The Hearts at the Edge of Forever

Chapter 1 : Aaina Mishra

She took a deep breath, their gaze lingering on every corner, trying to imprint it all in her mind. "This place... it's not just a part of my past. It's a part of me."

"All packed," Mom's voice rang out, jolting me from the depths of my thoughts.

"Yes, Mumma," I replied with a faint smile, avoiding her gaze. If I looked at her, I knew I wouldn't be able to hold back my tears.

"Listen, you have to call me at least once a day, and don't forget to eat your meals on time. I know I won't be there to keep tabs on you, but please, no late nights and binge-watching web series. Sleep on time and study hard, okay, my bachha?" Mumma said, her eyes fixed on me with a mix of love and concern.

"Okay, meri maate," I said, laughing softly, trying to lighten the mood.

"And one more thing... I will miss you," she added, her voice tinged with sadness, her eyes reflecting the emotions she tried to hide.

"Hey, don't be sad! I'll come home during the holidays," I said, trying to lighten the mood with a reassuring smile.

"Okay, okay, let's go, or else your train will be missed!" she said, changing the topic with urgency.

I picked up my bags, hurriedly made my way down the stairs, and there, my sweet little brother was waiting for me, a smile lighting up his face.

"Bye, Di," he said, smiling mischievously, "and I ain't gonna miss you!"

"Mai bhi tujhe konsa yaad karungi!" I said, playfully hitting his head.

"Ouch! Mumma, see, she is hitting me!" he complained, turning to our Mumma with a pout.

"Who told you to trouble her?" Mumma replied, shaking her head. "You know, Mayank, she's going. You should be sad and say, 'I'll miss you,' but here you are, teasing her!"

"I know you will take her side only," he said, turning his head with a hint of annoyance.

"Mayank!" Mumma raised her voice a little, her tone firm yet caring.

"I will miss you, take care Di," he said, hugging me tightly, his voice softening.

"I'll miss you too, Manku," I said, ruffling his hair with a smile.

"I'm not Manku!" he complained, swatting my hand away, looking up at me with a pout.

"Achha, take care of Mumma, don't trouble her too much, focus on your studies, and please don't spend too much time on the Games," I said, giving him one last look of concern.

"Haa, bye bye," he said, waving his hand. I picked up my bags and placed them in the cab waiting outside. Mumma was coming with me to drop me off at the station.

We both reached the station, and I started searching for the platform where my train would arrive. Thankfully, the announcement on the speaker made things easier, and I quickly found out. Reaching the platform, I waited for my train, and soon enough, it arrived. I searched for my coach number, grabbed my bags, and made my way to it. After a bit of searching, I finally found my seat. I placed my bags down, turned to Mumma, and said goodbye, hugging her tightly before boarding the train.

After the final goodbye, Mumma stepped off the train, and as it started moving, I waved my hand at her, saying one last "bye" with a heart full of emotion.

And so, my new journey began, with a mix of excitement and a little bit of nostalgia, as the train carried me forward into the unknown.
I opened my bag, pulled out my phone, and snapped a few selfies, applying a blur filter before posting one to my Instagram story. I don't post often, but when I do, I like keeping it simple. After that, I plugged in my phone to charge, reached for my book, and smiled at the thought of diving into another story. I love reading-especially romance and crime thrillers both dreamy romance and the gripping intensity of crime thrillers is anything but weird. It reflects a balance between embracing imagination and confronting reality!