BOUND BY FATE

Unedited chapter... please avoid mistakes..

RUDRANSH'S POV:

The media people's were the ban on the existence of influential people's... everytime just behind them to get the news something spicing... so that they can get the boost on their channels...

I politely excused myself, asking for some privacy. But the truth was, I needed to check on Aaradhya. She looked tense, uneasy, and I couldn't ignore the concern that gnawed at me. Even if I was feeling angry with her at the moment, her well-being took precedence.

As I watched, she stepped away from me, moving towards Aayansh with a smile that seemed to light up her face. How they walked away from the crowd together, and I felt a pang of... something. Was it jealousy? Possessiveness? I wasn't sure.

But then, my subconscious kicked in, reminding me of Aaradhya's social anxiety. Maybe she felt more comfortable around Aayansh. Maybe she needed the space.

"She have social anxiety....and you are yet to make her feel comfortable with your presence...let her stay there with her friend.."

The thought was rational, but it didn't quite quell the unease that had taken up residence in my chest.

Friend ??

Really??

He's elder to her..
Her brother's best friend...

I rolled my eyes at the thought, a wry smile twisting my lips. "You know much about friends and friendship... right???" The voice in my head was sarcastic, a reminder of my own isolation.

I had never been the type to form close bonds or cultivate friendships. People hadn't exactly flocked to my side, and I hadn't gone out of my way to make them. I was okay with my own company, content in my solitude......after the painful memories I have with my own people...

The thought didn't bother me; it was simply a fact of my life. I had learned to be self-sufficient, to rely on myself rather than others. And in doing so, I had built walls around myself, walls that kept people at bay.

But seeing Aaradhya with Aayansh had stirred something deep within me, like a gentle breeze rustling the leaves of a long-dormant tree. Maybe it was the way she smiled at him, her eyes lighting up with a warmth and ease that I hadn't seen before. Or perhaps it was the way he looked at her, with a deep understanding and care that spoke of a bond between them.

Whatever it was, it had awakened a pang of... something. A realization that perhaps I wasn't as immune to the idea of connection as I thought. The thought was both intriguing and unsettling, like a whispered secret in a crowded room.

For so long, I had convinced myself that friendships, company, and laughter were not meant for me. That I was better off alone, with my walls and my solitude. But seeing Aaradhya and Aayansh together had made me question that narrative.

It was as if I had been living in black and white, and suddenly, someone had turned on the color. The realization was both exhilarating and terrifying, like standing at the edge of a cliff with the wind whispering secrets in my ear.

I wasn't sure what it meant or where it would lead, but I couldn't shake off the feeling that something within me had shifted, like the gentle tilt of a scale. The idea of connection, of friendship, of laughter and shared moments, was no longer a distant concept, but a tangible possibility that beckoned me to explore.

I tried to shake off the thoughts, to clear my mind of the conflicting emotions. But they lingered, refusing to be silenced. I walked towards the direction Aaradhya had gone, my eyes scanning the crowd for a glimpse of her. And then, I saw her, standing at the counter where drinks were being served.