After the Plane Landed
I was still half-asleep when the plane landed, craving nothing more than my bed. But the sharp ring of Sarthak's phone shattered the drowsy silence. His face darkened as he answered, and within moments we received the news that crushed us all—
Aarne's grandfather was no more.
My eyes instantly filled with tears. I couldn't stop myself from breaking down. My grandparents lived abroad when I was young, so I rarely got to see them. Instead, I had him. Aarne's grandfather, my grandfather's childhood best friend, who became a piece of my childhood too. He had filled the emptiness I carried—and now, he was gone. My mind refused to believe it.
We rushed straight to the funeral.
At the Funeral
I stood there like a lifeless statue, watching rituals being performed, the world moving on without me. He had been my first true friend.
Whenever my eyes met Aarne, the grief hit harder. I had lost a friend, but she had lost the only family she had left. My mother stood by my side, her hand steady on my shoulder, but no one was there for Aarne. That thought tore me apart.
The urge to run, to hold him one last time, to cry into his chest—it burned in me, but my feet didn't move.
After a while, I stepped outside, suffocated by my emotions. Manya followed.
"Samira, are you okay?" she asked softly.
Her words broke me. Tears spilled out uncontrollably.
"Do you know, Manya… when I was small, I barely saw my grandparents. But I always went to Grandpa Charles's house to play. He wanted a granddaughter, and I wanted a grandpa—we filled that emptiness in each other. Even when Aarne came to live with him, he never forgot me. He was the first person I told about my feelings for Sarthak… and he supported me. I was planning to meet him soon, but now I can't. I can't believe he's gone. Please tell me this isn't real."
Mom came over and wrapped me in her arms. "Don't cry, sweetie. He was old now…"
But those words stung. Old or not, he was mine.
That Evening
"Samira, you should go now. It's getting late," Sarthak told my mom. "I'll come after some time, aunty."
"Okay," she agreed softly. "Take Samira and Manya home."
"Brother, why aren't you coming with us?" Manya asked.
Sarthak placed his hand on her head. "Aarne isn't okay right now. I have to stay."
I followed silently, but in my heart, only one thought echoed—
Grandpa Charles is gone.
At Home
"Sweetie, don't cry. He lived his life," Mom said gently.
"Maa, how can you say that?" I snapped, storming to my room.
"Don't be angry, love," Dad told her. "She's heartbroken. Hearing that it was his time—it only hurt her more."
"I'm not angry," Mom whispered. "I just can't watch her cry."
In My Room
Under the shower, regret poured down with the water. If I hadn't gone abroad, if I hadn't left for Africa, maybe I would've had more time with him. That thought haunted me.
Later, as I prepared to sleep, a knock came. I opened the door to find Manya.
"I know you're not okay," she said, stepping inside. "You want to cry, so I'll be here. Let's talk."
And I did. I cried until my throat ached, until words melted into sobs. We talked until 3 a.m., and finally, she fell asleep beside me.
The Next Morning
When I woke, Manya was gone. I assumed she left for college. Downstairs, only the nannies and butler were around.
"Uncle, where is everyone?" I asked.
"They've gone to work," he replied. "Miss Manya to college, the young master and sir to the office, and madam to shop with her friends."
I hesitated. "Sarthak… didn't come home last night?"
The butler shook his head. "No, miss. He didn't."
My heart sank.
That Evening
At dinner, I noticed again—his seat was empty.
"Brother Sarthak hasn't come home yet?" I asked quietly.
Mom sighed. "No, he went to the office straight from Aarne's house."
I forced myself to eat, though the food tasted like nothing. After dinner, I whispered, "The house was so empty today. Only the nannies and butler were here. I felt so… lonely."
"We all had work, sweetie," Mom replied softly. "But listen—tomorrow, you are not allowed to skip college, okay?"
"Okay, Mom. Good night."
"Good night, love."
I climbed back upstairs, but in my heart, two truths weighed me down—
Grandpa Charles was gone.
And Sarthak… hadn't come home.