The garden had a certain charm that night—lit by fairy lights lazily wrapped around the mango tree trunks, casting a soft glow across the green expanse. The buzz from the jolly mood had mellowed into a distant hum. Laughter and teasing were now mere whispers carried by the night breeze.
Sanvi walked out into the calm, drawn by the scent of raat ki rani blooming in the corner near the boundary wall. Wrapped in a pastel shawl and her hair loosely braided, she looked more like a dream than reality. She spotted the wooden swing under the guava tree—occupied by none other than Abhishek Bhaiya, her elder cousin. He was sipping chai, gazing at the sky like it held answers to unsaid questions.
"Bhaiya," she smiled, approaching.
"Oye heroine, aaja baith ja yahan. Tera swing tera favourite hai na?" (Hey heroine, come sit here. Swing is favourite to you, right?) he said, tapping the empty space beside him.
Sanvi sat, the swing creaking gently beneath them. They rocked slightly, silently for a few moments.
"Toh madam, kaisi ho? Sab kuch thik-thak chal raha hai?" (So madam, how are you? Everything going alright?)
"Haan... jaise-taise," she replied softly. (Yeah... somehow.)
He glanced sideways, sensing something more beneath her words. "College life aur ghar ka stress alag cheez hai, but tu toh generally strong thi... ab kya hua?"
Sanvi inhaled deeply. "Bas Bhaiya, kabhi kabhi lagta hai sab kuch sir pe chadh gaya hai. Kabhi sapne bade lagte hain, aur kabhi resources chhote." (Sometimes it feels like everything’s weighing on me. Sometimes dreams feel too big, and resources too small.)
Abhishek nodded, understanding more than he said. "Tu elder daughter hai. Responsibility chipak jaati hai bina bole. Lekin tu sambhaal legi, mujhe pata hai."
She smiled faintly. "Aap hamesha itna believe kaise kar lete ho mujh par?" (How do you always believe in me so much?)
"Kyunki tu meri chhoti si junglee billi hai, lekin dil se sher hai." (Because you're my little wildcat, but a lion at heart.)
She laughed. "Waise Bhaiya, aapko yaad hai main aapke saath last baar aise kab baithi thi?"
"Shayad Diwali 2021. Tu uss waqt bhi confused thi. Tab tujhe chocolate chahiye thi, ab answers." (Maybe Diwali 2021. You were confused even then. Back then you wanted chocolate, now you want answers.)
They both chuckled.
After a pause, Abhishek glanced at her again. "Aur love life ka kya scene hai madam? Ya abhi bhi pyaar se zyada pharmacy hi priority hai?" (And what about your love life, madam? Or is pharmacy still your biggest priority?)
Sanvi rolled her eyes and looked away. "It’s... complicated. Mujhe khud samajh nahi aata. Kabhi lagta hai kuch hai, kabhi lagta hai sab mere dimaag ka illusion hai." (Even I don’t understand it. Sometimes it feels like there’s something, other times I feel like it’s all just in my head.)
"Hmm..." Abhishek took a slow sip of his tea. "Vedarth ke saath tumhari chemistry alag hi level ki lagti hai. Soft si, lekin noticeable. Tum dono jab ek doosre ko dekhte ho na... aisa lagta hai jaise baaki sab background mein chale jaate hain." (The chemistry between you and Vedarth seems to be on a different level. Soft, but noticeable. When you two look at each other, everything else fades into the background.)
Sanvi’s eyes widened. "Aapko bhi laga? Mujhe laga main hi zyada soch rahi hoon."
"Beta, main rani Gandhari nahi hun jo aakhon pe patti bandhe phirta hun." he grinned. (Girl, I’m not like Queen Gandhari who had tied cloth on her eyes.)
She blushed and bit her lower lip. "Par Bhaiya, aisa kuch hai bhi ya nahi, mujhe samajh nahi aata. Main pehle bhi hurt ho chuki hoon... aur mujhe darr lagta hai kisi ke liye feel karne se. Shayad isiliye main deny karti hoon."
Abhishek's tone softened. "Sanvi, pyar har baar jor se nahi aata. Kabhi-kabhi woh ek muskurahat mein hota hai, ya kisi ki chhoti si help mein. Trust le kar aata hai, drama nahi. Agar Vedarth ke saath tu safe feel karti hai... toh woh kuch toh keh raha hai."
She was quiet for a moment, letting his words settle in.
Then, almost in a whisper, she said, "Woh mujhe dekh kar muskurata hai... jaise main kisi poem ka part hoon."
Abhishek placed his hand over hers. "Phir toh likh le apni kahani. Shayad yeh woh chapter ho jo hamesha ke liye yaad rahe."
The swing swayed gently in the silence that followed, two souls connected not by words but by understanding. Sanvi rested her head on Abhishek’s shoulder. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to.
Some nights don’t need noise to echo; they just need honesty, moonlight, and a little love.
After a few quiet minutes, Abhishek spoke again. "Sanu, ek baat bolun? Jab tu apne baare mein bolti hai na... teri aankhon mein woh sparkle chali jaati hai. Tu duniya ke liye strong hai, par tere liye bhi koi hona chahiye jo tujhe bina mask ke dekhe."
Sanvi blinked slowly. "Kya aisa koi hota hai Bhaiya? Jo bina mask ke bhi tumhe accept kare?"
He smiled gently. "Hota hai. Kabhi milta hai jaldi, kabhi waqt lagta hai. Lekin tu agar apne dil ke emotions ko ignore karti rahegi toh shayad wo tujh tak pahunch hi nahi paayega."
She sighed. "Mujhe sirf samajhne wala chahiye. Jo mujhe kisi role mein nahi, Sanvi ke roop mein dekhe."
Abhishek nodded. "Toh uss insaan ke liye jagah khuli rakh. Shayad woh already aas paas ho... bas tujhe usse accept karna baaki hai."
Sanvi looked up at the night sky, stars blinking like possibilities. "Shayad... Vedarth."
She didn’t say anything more. She didn’t need to.
The swing kept rocking slowly, the wind wrapped around them like an old lullaby.
After a while, she broke the silence. "Bhaiya... agar main usse pasand karti bhi hoon na, toh bhi mujhe lagta hai main uske layak nahi hoon."
"Kyun nahi ho?" he asked calmly.
"Woh doctor hai... sorted life, ambitions clear. Main abhi bhi self-doubt se lad rahi hoon. Kabhi confident lagti hoon, kabhi lost." (He's a doctor... sorted life, clear ambitions. I'm still fighting self-doubt. Sometimes I feel confident, sometimes lost.)
Sanvi let out a soft sigh, her eyes still tracing constellations only she seemed to see.
Abhishek tilted his head slightly, gazing at her for a moment before speaking, “Sanvi, kabhi kabhi jo life bahar se sorted dikhti hai, uske andar sabse zyada uljhan hoti hai.”
(Sanvi, sometimes the life that looks the most sorted from the outside holds the deepest chaos inside.)
She looked at him, unsure.
"Par uske chehre pe toh kabhi koi uljhan nazar nahi aayi mujhe," she whispered.
(But I never saw any turmoil on his face.)
“Woh hota hai na,” Abhishek said gently, “jo log sabko sambhalte hain, woh apni tooti cheezein chupake jeete hain. Vedarth ho sakta hai strong dikhta ho, par iska matlab yeh nahi ke uski life perfect hai.”
(It happens, right? The ones who hold everyone together often live hiding their broken pieces. Vedarth might appear strong, but that doesn’t mean his life is perfect.)
Sanvi blinked, her throat tightening as she took in his words.
Abhishek turned to her. "Sanvi, worth kisi profession se nahi hoti. Dil ka connection CV se nahi hota. Tumhare andhar jitna pyaar hai na... woh kisi bhi ache insaan ko chahiye hota hai."
She looked at him, tears pooling quietly in her eyes. "Main bas ek baar kisi ke liye pehli choice banna chahti hoon... bas ek baar."
He held her hand firmly. "Tu already kisi ki first choice ho sakti hai. Shayad tu abhi tak uss raaste par ho jahan wo insaan tera intezaar kar raha hai. Aur agar woh Vedarth hai... toh uske expressions tujhse kuch keh rahe hain. Kab tak ignore karegi tu?"
She smiled weakly. "Jab tak main khud ko accept nahi kar leti."
He pulled her into a side hug. "Toh aaj se start kar. Khud se pyaar karna seekh. Baaki sab khud-ba-khud ho jayega."
The silence that followed was no longer heavy—it was warm, like a silent promise shared between them under a starlit sky.
*****************************
Some conversations don’t need dramatic turns or raised voices. Sometimes, all it takes is a swing beneath the stars, a warm cup of chai, and someone who simply listens. Sanvi may still be figuring out her heart, but tonight, she took one step closer to understanding it—with Abhishek by her side and the moonlight as witness.
If you’ve ever had that one person who saw through your silence, you’ll know—these are the chapters we never forget.
Until next time—
With love,
-The Author❤️✨
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