The days since their conversation had passed like the slow ticking of a clock—each moment stretched out, each day filled with a quiet tension neither of them fully understood. Roshni had found herself lost in the rhythm of her newfound independence, the small victories of making decisions on her own, and the fragile peace of not having to answer to anyone. Yet, amidst the growing sense of freedom, there was still an ache in her chest—a yearning that she hadn't expected.
Kabir.
His presence had been there, lingering just outside the edges of her life, like a shadow that refused to fade. Despite his promise to give her space, she could feel his watchful eyes, even when he wasn't physically around. She hadn't seen him in a week, but his absence left a heavy emptiness that she didn't know how to fill.
It was late one evening when the doorbell rang, the sound of it slicing through the quiet of the apartment. Roshni's heart skipped a beat, and before she even thought, she found herself walking to the door. She opened it, half-expecting to find someone else, but standing before her was Kabir. His usual calm demeanor was replaced with something more raw, more vulnerable. His eyes were tired, but there was a fire there too—a quiet intensity that made her heart race.
He stood in the doorway for a moment, just watching her. She didn't know whether to invite him in or send him away. The space between them had grown since their last conversation, and yet here he was, standing in front of her, as if he'd never left.
"Kabir," she said softly, her voice betraying the swirl of emotions she felt. "What are you doing here?"
He took a deep breath, his gaze never leaving hers. "I needed to see you," he said simply. "I know I promised you space, and I've tried to respect that. But I can't keep pretending like I'm okay with just standing on the sidelines while you figure things out. I need to know if you're happy. If you've truly found yourself in all of this."
Roshni's heart twisted at his words. She hadn't realized how much she missed him until he stood there, so close yet so distant, his presence filling the space between them. The longing to reach out to him, to close the distance, was overwhelming. But a part of her knew that if she did, she would be stepping backward. She wasn't sure if she could keep moving forward and still keep him in her life.
"I'm trying to be happy," she said slowly, her voice shaky. "But I can't keep living for someone else's idea of what my life should be. I need to live for me, Kabir. I need to be my own person, make my own choices."
Kabir's face softened, but the pain in his eyes was unmistakable. He took a small step forward, and for a moment, it seemed like he would reach for her. But he stopped himself, his hand hovering in the air, unsure.
"Do you think I haven't been trying to let you go?" Kabir's voice was raw now, tinged with frustration. "I've been doing what you asked—staying back, giving you space. But the truth is, Roshni, I can't keep pretending that I'm not in love with you. That I don't want you in my life. I love you, and I've always loved you. But this... this is breaking me. I thought I could let you go, that I could watch you live the life you want, but I can't."
His words hit Roshni like a physical blow. She felt the weight of them in her chest, as if they were pushing the air from her lungs. She had always known Kabir had strong feelings for her, but hearing him say it so plainly, so vulnerably, left her breathless.
"I don't want to keep you in my world, Roshni," he continued, his voice quieter now. "I've built my world around you, made decisions for you, tried to make everything perfect. But I can't keep you in a cage, not when you deserve the freedom to choose your own path. I just..." His voice faltered, and he looked away briefly before meeting her eyes again. "I just want you to be happy. Even if it's without me."
The silence that followed was deafening. Roshni could feel the weight of his words pressing down on her, could feel the depth of his love for her, and it terrified her. She had spent so much time resenting the control he had over her life, but now, with him standing before her, so vulnerable, so raw, she was left wondering if she had been too quick to push him away.
She swallowed hard, trying to steady herself. "Kabir, you've done so much for me. You've changed my life in ways I can't even understand. But I can't keep living under your shadow. I need to find out who I am, outside of everything you've given me. I need to know that I can stand on my own, without needing someone else to decide everything for me."
Kabir stepped back, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I understand. I've always known you were strong, Roshni. I've known you'd want to find your own way. But I didn't want to lose you. And now, standing here, knowing you need space... I don't know if I can let you go."
Tears welled in Roshni's eyes as she took a step forward, her heart breaking at the thought of losing him, but knowing that she had to take this step for herself. "Kabir, you've never let me go. You've kept me close, controlled everything around me. I've been living in a world that wasn't really mine. I need to go out there and make mistakes, and learn, and grow. I can't do that if you're always hovering, always protecting me."
Kabir's face was a mixture of pain and acceptance. "If that's what you need, Roshni, I'll give it to you. I'll step back. But know this—I love you. And no matter what, I will always be here for you. I'll never stop caring for you."
His words were a bittersweet balm to her soul, soothing and yet agonizing. She nodded slowly, her voice trembling as she spoke. "I love you too, Kabir. But I need to do this on my own. I need to prove to myself that I'm not just a part of your world, but that I can create my own."
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. It was as if the world had paused around them, giving them a moment to breathe, to process everything they had said. Kabir's eyes searched hers, looking for some sign, some hope that maybe this wasn't the end.
"I'll wait for you," he said finally, his voice quiet but resolute. "As long as it takes. I'll wait."
And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving Roshni standing in the doorway, her heart torn between the love she felt for him and the need to find herself.
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