Part - 1
The night felt heavier than usual. Raihan stood still for a moment, gripping the notebook tightly as the wind brushed past him. The last line echoed in his mind again and again "The girl you met today… she is not a stranger." His eyes searched the empty path, but she was gone. Without thinking any further, Raihan got up and started walking quickly in the direction she had disappeared. His footsteps grew faster, almost desperate, as if he could still catch her before she vanished into the darkness. "Wait!" he called out, but only silence answered him.
The narrow path led toward the main road, where a few dim streetlights flickered weakly. Raihan looked around, his breathing uneven, but there was no sign of her. Frustration slowly built inside him as questions crowded his mind. Who was she? How did she know about him? Why did she have the notebook? And what exactly did Neela mean? Suddenly, something caught his attention. A small piece of paper lay on the ground near the edge of the road, fluttering slightly in the wind. Raihan walked closer and picked it up. It was folded carefully, and his heart skipped a beat as he opened it.
There were only a few words written on it "Old Bookstore. Tomorrow. Before sunset." Raihan stared at the message. There was no name, no explanation, yet deep inside, he knew it was from her the same girl Neela had mentioned. A strange mix of fear and curiosity filled his chest as he whispered, "Tomorrow…" The next day felt unbearably long. Raihan couldn't focus on anything, and every passing moment only made his anticipation grow stronger. Questions kept circling in his mind like an endless storm.
By the time the sun began to set, he was already standing in front of the old bookstore. The place looked exactly the same dusty shelves, a faded signboard, and a quietness that felt almost frozen in time. This was one of the places where he and Neela used to meet. Memories rushed back all at once her soft laughter, the way she used to flip through books without really reading them, and the way she would smile at him for no reason. Raihan closed his eyes for a moment, trying to steady himself, then whispered to himself to focus.
A soft sound suddenly broke the silence as the door creaked open slightly behind him. Raihan turned around and saw her the same girl standing in the doorway with a calm yet unreadable expression. "You came," she said quietly. Raihan stepped forward and replied, "Of course I did. Now tell me… who are you?" The girl didn't answer immediately. Instead, she looked at him carefully, as if trying to understand something deep within him. Then she spoke softly, "My name is Aira."
Raihan frowned slightly as he repeated the name under his breath. Aira nodded and added, "And I think I am the reason Neela couldn't tell you everything." Raihan's heart seemed to stop for a moment. His voice tightened as he asked, "What do you mean?" Aira stepped closer, her eyes filled with something Raihan couldn't quite understand. She spoke slowly, "Because Neela didn't want you to know… that I was there from the very beginning." The air around them suddenly felt colder as Raihan stood there, completely stunned, repeating her words"From the beginning…?" Aira didn't look away and calmly replied, "Yes. From the day you first met her… I was already a part of her story." Silence fell between them, and with that silence, the mystery only grew deeper.
part - 2
Raihan stood frozen, unable to process Aira's words. The silence between them grew heavier, filled with questions he didn't know how to ask. He tried to recall every moment he had spent with Neela, searching for any sign, any hint of Aira's presence but there was nothing. It was as if she had existed in a space he could never see.
"This doesn't make any sense," Raihan said, his voice low but firm. "If you were there… why didn't I ever notice you? Why didn't Neela say anything?"
Aira looked at him with a calm expression, but her eyes carried a depth that felt almost painful. "Because some truths are not meant to be seen at the right time," she replied softly. "And Neela… she was trying to protect you."
"Protect me from what?" Raihan asked, frustration creeping into his voice.
Aira didn't answer immediately. Instead, she slowly walked past him and placed her hand on one of the old shelves. Dust rose slightly in the air, dancing in the fading light. "From the truth that would have changed everything," she finally said.
Raihan clenched the notebook tighter. "I deserve to know," he said. "She left without telling me anything, and now you're here talking in riddles. I need answers."
Aira turned to face him again. For a moment, her expression softened. "You will get your answers," she said. "But not all at once. Some truths need time… just like pain."
Raihan shook his head. "No. I've already waited too long."The room fell silent again. Outside, the sky had turned darker, and the faint glow of evening was slowly disappearing. The bookstore felt colder, almost distant from the world outside.
Aira stepped closer, lowering her voice. "Tell me something, Raihan. Do you remember the nights when Neela suddenly became quiet… even more than usual?"
Raihan hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Yes… there were times she would just stare into nothing. I thought she was just tired."
Aira looked down for a moment, then said, "She wasn't tired. She was fighting something you couldn't see."
Raihan's heart tightened. "What do you mean… fighting?"
Aira met his eyes. "Memories. Fear. And a truth she didn't know how to share with you."
Raihan felt a strange uneasiness settle in his chest. "You're still not telling me everything," he said quietly.
I know," Aira replied. "Because if I do… you might not be ready for what comes next."
Raihan stared at her, his patience slipping away. "Then make me ready."
Aira didn't respond. Instead, she slowly reached into her bag once again.
And this time -
What she pulled out made Raihan's br
eath catch in his throat.
Part - 3
Aira held the object carefully in her hand before handing it to Raihan. It was small and fragile a bracelet. The moment Raihan saw it, his eyes widened in shock. It was his. He had lost it years ago, long before Neela came into his life. His fingers trembled as he took it, his mind struggling to connect everything. "Where did you get this?" he asked, his voice filled with confusion.
Aira didn't answer directly. Instead, she looked at him deeply and asked, "Are you sure you lost it before meeting Neela?" The question hit him hard. Raihan froze, trying to remember, but his memories felt unclear, as if something was missing. A strange uneasiness grew inside him.
"What are you trying to say?" he asked slowly. Aira stepped closer and said calmly, "Sometimes memories don't disappear… they just change their shape." Raihan's heartbeat grew faster. The bookstore suddenly felt colder. "I don't understand," he whispered, but deep inside, he knew something was wrong.
Aira continued softly, "You are only remembering half of the story—the part you lived, not the part you forgot." Raihan shook his head, but fear was already building inside him. The lights flickered, and shadows moved across the walls.
Aira looked at him one last time and said, "If you want to know the truth… you must remember what happened before Neela." The words echoed in his mind. "Before Neela?" he repeated.
But suddenly, the lights went out.
Darkness filled the room.
"Aira!" Raihan called out, but there was no answer. He reached into the darkness, but she was gone. Completely gone.
Raihan stood there alone, breathing heavily, the bracelet still in his hand. One question kept repeating in his mind what happened before Neela? And for the first time, he realized that the story he believed in might not be the full truth.