AUTHOR POV
> How do you forgive someone who broke your heart and someone who broke your trust at the same time?
Aira, 23, once believed love was her safest place. But today, love was the very reason she felt homeless within her own heart.
He wasn’t just her boyfriend. He was the one she trusted with parts of her soul she never showed anyone. Now, those pieces lay shattered at her best friend’s feet.
She replayed their moments again and again – his promises, her laughter, their silent glances. Each memory now felt poisoned. It wasn’t just betrayal; it was as if she lost herself somewhere between his lies and her best friend’s fake smiles. Did they ever think about the damage they left behind, or was their happiness together enough to bury her existence forever?
Wiping her tears, Aira stood up, realising that from this moment, her story was no longer about them – it was about her.
---
A loud knock interrupted her thoughts.
“Aira!” someone called.
Zoned out in her sorrow, Aira slowly opened the door. There stood her childhood best friend, Dhriti. Without a word, Dhriti hugged her tightly.
“I told you, Airu… that girl isn’t good for you. But you never listened. And that idiot Varun – he belongs in the drainage, yet you chose him. I always knew his intentions.”
Aira hugged her back, tears soaking Dhriti’s shoulder.
“Cry as much as you want today,” Dhriti whispered softly. “But after this, I won’t let you cry for that bastard again.”
---
That evening, they sat silently on the sofa. Dhriti slid a glass of water towards Aira. She took two sips and placed it back, her eyes vacant.
Dhriti went to the kitchen to make dinner. Suddenly, Aira stood up, went to her room, and returned with photos, stuffed toys, and letters. Without a word, she set them on fire in the kitchen. Dhriti watched, confused and pained.
Flashback
Aira’s heart was bubbling with excitement. She had been away from Mumbai for a week due to work, and today, without informing anyone, she decided to surprise Varun. He had recently joined as a manager at a well-known clothing store – his dream job. It had only been a month since he started there, and Aira couldn’t wait to see the happiness on his face when she showed up unexpectedly.
The moment she landed at the airport, she skipped going home and directly took a taxi to his workplace. She spent the entire ride imagining his surprised smile, thinking about how she would hug him tightly and tell him how much she missed him.
As she walked through the spacious store, her eyes sparkled with pride seeing his name on the manager's cabin. Without a second thought, she barged in, ready to scream “Surprise!” in her happiest voice.
But the scene before her left her frozen at the door.
Varun was standing between someone’s legs – his hands wrapped tightly around the girl’s waist, her fingers buried in his hair as they kissed passionately. The girl sat on the cabin table, her moans filling the silent room. It took Aira mere seconds to realise who it was.
Pakhi.
Her best friend.
Pakhi suddenly noticed Aira standing there and gasped out, “Varun…”
Both of them pulled away instantly, looking panicked. Varun’s face turned pale as he quickly stepped away from Pakhi and tried to approach Aira.
“Aira, baby, it’s not what you think. Please… we were just talking, and… something got stuck in Pakhi’s eye, so I was helping her. Trust me, there is nothing like that between us,” he stammered, his words trembling with fear.
Aira let out a hollow laugh, her eyes glistening with tears that threatened to spill. “Trust…? Really, Varun?” Her voice cracked. “I’ve been standing here for the last two minutes… watching you eat her up like that, and you expect me to trust you?”
Pakhi tried to speak, her voice shaking, “Aira, Varun was just–”
“Enough!” Aira raised her hand sharply, cutting Pakhi off mid-sentence. Her tears fell freely now as she spoke with a heavy heart. “Sorry, Pakhi. This time, you don’t get to speak. Dhriti warned me about you both, but I defended you. I told her she was just misunderstanding you because I thought you were my sister. But today, you proved her right. Both of you… you disgust me.”
She took a shaky breath, her body trembling. “Whatever was between us… is over. Our love, our friendship, everything ends here. Don’t ever show me your faces again… or I swear, I might end up killing you both… or myself.”
Without waiting for their reaction, Aira turned and ran out of the cabin. Tears blurred her vision as she sprinted out of the store, ignoring Varun’s desperate shouts behind her.
She reached her apartment and collapsed on the floor, crying uncontrollably.
Meanwhile, at the same time, Dhriti received a call from someone at the store who had seen Aira run out, sobbing. Without thinking twice, Dhriti left her workplace and rushed straight to Aira’s apartment.
---
✨🖤 End of Flashback
Aira let out a cracked chuckle.
“That idiot Varun bought me flowers, gifts, letters… and you know what’s funny? He bought all of these with my own money.”
Dhriti remained silent, letting her speak.
“You know, Dhriti… I kept Pakhi above everyone. She treated me like a sister. It’s only been two years since we became best friends. But you… you’ve been with me since childhood. Still, I chose her over you. I shouted at you. I even raised my hand against you and took her side. Why are you still here, Dhriti? You don’t deserve a friend like me. Please, go away. You deserve better.”
Aira fell to her knees, tears streaming, pleading with folded hands. Dhriti knelt before her, holding her tightly.
“Shhh, Airu… you’re my best friend. Even if you kill me with your own hands, I’ll die happily. You know why?”
Aira stayed silent.
“Because you’re not just my best friend – you’re my soul sister. Remember when we were in school, that boy used to bully me? You fought him and broke his nose for me. We were just seven, and from that day, I decided you’d always be my soul sister."after a moment to lighten her mood dhrithi added "Who are you to push me away, huh? You don’t get to decide what I do or don’t do.”
Aira hugged her tightly, whispering a broken “sorry.”
---
Later, they ate dinner in silence and went to bed.
---
💭 Aira’s POV
This girl here, Dhriti… my soul sister… she knows what I want just by looking at me. She would give her life for me if I asked. But Pakhi’s betrayal… I can never forget it.
She was the first person I bonded with on my first day at the office. She helped me with everything, we shopped together, and I introduced her to Varun. The same Varun for whom I left my family, my world… only to get betrayal in return.
But this time, I won’t let anyone trap me. This time, I will rise for myself. I will start a new life… a new me… for me, for Dhriti, and only us.
---
As sleep finally pulled her into darkness, only one thought echoed in her mind:
> “Tomorrow, I rise… not for them, but for me.”
Little did she know, someone had been watching her from the shadows all along… silently waiting for the day she’d finally look back.
---
✨ Author’s Note
Hey my delusional buddies, how was the first chapter? I hope it excited you all. I’m new to story writing… 🥹
💡 Drop your dialogue or scene ideas – I would love to add them in.
See you on Monday. Bye bye 😉💛
1300 words I think it's a lot for a new water starting a story🤭
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