D:
Are you here yet?
They're gonna call her name... very soon

Me:
Almost there

I stuff my phone back into my trousers' pocket as I practically leap out of the cab after paying the driver. Keeping my head down I speed walk towards the familiar path as I follow the fellow people around me knowing that they would lead me exactly where I want to go.

Just as I entered the small stadium, I heard her name being called out, "Shiya Saathvik." Snapping my head up I saw her stand from somewhere in the middle of the students as I heard clapping and whistling knowing it was her family's. I hid behind a pillar so that I can still see everything without being spotted.

She turned around and scanned the area then walked towards the stage. I knew she wanted me here, so here I am. I saw her walk gracefully towards the stage as she climbed with more clapping and whistling accompanying her.

She was wearing a black robe and a typical black hat, which people wear for their ceremonies. Her hair was hidden in the cap and she appeared taller than her actual height, no doubt she is wearing heels. But she looked beautiful—so very beautiful.

I wanted to see her family but my focus had been captured by her, and only her. She flashed a small smile towards the audience as she shook her hand with some elder man and then took her degree from him.

Walking down the stage she suddenly looked up as if she felt someone's gaze on her. I hid more behind the pillar as I saw her shake her head and she continued to walk towards her seat.

A few months ago I received a message from Tanishka, with an invitation card attached to it. It had read, 'Shiya had prepared this card for you, after what happened between you two. Be there please, it would mean a lot to her.'

I couldn't say no to her pleading, so I cleared my schedule for the day and even booked a flight as soon as I read the invitation.

The ceremony went on as I continued standing behind the pillar and stared at her. When I felt a presence beside me, I turned and glanced to see who it is. "Hi," he greeted me as I saw him staring at his sister too.

"Ann—Hi," I greeted back and shifted my focus back on her. "I didn't know that you know that I would be coming."

He chuckled, "this move was initiated by me and completed by Tanishka." I nodded in understanding as I heard him sigh, "I'm so proud of my baby sister but alas I'm not happy like she isn't."

"Me too, brother. Me too," I whispered.

"Your invitation card was the first one she had prepared—out of all of ours. And I saw her contemplating if she wants to send it to you or not. So we both finished this work of hers."

"Thank you, it meant a lot."

"Look, I know that I should be that big brother who should keep the male population away from her. But when she was with you... she was like this person I had never seen before. It was like she was herself with you. Not that sweet & kind facade for the public or the cold and baddie act with her close ones."

I chuckled, "because she was both. She felt like her close ones could hurt her any minute so she was like that but she is wrong. It's all in her mind and she needs someone to make her realise that."

"See, What I mean! You're just perfect for her." He sighed, "if just you both had met under different circumstances everything would've been perfect."

"It's all fate, brother. And you can't manipulate fate. But I'm grateful that I met someone like her."

"Are you willing to wait for her?"

I remained numb at his question as I asked myself, am I willing to wait for her?

When I know that we might not meet ever again. When she might move on and I might move on. When I know that, we belong in two different worlds. But I also know that she would always have a special place in my heart.

"Let's be logical here, I don't know. But she would always have a special place in my heart."

"Can you wait for her for another year?" He asked, the desperateness evident in his voice. I turned towards him to find him looking at me with a pleading expression. I had never seen a brother so desperate towards her sister's lover—ex-lover.

I didn't know why he was being like this, but I knew that he has a reason. He might not be as old as me but he surely has the experience and knows his sister more than I have.

"Yes, What miracle would happen in a year after all?" I shrugged as I returned my focus to the jet black hair beauty who was now chatting with someone sitting beside her as they continued calling out names.

"Well... I think she would be ready to step into the dating world... by then." He said, "I don't know if you know, but our parents had all figured out for her. Hence, she broke up with whatever you both had. And according to this plan of our parents, she can step into this world when she is independent and has a worthy life."

I remember her telling me how she wanted to date only after she is independent to stand on her own feet. We both knew that this wasn't what she wanted but both our feelings messed it up. Sometimes I wonder if we both had just remained friends and never took it ahead.

Would we both have been happy with each other?

"If you're willing to wait, I'll try my best to—"

"It doesn't depend on you..." I interrupt him, "it depends on her. It doesn't depend on me or you or your family but her, it's all her. If she still wants me and I still want her then... nothing can stop us."

"That's exactly what I want. I've seen the guilt written on her face but I've also seen the love. When she thinks that no one is watching she goes to YouTube and watches some videos of you. It's an adorable sight."

I smiled behind the mask, knowing that it was something she would do.

"I should get going on, it's almost time for the end." He said as we both turned towards each other and shook hands, "I hope you'll wait for her because she certainly isn't waiting for someone else."

I knew what he meant as my smile only grew, "I hope we'll meet again and under different circumstances." He smiled as he got what I meant. I watched him walk away as he met Tani halfway and wrapped his arms around her but she pushed him away with force as she scowled at him.

I missed a lot, it seems.

Tani walked away as Siddharth followed her like a lot lost puppy. I turned back to glance at Shiya as she was now standing up along with everyone else.

My eyes desperately started to glance around trying to find her in the crowd as I saw myself losing my luck. I sighed as I glanced at the floor; sad that I can't see her anymore.

After a while, I felt a burning gaze on me as I looked back up to find her staring at me with wide eyes and an open mouth. But neither of us moved towards each other and continued staring into each other's eyes. She had people surrounding her but she didn't care and neither did I.

A few minutes or maybe hours passed by she broke it when Ethan shakes her vigorously. She turned towards him while I slipped away and hid in the crowd as I walked away from the stadium—from her.

When she would glance back, she would find me gone.

Like I had found her gone in just a blink of an eye. Like I had always seen her run away from me.

I don't know, what would happen in our future, if we would be together or not but I seriously hope that her brother is right that were perfect for each other and nothing should be able to stop us anymore.

Though she made me feel special and then left, I knew that she felt guilty and she had to do it. But I seriously hope that she rectifies it and accept me back and loves me back.

I gave my heart full of love, and she took it with her.

But if she knows it, she will accept it or return it to me.

+++

I've absolutely no final words to say, but I can try.
So the story of Shiya is something I've actually seen, and seeing it happen in front of my eyes, even till now.

It's not wrong to fall in love with someone, but you need to know that every aspect of your life is timed.
Hence, I wrote this book.
I wanted to write down the emotions, I've felt in the past three years and I thought this might be a perfect way.
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