Fedruary 12, 2025

Dear Diary,

I saw him again today. Yes, him…the same one who has been haunting my dreams for the past few nights. Every time he appears, I feel safe, like nothing in this world can touch me. His presence is a shield, a comfort I don’t even realize I need until he’s gone.

Because he always leaves.

Every time, he saves me. And every time, he dies doing it.

I wake up with the weight of it pressing down on me, heavier each time. I don’t know how much longer I can carry this.

All I can remember about him is his tattoo, those beautiful wings on her back.

I wish…God, I wish….I could remember his face.

-Meher

Today was Meher’s wedding day. The whole house was decorated with colorful lights, and guests filled every corner with laughter and chatter. Everyone was preparing to welcome the baraat. The sound of drums and music filled the air, and the sweet tune of the shehnai made everything feel even more special. The smell of mehendi and fresh flowers spread all around, making the house look beautiful.

The house was filled with noise and celebration, but inside Meher’s room, everything felt different. She sat in front of the mirror, dressed as a bride. Her heavy lehenga, shiny jewelry, and dark kohl made her look beautiful, just like a perfect bride should. But when she looked at herself, all she saw was sadness. Her eyes held no joy, only emptiness.

Today was her wedding day. But it wasn’t a happy dream—it was a bitter truth she had to accept.

Jiya, her younger sister, walked restlessly around the room, mumbling to herself. She was upset, her hands twisting the corner of her dupatta in frustration. Finally, she stopped, looked at Meher, and said firmly,"Dii, aap sun rahe ho meri baat? Ye sapna nahi hai, haqiqat hai. Yahan aapke sapne ki tarah koi bhi prince charming aapko bachane nahi aane waala."

Her words hit hard. Meher sat there quietly, trying to take it all in. But before she could say anything, a sudden burst of voices filled the room."Rajkumar nahi aa sakta, lekin rajkumariya to aa sakti hain na?"

Meher and Jiya turned towards the door.

Meher’s friends stood at the door, their eyes fixed on her. There was anger on their faces, but beneath it, love and concern were clear. Their eyes held the same questions that were swirling in Meher’s heart—was this really her fate? Did she really have to go through with this wedding without a word, without a fight?

Jiya looked at them and let out a small sigh of relief. If anyone could save Meher from this wedding, it was these girls.

Unnati stepped forward, gently taking Meher’s hand. Her voice was soft but firm, "Meher, itni baadi baat ho gayi or tune hame batana zaruri nahi samjha"

Vanshika held her wrist, her fingers pressing against the bangles as if trying to pass on her strength. "Kyun bataygi, ye hame apna dost samajhti hi nahi"

“Sahi keh rahi Vanshu, agar dost samajhti to batati hame, batai ki iski zindigi me kya chal raha hai” Yashashvi said, turning Meher towards herself.

Tears welled up in Meher’s eyes. For the first time in her life, she felt truly helpless. On one side was her family, convinced that this wedding was the best thing for her. On the other side were her friends, who knew the truth—that she would never be happy in this marriage.

But did she have the courage? Could she really take control of her own life?

The room was filled with silence. Outside, the wedding celebrations continued in full swing, but inside this small space, a storm was brewing—perhaps, it had already begun.

Mrunal stepped forward, shaking her head.

"O-ho, tumlog kya aate ke saath shuru ho gayi? Bechari already itni pareshaan hai, aur tum log ho ki use hi sunaye ja rahe ho!" she said, rolling her eyes before gently placing her hands on Meher’s shoulders, guiding her to sit on the chair.

Meher couldn’t hold it in anymore. The weight of everything crashed down on her, and the moment she sat, she clung to Mrunal and broke into uncontrollable sobs. Her body shook as she cried, her hands clutching Mrunal’s dupatta tightly as if she was holding onto the last bit of strength she had left.

The moment she broke down, her friends dropped to the floor beside her without a second thought. The sight of her…so vulnerable, so broken…made their hearts ache. This wasn’t the Meher they knew. Their Meher was strong, full of life, always the one to wipe their tears and make everything okay. But today, she was the one falling apart, and they refused to let her do it.

Mrunal held her the tightest, letting Meher bury her face in her shoulder as her body trembled with each sob. She stroked her hair gently, whispering, "Bas Meher, bas… rona band kar tu akeli nahi hai."

Vanshika, who was usually the most outspoken, was quiet for once. Her eyes glistened as she rubbed Meher’s back in slow circles, her voice soft yet steady. "Rona allowed nahi hai, chup ho ja ab."

Yashashvi wiped Meher’s tears with the edge of her dupatta, her own eyes threatening to spill over. "Itna dukh kyu le rahi hai tu? Agar tu khush nahi hai toh tujhe ye sab jhelna hi kyun hai?"

Meher lifted her tear-streaked face, looking at each one of them. Their eyes held nothing but love and protectiveness. The world outside this room might not understand her pain, but these four did. They weren’t just here to console her, they were ready to fight for her.

Unnati, who had been sitting silently, suddenly took Meher’s hands in hers, gripping them tightly and stood up, "Chal  ab bhut hua, jyada time nahi hai hamare pass"

Mrunal cupped her face and smiled through her own tears. "Haan, gali ke mod par car ready hai, tu chal."

Meher’s teary eyes widened as she looked at Mrunal in shock. "K-kya?" Her voice was barely a whisper.

Vanshika placed a reassuring hand on Meher’s shoulder. "Tujhe yeh shaadi karne ki koi zarurat nahi hai .Tu chal, khidki khuli hai, aur tera rasta bhi. Kood ja khidki se, bhaag ja."

Everyone looked at her, “Tujhe itni critical situation me bhi  Joke maarna hai” Unnati said, slightly pinching her, which was enough to quiet her.

Yashashvi leaned forward "Haan Meher, ab bas. Tu yahan aur nahi rukegi. Jo sapna tu roz dekhti thi na, jisme koi tujhe bachane aata hai? Toh samajh le, aaj hum tere woh rajkumar nahi, rajkumariyan ban kar aaye hain."

But, how did they knew? Obviously they did. They had access to Meher’s online journal writing account.

Meher looked at each of them, her heart pounding in her chest. The walls that had been closing in on her suddenly didn’t feel so suffocating. A way out. A choice. Something she never thought she had.

But then, doubt crept in. Her parents, her family, the guests….what would they say? How could she just run away?

"Par... mummy-papa?" Her voice trembled, her hands gripping her dupatta tightly.

Unnati squeezed her hand, her voice gentle yet firm. "Meher, kabhi kabhi apni zindagi ke faisle khud lene padte hain. Jo log humse saccha pyaar karte hain, sachme hamari bhalai chahte hai, woh aakhir me samajh hi jaate hain."

Mrunal bent down, looking her directly in the eyes. "Hum tujhse sirf ek sawaal pooch rahe hain. Kya tu khush hai?"

Silence.

Meher swallowed hard, fresh tears slipping down her cheeks. She shook her head slowly. "Nahi."

That was all they needed to hear.

Yashashvi immediately stood up and dusted her hands. "Toh bas, koi aur sawaal nahi. Chal, yahan se nikalte hain!"

Meher took a deep breath

She stood up.

*******************

A few moments later, Meher was ready to leave. She had taken off her heavy bridal lehenga and changed into a simple short kurta and baggy jeans. The girl who was dressed as a bride just moments ago now looked like an ordinary, innocent girl—free from all the weight of expectations, yet carrying the burden of an unknown future.

Unnati stepped forward and handed her a small bag. “Yeh le, isme kuch zaroori cheezein hain. Tujhe safar me zaroorat padegi.”

Before Meher could say anything, Mrunal took her other hand and pressed a ticket into her palm. "Yeh teri Mumbai ki ticket," she said softly, her lips curling into a small, reassuring smile.

Meher’s fingers tightened around the ticket as she looked at her friends.

These weren’t just her friends...they were her lifeline. These girls weren’t tied to her by blood, but their love, their understanding, their support....it was stronger than any bond she had ever known.

They stood by her in ways even family couldn’t. They understood her without her having to say a word, fought for her when she didn’t have the strength to fight for herself.

Without thinking, she pulled them all into a tight hug. None of them spoke, but the silence said everything. Their hearts pounded together, their breaths uneven. They were scared, just like her, but they would never let that fear stop them.

Yashashvi sniffled but tried to hide her tears.

Vanshika patted Meher’s back, whispering, "Sab theek ho jaayega."

Unnati squeezed her tightly, as if passing on her strength.

Mrunal exhaled deeply, "Hum saath hai, Humesha, yaad rakhna."

When they pulled away, Meher turned to Jiya, who had been watching quietly. Her little sister, the one person she could always count on.

She stepped closer and wrapped her arms around Meher. They just held each other, both knowing this moment was more painful than any words could express.

Jiya whispered against her shoulder, "Aap befikar hokar jao, main sambhal lungi sab yahan."

Meher held her tight for a moment, pressing a trembling kiss to her forehead. She wanted to say so much, but no words came out. She simply nodded.

With a deep breath, she turned away and walked towards the window. Her heart pounded, but she didn’t stop.

She wrapped her dupatta around her head, covering her face so that no one could recognize her.

With one last glance at her friends, she jumped out of the window.

As soon as Meher's feet touched the ground, her heart raced rapidly. The cool night air brushed against her skin, carrying the distant sounds of music from her wedding.

Her hands were trembling, not out of fear, but from the weight of what she had just done.

She had walked away.

No—she was running away.

Away from a marriage she did not want. Away from a life she never chose.

She turned her head towards the street, where a black car was parked under the dim glow of a streetlight. The driver’s side door opened, and a familiar figure stepped out.

Rajveer.

His sharp eyes were scanning the surroundings, making sure no one was following her. Then, without a word, he walked towards her, his steps quick and firm. As soon as he reached her, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards the car.

“Chal, Meher. Der ho rahi hai.” His voice was low but urgent.

Meher’s throat felt dry, her heart was beating too fast. She glanced back at the house one last time.

Inside, her friends were managing the situation, ensuring no one finds out that she was gone….at least not yet.

She swallowed hard and nodded, stepping forward.

Rajveer opened the passenger door for her. “Jaldi baith.”

Without hesitation, she slipped inside, clutching the small bag Unnati had packed for her. The door shut with a soft thud.

Rajveer slid into the driver’s seat and gripped the steering wheel tightly.

 "Tu Tayyar hai?" he asked, glancing at her.

Meher exhaled shakily. "Pata nahi… "

He nodded, then pressed his foot down on the accelerator. The car lurched forward, speeding down the empty road, leaving behind the life she no longer belonged to.

For a few moments, neither of them spoke.

Meher kept staring at the dark road ahead, the streetlights flashing past like distant memories. Her hands were clenched into fists in her lap, her breath still uneven.

Rajveer finally broke the silence. “Tujhe darr lag raha hai?”

She let out a dry laugh. "Darr? Haan, bohot. Par kaafi dino ke baad aaj zinda mehsoos kar rhi hun."

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Meher turned to look at him. His face was calm, his hands steady on the wheel. He was always like this…..unshaken, confident, always there when she needed him, without her asking.

What she didn’t know was that he would always be there, no matter how much it hurt him.

"Rajveer… shukriya."

He didn’t look at her, but she saw the slight nod of his head.

"Jab zaroorat ho, tab dost bhaagte nahi… bhaagte hai," he said, a teasing smirk playing at the corner of his lips.

Meher blinked, then let out a small giggle, the first real laugh in what felt like forever.

Rajveer felt the weight of the moment settle deep in his chest. She was here, right beside him, trusting him, relying on him. But not seeing him—not the way he saw her.

When she giggled, something in him stirred, a bittersweet ache. He had loved her forever, but this…..being the one to help her escape, to give her the freedom she deserved, even if it meant losing her…this was the only way he could love her.

Maybe someday, when he is capable enough.. he would be able tell her, tell her what he felt, tell her how much he loved her.

He smiled, just a little, and kept driving.

While, Meher leaned her head against the window, watching the city blur past. For the first time in a long time, she was not running away from something.

She was running towards something.

The car pulled up outside the airport, its headlights casting a dim glow on the pavement. Meher gripped the strap of her bag tightly, her fingers pressing into the fabric as if it was the only thing keeping her steady.

Rajveer opened the car’s backseat and pulled out a small package. Without a word, he extended it towards her.

Meher frowned, looking at the box in his hand. “Yeh kya hai?”

“Phone.” His voice was calm, but there was something heavy in his tone. “Tera purana number band karwa diya hai. Ispe naya number hai, naya sim. Koi trace nahi kar payega.”

She took the phone, holding it carefully.

 “Rajveer…” she started, but the words got stuck in her throat.

He smirked lightly, trying to mask whatever was swirling inside him. “Mujhe pata hai, Thank you kehne waali hai. Par ek kaam kar, safe pahunch ja, wahi Thanks hoga mere liye.”

Meher swallowed hard, nodding slowly.

“Toh… mai chalu?” she asked, her voice quieter now.

Rajveer nodded once. “Haan.”

She took a step forward, then another. Her heart felt heavy, her feet felt slow, but she kept walking.

Just as she reached the entrance, she paused and turned around.

Rajveer was still there, standing beside the car, his hands tucked in his pockets, his face calm as ever. But his eyes… they held something she couldn’t quite understand.

She held up the phone slightly and forced a small smile. “Milungi kabhi.”

Rajveer’s lips curved into a soft smirk. “bhaagte bhaagte mat aana.”

Meher laughed softly.

And then, without another word, she turned and walked inside, disappearing into the crowd.

Rajveer stood there for a long time, watching until she was completely gone. His fingers curled into fists, his heart clenching painfully.

She was free now. She was safe now.

And he?

He was right where he had always been….watching her from a distance, loving her in silence.