Karan's POV:

"Aye, kaap kaap kaap!" Arav's voice rang with fervent excitement, his eyes gleaming as he gripped the thread tighter. The vibrant crimson kite danced in the azure sky, becoming the very embodiment of the carefree exuberance that painted our childhood days in vivid hues.

"Kaaypo che!" Both of us bellowed in unison, an unbridled joy flowing through us as our fists collided in triumph. For a fleeting moment, the world seemed to pause, as if savoring the harmony of our shared elation.

Guests don't stay for long, they said. Perhaps it was true. Happiness didn't stay in my life either.

As Arav's laughter echoed in the breeze, a shadow fell over our merriment.

Jayant ran to us, half tumbling through the steps as he reached the terrace, his usually serene countenance etched with an uncharacteristic worry that carved deep lines into the contours of his handsome face.

"Your mom..."

His words hung heavy in the air, suspended in a silent pause that stretched into an eternity. Those words never really registered in my head. The world collapsed under me; I didn't know if I wanted to live anymore.

I threw the kite at once, its vibrant colors fading into the distant backdrop as I raced down the stairs, each step a treacherous descent into an abyss of unfathomable loss. The corridor blurred into a dizzying whirl as everything around me reduced to fragmented snapshots of puffed-up eyes and disheveled hair, a devastating manifestation of the inner chaos that now claimed my being.

A solitary wail escaped my lips, the anguished cry of a soul grappling with the merciless hand of fate, as the weight of the news settled upon my shoulders like an insurmountable burden. My stature fell to the knees as gluttony befriended me like a long-lost companion.

Time lost its form and events blurred into a collage of fragmented memories, the edges of reality softened by the ethereal veil of shock and disbelief. All I remembered was the soaring flames that consumed the remnants of an angelic existence in its unyielding blaze.

The stars, stoic witnesses to the unfolding tragedy, refused to offer solace, their unblinking gaze a haunting reminder of the cruel cycle of life and loss. The winter breeze, once a gentle caress, now whispered of desolation, carrying with it the poignant echoes of a life forever altered.

15 January, 2004. My world burned to ashes as life bid me adieu.

❛Life is all about second chances they say, but how
long can you break before you're finally shattered?❜

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Word Glossary:
Kaap- cut it (action verb).
Kaaypo che! - a common Gujarati phrase that you'd hear all around during this kite festival, also known as Makarsankranti when you cut another kite with yours.

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

A/N:

Before you come running for my throat with a chainsaw let me breath-

readers: no, how dare you!?

i am sowwy, okay? ;-;

jay: miss author, there can't be a single explanation you could give that could alter our fates now crosses arms

me: you say as if my favorite hobby was torturing the characters!

jay: exactly what it looks like! he didn't deserve to go through that loss at such a young age!! he was such an exuberant child, look at him now! i wish i weren't the one delivering the message.. god, i know he secretly hates my guts now!

karan: n-no, why would i hate you? never!

jay: hugs karan i am sorry kid, i really wish it wasn't this way.

this was a short excerpt from an interview i wrote for karan earlier before i changed it to the current one. you'll find a lot of these banters in the notes section where the characters literally throw me out of the window *looks at Jay* but, as much painful as this was to write, this also would set the stage for the upcoming story and the character development.

This is based off some true events that I witnessed and lived through. It was really painful to write this. This story is set in Jamnagar, Gujarat and some words are going to be in Gujarati, just to give a feel and thrill of the culture. That being said, this is a very first draft-y story, so there will be many imperfections, mistakes and everything, but, I am just trying to breathe the first words out. Feel free to leave any suggestion, feedback and comments! Let me know what do you think of the characters so far!!