The wedding hall shimmered like a dream. Strings of golden lights hung across the ceiling, soft music played in the background, and laughter echoed as relatives hurried from one corner to another. The fragrance of jasmine mixed with incense filled the air.
Sanya sat beside Akhil, her bridal saree glowing crimson under the soft lights. Her hands were decorated with mehendi, and her smile never left her face as elders blessed them. To anyone looking, it was the perfect wedding—two souls joining in love, surrounded by joy.
And yet, beneath her smile, a hollow ache lingered. She couldn't stop thinking about the one person who wasn't there. Ram. Her childhood friend. The boy who had been her shadow through every phase of life. The one who, despite everything, had slipped away from her world.
As the reception stretched on, Sanya laughed, greeted guests, and posed for photographs, but her eyes kept drifting toward the hall's entrance. Maybe it was foolish, but she kept hoping.
And then, she saw him.
Far away, at the edge of the crowd, half-hidden near the exit, stood Ram. His posture was stiff, his expression unreadable. For the briefest second, their eyes locked. Her heart skipped a beat.
"Ram…" she whispered under her breath, her smile faltering.
In his gaze, she saw so much—pride, sadness, love, and resignation all tangled into one silent look. He didn't move, didn't wave, didn't smile. He simply stood there, watching, as though absorbing the moment from afar.
Sanya's instinct was to rise, to rush through the guests and reach him. But just as she made the slightest movement, the crowd shifted. A group of relatives blocked her view. When the space cleared again, he was gone.
Later that night, when the rituals had ended and the noise of the hall faded, Sanya finally asked Akhil, "Did you see him?"
Akhil paused, then nodded. "Yes. I gave him our wedding card myself. But he didn't stay long."
Her voice trembled. "Why not? Why wouldn't he stay?"
Akhil looked at her carefully before answering. "Because sometimes, Sanya… the ones who love us most choose to stay in the shadows. Maybe he thought his presence would bring you pain, not joy."
Sanya said nothing more. She lay awake long after, the image of Ram's silent eyes burned deep into her heart.
And though the world had witnessed a perfect wedding that night, she felt an emptiness no ritual could erase.