Arranged by Destiny

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Rudra's Pov ---

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I never thought I'd find myself sitting with an unknown girl, in her garden, waiting for a conversation I wasn't sure I was ready for. The last time I had been through a moment like this, it was with my Riya. That thought alone made my chest tighten.

But today was different. Today I wasn't here for myself. I was here because my parents wanted this... and maybe, somewhere, Riya wanted it too.

The garden was quiet. The sun hung soft above us, filtering through the trees and throwing gentle shadows on the grass. A few flowers swayed in the breeze, and I could hear the faint sound of sparrows. It should have been calming, but my heart wouldn't slow down.

Naina sat across from me, her hands resting in her lap. She looked... beautiful and delicate, just like a flower that had endured one too many storms. There was a quietness about her, a silence that wasn't empty but heavy... like she carried something, she wasn't ready to share.

Our parents had excused themselves, leaving us to 'talk... get to know each other' Easy for them to say.

I wasn't sure where to begin.

I cleared my throat softly.

"Naina..."

I started, my voice was lower than usual,

"I guess we're supposed to get to know each other."

She gave a small smile, polite but distant, and nodded.

"Yes... I guess so."

For a moment, neither of us spoke. The silence stretched, but it wasn't entirely uncomfortable. It felt more like... we were both searching for words that wouldn't hurt, words that might fit.

I leaned back slightly, studying her.

"I'll be honest... I'm not very good at this."

Her eyes flickered up to mine, and there was something in them... A glimmer of understanding.

"Me neither..."

She whispered.

And just like that, something eased inside me. We didn't need to force small talk or pretend to be perfect strangers trying to impress each other. We could just... be honest.

"You know..."

I said softly,

"I wasn't ready to meet anyone. Not until recently."

I paused, swallowing the lump in my throat.

"But then... something happened that made me think maybe it's time."

Naina tilted her head slightly, curiosity in her gaze. She didn't ask what I meant, and I was grateful for that.

I looked down at my hands, then back at her.

"I've lost someone very dear to me. Someone who... meant everything. And for a long time, I thought my life had ended with her."

My voice trembled, but I forced myself to continue.

"But she wanted me to keep living. To smile again. Even if it's with someone else."

The words hung in the air, fragile and raw.

Naina's expression softened. For a moment, I thought I saw pain flicker across her face, as if she understood more than she was willing to say. She looked away, her fingers twisting together nervously.

"I know how it feels..."

She said quietly.

"To not be ready... To carry something inside that makes it hard to step forward."