The day felt incomplete.
Riya sat in the library, staring at the same page for the past ten minutes. The words didn't make sense anymore. Her mind kept drifting, searching for something—or someone.
Aarav.
He hadn't come to college.
At first, she ignored it. He wasn't the most regular student anyway. But as the hours passed, his absence became noticeable.
Too noticeable.
She looked up from her book, glancing around the library. Her eyes instinctively moved to the corner where he usually sat, leaning back in his chair, talking about random things.
But today, that chair was empty.
And somehow, that emptiness felt personal.
"Why am I thinking about this so much?" she whispered to herself.
Riya wasn't someone who depended on people. She had always been comfortable alone. Silence was her safe place.
But today, silence felt heavy.
The next day, she found herself looking for him again.
Near the entrance.
In the corridor.
Outside the classroom.
Nothing.
A strange restlessness settled inside her chest.
Days passed.
One… two… three.
Aarav didn't show up.
No message.
No call.
No explanation.
Riya checked her phone more than usual. Each time the screen lit up, her heart reacted instantly—only to settle again in quiet disappointment.
"Maybe he's just busy," she told herself.
But deep down, she knew something was wrong.
On the fourth day, she couldn't ignore it anymore.
She saw one of Aarav's friends standing near the canteen and gathered the courage to approach him.
"Excuse me," she said softly.
The boy turned. "Yeah?"
"Aarav… why hasn't he been coming to college?"
The boy hesitated for a moment.
"You don't know?" he asked.
Riya felt a sudden tension in her chest. "Know what?"
"He's leaving," the boy said simply.
Riya blinked. "Leaving?"
"Yeah. His family is shifting to another city."
The words hit her harder than she expected.
"When?" she asked, her voice quieter now.
"Very soon. Maybe tomorrow or the day after."
Riya nodded slowly.
"Okay… thank you," she said, turning away.
But inside, something had already changed.
That evening, her room felt unusually silent.
She sat on her bed, staring at nothing.
"He's leaving," she repeated in her mind.
The words didn't feel real.
More than that—something else bothered her.
"He didn't tell me."
They talked every day. They shared time, conversations, even silence.
Then why didn't he tell her something so important?
"Maybe I'm not that important," she whispered.
The thought hurt.
More than she expected.
Her phone suddenly rang.
Riya looked at the screen.
Aarav.
Her heart skipped a beat.
She stared at the phone for a second before answering.
"Hello," she said, trying to sound normal.
"Riya…" Aarav's voice came from the other side.
There was a pause.
"I'm sorry," he said.
Riya didn't respond immediately.
"I didn't know how to tell you," he continued.
"So you decided not to tell me at all?" she asked, her voice calm but heavy.
"It's not like that," Aarav said quickly. "I was going to tell you. I just… couldn't find the right moment."
Riya sighed softly.
"There were many moments," she said.
Silence followed.
"Where are you going?" she asked after a while.
"Another city. My family is shifting," he replied.
"When?" she asked.
"Tomorrow."
The word echoed in her mind.
"Tomorrow…" she repeated quietly.
"Will you come?" Aarav asked. "Just to meet… before I leave?"
Riya didn't answer immediately.
"I don't know," she said finally.
"That's okay," he replied softly. "I understand."
Before hanging up, he added, "I'll miss you."
Riya held the phone tightly.
But she said nothing.
That night, sleep didn't come easily.
Riya lay awake, thinking about everything.
The first time they met.
Their small conversations.
His constant efforts.
Her slow changes.
When did he become so important?
When did his presence start to matter this much?
She turned to her side, closing her eyes tightly.
"This wasn't supposed to happen," she whispered.
She had always avoided attachment.
But now—
She felt it deeply.
The next morning, she stood in front of the mirror, lost in thought.
Should she go?
Or should she let it end quietly?
"It's just a goodbye," she told herself.
But her heart said something else—
It's more than that.
After a long pause, she picked up her bag.
The railway station was crowded.
People rushed around, announcements echoed, trains arrived and departed.
But Riya noticed none of it.
Her eyes searched for only one person.
And then—
She saw him.
Aarav stood near the train, holding his bag.
When he saw her, he smiled.
"You came," he said.
Riya walked toward him slowly.
"I wasn't sure," she replied.
"I'm glad you did," he said.
There was a pause.
Words felt unnecessary.
"I wanted to tell you earlier," Aarav said. "I just didn't know how."
"You could have tried," Riya replied softly.
"I know," he said. "I'm sorry."
The train whistle blew.
Time was running out.
"Take care," Riya said.
"You too," Aarav replied.
He looked at her for a moment longer, as if trying to remember everything.
Then he stepped onto the train.
Riya stood still.
As the train began to move, their eyes stayed locked for as long as possible.
And then—
Distance took over.
Riya stood there long after the train disappeared.
The platform slowly emptied.
But she didn't move.
Her heart felt heavier than ever before.
And in that quiet moment, she finally understood the truth—
She loved him.
But she realized it too late.