of everything I want you to bring back.”

“I heard they have really good kesar there,” Mom added. “And dry fruits too. Abhoy, you should get some for all our relatives.”

“Maa…”

“Mehek…” Mom turned towards her. “Don’t you want some alone time with your husband?”

“I…” She stumbled over the word before glancing down again. “I know he’s busy, and I don’t want to disturb him.”

Maa smiled before looking at Baba.

“We’re allowed to disturb them. We’re allowed to make their lives miserable if we want.” She grinned. “We’re the wives.”

Baba chuckled softly. Reaching across the table, he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Those two showed more affection over breakfast every single day than Mehek and I had shared since our wedding.

“You both have to go somewhere,” Maa continued. “This normal life will always be waiting for you, but you won’t be newly married forever. That phase has an expiry date.”

Mehek nodded quietly.

I narrowed my eyes.

So what now? Did she actually want to go to Kashmir with me?

I lifted my coffee and took a slow sip, studying her over the rim of my mug.

A moment later, she looked up. For the first time in days, our eyes met. She held my gaze for barely a second before giving the smallest shrug.

I frowned. Turning back to Maa, I finally nodded.

“Okay. We’ll go. I just hope I don’t have any important meetings lined up. If I do, I’ll have to modify the reservations.”

“No, you won’t.” Maa dismissed the idea immediately. “Your Baba will handle the meetings.”

“He doesn’t know what I’m working on.”

“And you have three days to tell him all about it.” She smiled knowingly. “Don’t forget, he’s the one who taught you everything.”

I gave her a look but nodded anyway.

Dad had told me long ago that nobody won an argument against Mom.

“You both have a party to attend tonight,” Maa continued. “Tomorrow you’ll take Mehek shopping. She can’t wear sarees throughout the honeymoon.”

“Wait. What party?”

“The office party your Baba told me about.”

I groaned and turned towards him. But he simply smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling with amusement.

“Will you come?” I asked Mehek quietly.

She nodded without looking at me and continued eating her breakfast.

Thankfully, the rest of breakfast passed in silence. I went upstairs to get ready, and for the first time, I noticed Mehek following me.

I grabbed my towel from the cupboard before pulling out a pale yellow shirt, black trousers, and a black blazer. Placing everything neatly on the bed, I selected a tie to go with it. Once I had everything ready, I headed towards the bathroom.

A soft clearing of a throat stopped me just before I reached the door.

I turned.

Mehek stood a few steps away, her hands clasped together, her gaze fixed on her favorite place.

Her toes.

“What is this party about? And what do I have to wear?”

I knew all of this was new for her, so instead of answering immediately, I walked into the walk-in wardrobe that I had given entirely to her on the first day after our wedding.

Her wardrobe was already full.

Mostly sarees.

Far too many sarees.

After looking through them for a moment, I spotted a few suits hanging towards one side. I pulled out a simple black one.

“You can wear this.”

She looked at it before looking back at me.

“A dress? Maybe I can find a similar saree.”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to wear a saree every day. Maa is cool like that.”

She bit her lower lip before giving a small nod.

I walked over to her.

Gently holding her chin, I lifted her face until she was looking at me.

“There are no restrictions here. I’ll take you shopping tomorrow. Buy whatever you want. You don’t have to wear a saree every day. Okay?”

She nodded again, but almost immediately took a small step backwards.

My hand fell away.

“This black suit is elegant. It’ll be perfect for the party.”

Leaving it on the bed, I headed into the bathroom.

I was reading a report, completely absorbed in it, when my phone rang.

Without checking the caller ID, I answered.

“Hello.”

“It’s me. Mehek.”

I straightened in my chair.

“Yes. What happened?”

“When are you coming home? We have to attend a party, right?”

A frown settled on my face as my eyes shifted to the watch on my wrist.

Shit.

I had completely lost track of time.

“Sorry… I got caught up in work. Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry, Mehek. I should’ve been more careful.” I rubbed my forehead. “Can you meet me at an address I’ll message you? I have spare clothes here. I’ll change and come directly to the party.”

“But… I…”

“Okay, no problem. I’ll come home instead. Just be ready and meet me outside in thirty minutes.”

“No, wait.” She paused. “Um… I’ll come on my own. But I’ll wait outside. I can’t go in alone.”

“Sure. I’m sending you the address now.”

I ended the call and immediately messaged her.

Then I quickly changed and left my cabin.

It would take me nearly an hour to reach, and she would probably get there before me. I got into the car and put it into reverse.

Damn. I shouldn’t have opened that report. I knew it was already evening, and it would take time to read it.

Yet all I could think about now was Mehek standing outside that hotel alone, waiting for me.

Why did that thought bother me so much?

Since when had I started caring for her this much?

The thought itself felt absurd because I had always cared about Mehek. I had wanted her to be safe from the day she entered my life. But this was different. The need to reach before she was left standing alone outside was so strong that I couldn’t ignore it.

When I reached the venue, I spotted the car immediately. I parked in a hurry and strode towards it, only to stop when I realized it was empty. Even the driver was nowhere to be seen.

A knot formed in my stomach.

I quickly pulled out my phone and dialed her number.

No answer.

“Mehek… answer,” I muttered, already dialing again.

The parking lot was dimly lit, and people walked past me towards the entrance, laughing among themselves, but I barely noticed them. My eyes searched every corner they could reach.

Damn.

I should have gone home and picked her up myself.

What if she had wandered off? What if someone had approached her? She wasn’t like Yagini, who had grown up in this world and knew how to handle herself. Mehek trusted people too easily. She was innocent in ways she herself didn’t realize.

Before I could call again, someone behind me spoke.

“Abhoy… come. We’ve been waiting for you.”

I turned sharply.

“My wife…” The words escaped before I even thought about them. “Mehek… is she here?”

“Yeah, she’s inside…”

I didn’t wait for him to finish.

Ignoring everyone who greeted me, I walked briskly through the hall, scanning every face until I finally found her.

She was standing in the pantry near the refreshments counter, holding a can of Sprite while talking to someone.

The tightness in my chest eased instantly.

It was only then that I realized how frightened I had actually been.

“You were supposed to wait outside,” I said as soon as I reached her.

She frowned, clearly surprised by my tone.

Then I noticed who was standing beside her.

Anjali.

My best friend’s wife.

She had met Mehek during the wedding.

“I found her waiting outside,” Anjali explained. “So I brought her in.”

“Anjali, can you leave us alone for a minute, please?”

“Look…”

“Please.”

She studied my face for a second before sighing.

“Fine.”

The moment she walked away, I turned back to Mehek.

“Where’s your phone?”

She looked confused before opening her purse. A second later, her expression changed.

“Sorry… I put it on silent so I wouldn’t disturb the party.”

“Don’t do that again.”

The words came out softer than before.

“Please.”

She nodded immediately, biting her lower lip.

I closed my eyes for a brief second and let out the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.

I had been terrified.

For one horrible moment, I thought I had lost her too.

The feeling caught me off guard because it brought back memories I hadn’t relived in almost two weeks. Ever since Mehek had entered my life, my mind had stayed occupied. Even if we barely spoke and had nothing resembling a marriage, her presence had somehow pushed Yagini’s memories into the background.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“It’s okay.” I shook my head. “I was just worried. When you didn’t answer your phone, I got really scared.”

She looked up at me, genuine confusion in her eyes.

“Why?”

I looked at her for a long moment before answering quietly.

“Because losing someone is far too easy.”

She didn’t respond.

Instead, she simply stood there, watching me as though she were trying to understand something she couldn’t quite put into words.

Without thinking, I reached for her hand.

She didn’t resist.

I led her out of the pantry, and for the next hour, her hand remained in mine while I spoke to colleagues and clients. She stood quietly beside me, occasionally glancing at me before looking away whenever our eyes met.

No one questioned it.

To everyone around us, we looked exactly like a newly married couple.

Later, we walked towards the food counters, and only then did I let go of her hand.

“Abhoy… look.” There was a spark of excitement in her voice that I hadn’t heard in days. “Fish and chips. They’re my favorite.”

I smiled despite myself.

Picking up a plate, I served some fish and chips, added sauce, and handed it to her. I was standing closer than I had realized. She turned towards me, lifted her fork, and instinctively offered me the first bite.

I froze.

Our eyes met.

Then, almost reflexively, I took a step back.

Her hand remained suspended in the air for a second before she quietly pulled it back and ate the bite herself.

The disappointment in her eyes lasted only a moment, but I still saw it.

Something about that unsettled me.

How had we become comfortable enough for her to do something so natural?

This wasn’t right.

I couldn’t let the lines blur.

I didn’t want to give her hope for something I could never offer.

For the rest of the evening, I made sure to keep a careful distance between us. She seemed to understand because she stayed in her own space, never trying to close it again.

Mehek

I cried silently, making sure the blanket covered my head. The pillow beneath my cheek grew damp, but I didn’t bother wiping my tears away.

Just once. Just once, I had let myself believe that Abhoy wanted me.

The way he had panicked when he couldn’t find me… the way he had searched for me the moment he reached the venue… it had all felt so real.

Then, for an hour, I had lived inside a beautiful dream. His hand wrapped around mine. And his quiet, protective presence beside me. The confidence with which he spoke to everyone, and the way people naturally listened to him.

For the first time since our wedding, it had felt as though I truly was his wife.

Fresh tears escaped my eyes, disappearing into the pillow as I rubbed the palm that had rested in his hand.

His touch lingered in my memory. It was dangerous how easily I could get addicted to something so small. To having him close… to believing, even for a little while, that he wanted me.

But it hadn’t taken him long to shatter that dream.

Now I felt more alone than ever. My mother-in-law was kind. My sisters-in-law loved me. Yet none of it filled the empty space inside me.

I missed my mother. I missed the comfort of her unconditional love.

Perhaps we all realized too late just how deeply our mothers loved us.

Usually when that time had already passed.

“Mehek, you want to buy all of this?” Abhoy asked, looking at the pile of outfits I had selected.

“Why? Do you have a problem?”

“No. Not at all.” He looked at the shopping bags before glancing back at me. “I can buy you the whole boutique if you want.”

“You don’t need to flaunt your money.” I folded another dress and placed it back on the counter. “I know I’m poor. My family is poor. You don’t have to remind me of that again and again.”

A frown settled on his face.

“When did I do that?”

“You always do.”

The words came out sharper than I intended.

I turned and walked away from him, wrapping my arms around myself.

The manager handed him the bill.

I instinctively reached for it, but he simply lifted it above my head, well out of my reach.

I glared at him.

He returned the look before calmly paying with his card.

“I’ll have everything delivered by the end of the day,” the manager told him before turning towards me with a warm smile. “Hope to see you again soon.”

I nodded, slightly taken aback by her cheerful smile.

Once we stepped outside, Abhoy finally spoke.

“Can you tell me what I’ve done today to deserve this nuclear treatment?”

“You don’t need to do anything.” I kept walking without looking at him. “Your presence is enough.”

He sighed behind me.

“I want to go home,” I continued. “I have orders to finish before we leave for our fake honeymoon.”

“Don’t use that tone with me, Mehek.”

I stopped walking.

“And you shouldn’t marry someone you don’t want to, Abhoy.”

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

He stared at me, his brows knitting together as though he wanted to argue.

Before he could say a word, I opened the passenger-side door, got into the car, and folded my arms tightly across my chest, staring straight ahead.

Tears burned behind my eyes, and I silently begged Mahadev not to let them fall.

Not in front of him.

I didn’t want him, just the way he didn’t want me. But he didn’t need to know how much he had affected me the previous night. He didn’t deserve to know that for one foolish hour, I had believed he actually wanted me beside him.

I had very little left that truly belonged to me.

My pride was one of those things.

And I wasn’t ready to lose that too.

We reached home, and I was out of the car before it had fully come to a stop. The cool afternoon breeze brushed against my face as I walked towards the entrance, determined not to look back.

I found Ishwari outside, adjusting the strap of her college bag.

“Are you free?” I asked hesitantly. “Um… to teach me swimming?”

“Oh.” She looked genuinely disappointed. “I have to go to college. But later today?”

I nodded, though I couldn’t stop my face from falling.

She groaned softly.

“Sorry…”

“It’s okay.”

I managed a smile, watching her hurry towards the gate.

“I can teach you swimming.”

Abhoy’s voice came from behind me.

I pretended I hadn’t heard him and continued walking towards the house.

A hand closed around my wrist, stopping me.

I looked down at it before slowly turning around.

“What?” I snapped.

“Drop the attitude.”

“No.”

“Mehek.”

“No.”

Before either of us could say anything else, I heard movement from inside the house.

Turning instinctively, I found Maa standing near the entrance. She was looking at us with a puzzled expression, though the smile on her face hadn’t completely disappeared.

I forced one onto my own lips.

“Abhoy, you should leave for the office,” I said brightly, as though we hadn’t been arguing a second ago.

Instead of answering me, he looked at Maa.

“The hotel we’re staying at in Kashmir has a big swimming pool. I think I should teach her before we leave, so she’s prepared.”

I shot him a glare.

He ignored it completely.

“Maa, what do you think?”

“Oh, that’s a wonderful idea.” She clapped her hands together, visibly pleased. “Mehek, let him teach you. Swimming isn’t very difficult. I think two or three sessions will be enough.”

I wanted to refuse.

The words reached the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t say no to her.

So I simply nodded.

Abhoy took my hand as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

Every nerve in my body went rigid.

He led me towards the backyard, and I waited until we were far enough that Maa couldn’t hear us anymore.

Then I pulled my hand out of his grip.

“Don’t you dare touch me ever again. Do you understand?”

He simply stared at me.

The surprise on his face told me he hadn’t expected that.

After a long silence, he nodded.

“It wasn’t like that.”

“I don’t care how it was.” I folded my arms tightly around myself, as though they could keep my heart from slipping out. “It’s better if we both know our limits.”

My voice weakened despite every effort to steady it.

“So we don’t give each other false hope.”

The words hung between us. He looked at me, searching my face, but I couldn’t meet his eyes anymore.

Hope was dangerous. I had learned that lesson in just one evening.

For one hour, I had believed I mattered to him. For one hour, I had forgotten that we were only pretending to be husband and wife.

I couldn’t afford to make that mistake again.

That was why I never looked at him. Never held his gaze for longer than a heartbeat. Because every time I did, I started believing in things that would never belong to me.

I changed into a tee and tights, feeling more exposed than I ever had in front of him, and stepped outside.

The evening breeze brushed against my bare arms as I waited near the pool.

A few moments later, the back door opened, and I looked up.

Abhoy walked out wearing only swimming trunks, and my throat went dry. I gulped loudly before I could stop myself.

I had never seen him like this before.

Every morning, I was always out of the room before he changed. This was the first time I was seeing him without his usual shirts and blazers.

He had a well-built body, broad shoulders, and a chest marked with a few faded scars that caught my attention.

What had happened to him?

The question rose instinctively, but I swallowed it back.

He didn’t explain, and I didn’t ask.

Without another word, he walked to the edge of the pool and dove in. Water splashed around him before settling into gentle ripples.

I stared at the water, my eyes going wide. It suddenly looked much deeper than it actually was.

The thought of drowning made my stomach twist.

“Come inside.”

I shook my head. Then, I lowered myself onto the edge and dipped only my feet into the water. It was colder than I expected.

“Mehek, the water isn’t that deep. Come.”

I swallowed. “I’m scared.”

“I know you are.” His voice remained calm. “But you have to push past that. Come.”

Taking a slow breath, I stood and walked towards the pool ladder.

Holding the steel rails with both hands, I carefully stepped down one rung at a time. The cool water slowly climbed past my ankles, then my knees, until it reached my thighs.

Only then did I turn towards him. He swam closer and gently held my arm.

“Let go of the handle.”

My fingers tightened instead.

I couldn’t.

“Mehek…”

His hand was warm despite the cold water. His eyes stayed on mine.

Standing this close to him, with nothing between us except the water, made my heart beat much faster than it should have.

Still, I forced myself to loosen my grip and walked the remaining distance until I reached him.

He guided me towards the steel bar running along the side of the pool.

“Hold this with both hands.”

I obeyed.

“Now let your legs float.”

“What?”

“Yes. Put your weight on your hands and let your legs come off the floor.”

“I can’t.”

“You can.” His voice remained steady. “If you fall, I’ll catch you before anything happens. Trust me. Slowly lift your feet.”

I hesitated for another moment before doing exactly what he said. For a terrifying second, I felt myself tipping forward.

Then… I didn’t fall. The water held me, and it felt good. I was floating. Not completely, but enough for my feet to leave the floor.

Abhoy copied my position beside me before moving his legs in a gentle kicking motion.

“Like this.”

I copied him. It felt strange. Then surprisingly… it felt nice. I had to force my legs to move, but I liked it.

“Now let go with your left hand.”

“What?”

He smiled.

“Baby… do it.”

Everything inside me froze.

Baby.

The word echoed in my head. I was almost certain he hadn’t even realized he’d said it. Still, my heart reacted anyway.

Trying not to think about it, I slowly released my left hand and pushed the water just the way he had shown me.

“Good. Now the other.”

I did. I didn’t realize when he turned me, but he did, and the vast pool was in front of me. I was still moving my hands and legs as he had taught me.

For a few incredible seconds, I was actually moving. No… swimming. I didn’t even realize I had crossed half the pool until panic suddenly rushed through me.

I forgot everything he had taught me. My hands stopped. And so did my legs. The next moment, I slipped beneath the surface.

Water rushed around me. Before fear could completely take over, strong arms wrapped around me and pulled me back up.

I coughed, gasping for air as he guided me towards the edge. Then without thinking, I threw my arms around his neck, clinging to him.

“It’s okay,” he said softly. “You were doing really well. You just stopped moving. That’s the only mistake you made. You can’t stop.”

“I panicked.”

“I know. But you’re really good for a first timer. I think you’ll learn swimming within the next hour.”

I rested there for another moment, my breathing slowly returning to normal.

Then, without warning, a completely ridiculous thought slipped into my mind.

He smelled amazing.

I froze at my own thoughts. Then I pulled away from him and hurried towards the ladder, climbing out of the pool before he could say another word.

“Mehek…” he called after me.

I didn’t stop. By the time I reached the changing room, my vision had blurred with tears. The moment I shut the door behind me, a sob escaped before I could swallow it back.

What was happening to me?

Why was I feeling so much?

I hated him. I truly did. But… sometimes I couldn’t. And that was the worst part.

I had barely changed when I heard footsteps outside.

He didn’t knock but simply stood there in silence.

I opened the door because I wanted to know something. He had his guard up… I could see it in his eyes. They were always hooded when he didn’t want to engage.

“Did you know you called me baby out there?”

He made a quiet sound in his throat, as though he had only just realized it himself, but he didn’t say anything.

I took a hesitant step towards him. One of us had to let go of the pride. And I didn’t care if that was me.

“It doesn’t have to be black and white.” My voice was soft now, stripped of all the anger I had been carrying. “We can give each other a chance, Abhoy.”

I searched his face, hoping to find even the smallest crack in the wall he had built around himself.

“We can try.” I pressed and held out my hand.

Before I could reach him, he took a step back. The distance between us returned in an instant.

My hand slowly dropped to my side.

“I’m sorry that I called you by anything other than your name. It won’t happen again.”

A lump formed in my throat. “Why are you so afraid to like me?”

His jaw tightened. Instead of answering, he looked away. He ran his hand through his hair, frustration clear on his face.

“You’re right,” he said after a long pause. “This wasn’t right. I shouldn’t have been the one to teach you swimming. I know someone who teaches professionally. I’ll call him tomorrow morning.”

That was it. No explanation, no conversation. He turned and walked away, leaving me alone.

The moment he disappeared, my legs gave way. I slid down the wall and sat on the cold floor, crying until my chest hurt and every breath felt heavy.

This was the worst part. Knowing I wanted to try… and knowing he didn’t.

After a long time, I forced myself to stand. My hands trembled as I picked up my phone from the side table and called Maa.

She answered almost immediately.

“Priyo… how are you?”

The sound of her voice broke whatever control I had managed to gather. Fresh tears spilled down my cheeks.

“Mehek…” Her voice filled with worry. “Please tell me. Are you okay?”

“I’m okay, Maa.” I tried to steady my breathing. “I just… missed you.”

“Promise me there’s nothing else.”

I closed my eyes.

How could I tell her?