📖 Bound by Fate, Freed by Love
Chapter 1 – Childhood Ties
The small park near Aarohi's old neighborhood was quiet except for the rustle of the evening breeze. She sat on the swing, the metal chains creaking softly, and smiled faintly at the memory of two children running here years ago. One of them had been her. The other—always running ahead, always laughing—was Kabir.
To Aarohi, Kabir had never been just a friend. He was her first crush, her secret dream, her forever.
She remembered how he used to protect her from bullies, how he had shared his lunch when she forgot hers, how he had promised to take her on his bike when they grew up. He had been careless with his words, but she had treasured every one of them like gold.
Now, years later, they were both adults. Kabir had grown taller, more confident, his smile brighter than ever. To the world, he was charming, ambitious, and impossible not to notice. But to Aarohi… he was still the boy who once held her hand so she wouldn't trip on the playground.
"Hey, dreamer."
Aarohi blinked and turned. Kabir was standing before her, grinning, holding two cups of coffee. "You still sit here like the world belongs to you."
She smiled, taking the cup. "And you still talk like you own it."
He laughed, dropping onto the swing beside her. "Well, maybe I do."
Her heart ached at his carefree tone. He never noticed how her smile trembled, how her eyes softened when they landed on him.
They talked for hours—about his new job, his colleagues, the parties he attended. Kabir had a way of filling the air with excitement, and Aarohi listened, storing every detail, even the ones that hurt.
Like when he mentioned his new girlfriend, a junior from his office.
"She's fun, you know? Keeps me on my toes. Maybe this time it'll work out." He looked at Aarohi, expecting her usual supportive smile.
And she gave it. She always did.
"That's great, Kabir," she said softly, clutching the warm cup in her hands as if it could stop the cold creeping into her chest.
He leaned back, satisfied, never realizing that every word had pierced her heart.
Later that night, when she returned home, Aarohi stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were too honest; they revealed feelings she never spoke aloud. She touched her lips, whispering the truth only to herself.
"I've loved you all my life, Kabir. But you'll never see me that way, will you?"
Outside, the city buzzed with life. Inside, Aarohi's world stood still—caught between a love she couldn't let go of, and a future she had yet to imagine.
✨ That's Chapter 1.
Would you like me to continue with Chapter 2 in the same style (emotional narration + natural dialogues), or do you want me to make the next chapters shorter and faster-paced?