Unspoken Promises – Part 3

Unspoken Promises – Part 3

The rain had slowed to a gentle drizzle, and the city shimmered under its silver touch. Arjun stood beside Ahaan, the ocean stretching endlessly before them, waves crashing against the shore like a heartbeat in sync with his own.

He had never felt this light before—like a weight he had carried for years had started to dissolve into the night air.

Ahaan turned to him, a teasing smile on his lips. "So? How does it feel to let go?"

Arjun exhaled, pushing wet strands of hair from his forehead. "Strange," he admitted. "But… good. Really good."

Ahaan chuckled, shaking his head. "You should do it more often."

Arjun looked at him, studying the way the city lights reflected in his dark eyes, the way his laughter carried warmth even in the cold night. "Maybe I will."

For a moment, they just stood there, the silence between them thick with things left unsaid.

Then, Ahaan spoke, his voice softer this time. "You know, when I moved here, I didn’t think I’d meet someone like you."

Arjun’s heart stuttered. "Like me?"

Ahaan nodded, his gaze never leaving Arjun’s. "Someone who makes a city of strangers feel like home."

Something inside Arjun unraveled. His entire life had been about hiding—about locking away the pieces of himself he thought no one would understand. But Ahaan… Ahaan wasn’t just looking at him; he was seeing him.

A slow, uncertain smile spread across Arjun’s lips. "You barely know me."

Ahaan’s lips curved. "Maybe. But some things don’t need time to be true."

Arjun swallowed, his chest tightening. He had spent years convincing himself that love—real love—was something distant, something unreachable. But standing here, with Ahaan looking at him like he was something worth discovering, he started to wonder…

Was it possible that love had been waiting for him all along?

Ahaan reached out, fingers brushing against Arjun’s wrist—hesitant, unsure. "Can I show you something?"

Arjun nodded, unable to speak.

Ahaan took his hand, lacing their fingers together as he led him through the quiet streets. Arjun’s pulse thundered, but he didn’t pull away.

Minutes later, they arrived at a small bookstore tucked between two towering buildings. The scent of old paper and ink wrapped around them as Ahaan pushed open the door.

"I used to come here as a kid," Ahaan said, leading Arjun through the maze of shelves. "Whenever the world felt too loud, I’d hide here, between stories that made more sense than real life."

Arjun ran his fingers over the worn spines of the books, something about this place making his heart ache in a way he couldn’t explain. "And now?"

Ahaan smiled. "Now, I think I’d rather live the story."

Arjun looked at him, the weight of those words settling deep inside him. "And what kind of story are you looking for?"

Ahaan hesitated for only a second before saying, "One that starts with you."

The words hung in the air, delicate and powerful. Arjun’s breath caught, his fingers tightening around Ahaan’s.

For the first time in his life, he wasn’t afraid of the answer.

Maybe love wasn’t meant to be hidden.

Maybe love was meant to be found.

And maybe, just maybe, his story was only beginning.

To be continued part 4 will come soon...

Search

Reason

ChatGPT can ma