Raghav's lips pressed softly against mine.

Ha... to wake up like this every day ...

I felt the sea waves tapping against my body, the smell of salt exhilarating, accompanied by the distant cries of seagulls. The crimson sun glided over the horizon, painting the sky's bosom in soft hues. His hands gently pulled my wandering mind back to his beautiful brown eyes.

"My love, we have a thousand miles to walk. We can't be late to our own wedding".

A loud rumbling shook the ground beneath us. He held me tightly, rolling our bodies towards the ocean. A sudden rush of saltwater filled my nostrils, jolting me awake from sleep. As the waves tossed us deeper, and Raghav began sinking. What was he thinking? He doesn't even know how to swim! I pulled him up to the shore.

He spat out water, coughing. Where we had been lying moments earlier, a massive boulder had landed. Raghav pulled me away because he sensed it.

Raghav raised his head, bewildered. "How did this roll down from the cliff so suddenly?"

In the distance, two gunshots echoed through the air.

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I slowly opened my eyes and was back to the dull reality. A room full of posters of Bob Marley and Sabrina Carpenter, a shelf stacked with God knows what kind of books, and a closet filled with terrible floral dresses and perfume bottles, all in varying shades of purple and beige. One day, after waking up from the same dream, they told me my name was Aira Aravindan. I had a terrible accident four months ago. Since then, I don't remember anything from my past.

I feel lifeless, as if I'm missing something-something more than just my memories. It's like I'm trapped in a world that doesn't belong to me.

Since the accident, I've had this same dream every night. At first, it felt like a nightmare, but now I'm so used to it that it soothes me-even the gunshots. Every night, when I fall asleep, I look forward to this dream.

Raghav feels like the only person I need in my life. The warmth in his eyes, the way his touch feels so real-it's like I've known him forever. Yet, I can't shake the uncertainty. Is he real, or just a figment of my imagination, something my mind conjured up to fill the emptiness? I remember the first time I asked about him, desperate for answers, but every face around me was blank. They were all so sure-no one named Raghav had ever been part of my life.

How could that be? How could I dream of him so vividly, night after night, feel such an intense pull towards him, and yet, he doesn't exist in my past? Every time they tell me he's not real, it feels like they're trying to erase something, something only I can feel. It doesn't make sense... But deep down, I'm certain-I know he's out there, somewhere, waiting for me to find him.

Apart from all this, I'm a medical student, and thanks to my traumatic amnesia, I failed all my second-year subjects. I'm at home right now, waiting for my supplementary exams. They excused me from the hostel-apparently, everyone was taken aback that the university toppe from first year had fallen so far. Studying is getting easier now, but getting accustomed to random people hugging me as if we knew each other? That's still the hardest part. Speaking of random huggers, I should prepare myself for today.

Today marks the first death anniversary of my grandfather. No one had to tell me, but it's obvious we were close. My journals and the walls in my room are filled with pictures of him-but strangely not with anyone else.

I stare at the photographs, waiting for something-anything-to break through the emptiness. It never comes. I feel nothing but guilt for not being able to grieve, for not feeling what the pictures say I should.

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I HATED WEDNESDAYS. Even though today was Sunday, it felt like a Wednesday. I was suffocating in a crowded room full of people I had never met before-props to being the amnesia girl. They seemed to know me all too well, firing random questions my way as if I were some long-lost friend.

Grandfather's picture hung there, wreathed in a garland of jasmines, a silent reminder of the day.

"Oh, my dear Aira, here you are, oh how much you had to go through at this young age of 19 ", a 50-year-old lady came wailing and pressed my face on her giant boobs.

"Er..."

"Seema, don't you know she doesn't remember you or even her grandfather?" another woman, also in her fifties, 'whispered' loudly enough for everyone to hear.

"Oh, but darling, you loved your grandfather dearly. You must feel his loss deeply. I feel you, molu¹!" Seema tightened her grip and suffocated me.

"C'mon, Seema, it's time for the food to be served. We need to get home before Bigg Boss starts airing!" Yet another woman chimed in, her voice laced with urgency.

Seema finally released me, pushing my face away and in an instant, she became cheerful and jiggled her way toward the dining room, leaving me gasping for breath in a sea of confusion.

"Aira, are you wearing your father's clothes again?" It was my mom this time. Since nobody was around, I managed to avoid one of those embarrassing floral dresses and opted for pants and a shirt instead.

"Fine, just go have something to eat. You have to take your medicines after your food, right? Sandeep moné², take Aira with you to the dining hall."

Sandeep appeared, flashing his perfect teeth. He was my alleged love interest. I had been told that one day I made a big scene and fought with my parents for their approval to marry him. How I wished I had waited until after my accident. In India, it's really hard to get parents' approval for a 'non-arranged' marriage, but even harder to leave the guy once they've 'fixed their approval.'

He placed his hands on my shoulders and guided me through the crowd to the table where all the youngsters sat. Yes, just what I needed-a dose of teenage drama to complete my day. I sat next to him, staring at the floor while he chatted and giggled with the other girls.

Across the hallway I saw a lonely little kitten, a ginger with orange stripes that seemed to show that little one can be fierce if she wants to. I smiled. It was surprising because that was the first genuine smile since my D-day. Just right then the kitten turned her head towards me. It seemed like she was staring at my soul literally. And I could swear I saw her smile.

"Hey what are you looking at?" Sandeep asked.

"Oh, it's nothing. I just..." the kitten had disappeared " Where is she?"

"She? She who?"

"Aah... the kitten ?"

"What?"

"I have to go Sandeep, I am sorry "

" Wait I will come with you, let's just finish the food and go?"

"No, I am fine, I will be back soon"

"Okay, take care"

I walked outta the dining hall and found Miss Ginger at the corner of the drawing room.

"Meow."

"Hey there, little buddy. Do I know you?"

Her eyes, a beautiful chocolate brown, held a depth that felt almost human-eerily it felt like they belonged to a familiar person.

As if she understood me, she seemed to smirk and gracefully moved into the hall. I followed her, captivated by her playful demeanor. She walked purposefully toward the front door, glancing back occasionally to ensure I was trailing behind.

The moment she slipped outside, I followed her into the road. It was the first time I had ventured out on my own since the incident, and a wave of exhilaration washed over me. She sat on the pavement, her eyes twinkling with mischief, as if daring me to come closer.

I reached out, wanting to touch her, but she darted away.

"Hey! Wait!Hey! You!"

I chased after her, amazed at how fast her little legs moved. She zipped away like a bolt of lightning, her size making her look like a tiny bandicoot. I pushed myself to run as fast as I could, the thudding of my heart deafening in my ears as I felt a rush of adrenaline. With every step, the road blurred around me, a chaotic mix of colors and sounds.

Miss Ginger weaved through the street, taking sharp turns and corners with an agility I couldn't match. I was determined-I wasn't going to give up until I caught her. She was just a yard ahead of me, her little form darting in and out of view, and I could feel the excitement coursing through me.

With a burst of energy, I lunged forward, diving in to grab her. My hands caught her tail, and I landed flat on my stomach. The world spun for a moment, and I was momentarily dazed.

I felt someone softly kick my shoes, jolting me from my stupor. I turned to see who it was, but in that split second, I felt the kitten slip from my grasp. But I was just too taken aback by what I saw that I just let her go. After a bit of struggle , I got up on my feet .

She was a at least 10cm taller than me and the first thing I noticed about her was her curly black short hair that glinted with orange highlights from the evening sun. It looked wild and untamed, and I sensed that she was just as enigmatic. A scar on her left eyebrow only added to her aura of mystery. She wore a simple black T-shirt tucked into baggy blue jeans, and transparent-framed glasses were perched on her nose, framing her dark brown eyes that sparkled with a hint of mischief.

Around her neck hung a black cord chain with a pendant that emitted a faint purple light, casting an otherworldly glow. But the most striking aspect of her was the orange shrug draped over her shoulders, adorned with stripes that mirrored the kitten's pattern perfectly. It was as if the kitten had transformed into her. I glanced back and just as I had expected, the kitten was nowhere to be seen.

"Mily," I whispered, the name slipping from my lips before I could even comprehend why.

She nodded and smiled that is when I noticed that there was a black mole below her lips seemingly hiding some mischief. She was beautiful.

"Do you know your way back home?" she asked, her voice laced with a teasing tone. It was warm and inviting, the kind of voice that could lift you from the depths of your failings.

In that moment, I realized I didn't know the way back home at all. Maybe I had been here before, but thanks to my amnesia, I was officially lost. What had I been thinking when I dove into that chasing spree?

"Follow me," she said, nodding with a smile as she started walking. I found myself following her without question, drawn in by something inexplicable. There was an undeniable connection, as if I had known her my entire life, even if I couldn't explain how. My heart was fluttering and I was feeling something weird in my insides. What is this feeling?

Suddenly, she turned back and pounced at me, wrapping her arms around me tightly. A jolt of electricity shot down my spine, and in that instant, I felt myself drowning in the sensation. When I finally opened my eyes, I found Raghav holding me in a warm embrace. I was back in the dream.

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Glossary
1. Molu- daughter, beti in Malayalam.
2. Moné- Son, beta in Malayalam.