New Beginnings (OS) - Page 8

Awesome update. Loving this Anuj and Maaya so much. Maaya is doubtful about her feelings ! Very well portrayed. 👏

Looking forward to more. Slow burn is the best 👌

Originally posted by: strancho

Part: 3.5

Later in the day, Anuj called up his friend Sohit and asked him to meet him. Sohit could sense something was off in Anuj's voice and immediately agreed to meet.

Sohit: What happened?

Anuj: I need your help. I want you to be my divorce lawyer.

Sohit: Are you sure about this? Have you thought it through?

Anuj nodded.

Sohit: Fine, I will handle all the legal proceedings. Have you told Maaya?

Anuj: (Shook his head) No, nor will I.

Sohit: Why? There's no reason to be guilty anymore.

Anuj: It's not that. I don't want anyone to blame her. I don't want her to be branded as a home wrecker. It's my problem. She has suffered enough already. I think it's best if she doesn't know.

Sohit: You won't tell her about how you feel?

Anuj: As of now, no. Once this divorce goes through, I'll think about it. Moreover, I don't know if she feels the same about me. I don't want to ruin our friendship or make things awkward between us.

Sohit: What if she finds someone else? Doesn't it bother you?

Anuj: Her existence alone is enough for me. Life is no movie where we need to necessarily get all things right by the end.

Sohit: (facepalming) You and your idealism.

Anuj just laughed it off.

Sohit: By the way, what makes you like her so much?

Anuj: I don't have to be the "understanding guy" all the time. I can just be myself, and she accepts me for who I am. She is someone I can just be silent with and still feel comfortable.

Sohit: How is it different than being with Anupama?

Anuj: When I was with Anupama, I was self-destructing. I was miserable, and I didn't know how to fix it. But since I've started talking to Maaya, she's helped me see things differently. She has saved me from myself, in a way.

Anuj paused for a moment, and murmured to himself, "Is that what she meant?"

Sohit: (confused) What?

Anuj: I've been thinking about something Maaya said to me. I didn't get it then, but I think I do now. She said with love comes only one thing: honesty. And honesty is different from loyalty. Although I was faithful to Anupama, I could not be completely truthful with her. I was always worried about how she would react to my thoughts and feelings. I was so focused on being loyal to her that I forgot the importance of being honest.

Sohit: I never knew that you had to deal with all these.

Anuj: It's okay, even I didn't realize.

Sohit: What's next? Have you found a place to stay?

Anuj: Not yet. I am staying in a hotel till I find a place.

Sohit: Okay, I will start the proceedings and let you know the further steps.

Maaya sat at her desk, surrounded by textbooks and notes, but her attention kept drifting to her phone. She tried to focus on her studies, but every time she glanced at her phone, her heart sank as she saw that there were no new messages or notifications. She sighed and tried to force herself to concentrate on her work, but her eyes kept wandering back to her phone.

As the hours ticked by, Maaya became more and more restless. She knew she needed to focus on her studies, but she just couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. In this last month, there hasn't been a day when Anuj did not text her. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and grabbed her phone. She was about to send him a text but stopped herself from hitting the send button. "What am I doing?" she thought to herself. "I can't let myself get hurt again." Memories of her past flooded her. The hurt, the pain, the disappointment, it all came rushing back to her.

"I can't let myself get caught up in this again," she whispered to herself as if trying to convince herself of the truth in those words. She had been hurt before and the thought of going through that pain again terrified her. She picked up her phone and started scrolling through her messages, rereading their conversations and reliving the moments they had shared together. As she looked at the picture of the sculpture, she felt a warmth spread through her chest, and she couldn't help but smile. But then the fear and doubt crept back in, "What if I'm just setting myself up for more heartbreak?" she thought. Tears streamed down her face. She wondered, "How did it come to this? Wake up, Maaya. Don't fall in this trap again"

She looked at Choti, who was sleeping peacefully. She had learned the cruel way that love could be a double-edged sword, bringing both joy and pain. And so, after much reflection, she made the decision to keep her feelings for Anuj to herself.

This is a short update. I have moved to another city, setting up my new room. The next part would be little delayed.

Part 4

It had been two days since they talked to each other. From that day on, whenever Maaya felt overwhelmed by her emotions, she would take out her phone and write a message to herself. Sometimes it was just a few words, a reminder of a moment they had shared or a feeling she had experienced. Other times it was a longer message, pouring out her heart and soul to the only person she trusted with her deepest thoughts - herself.

Maaya found that it helped her to process her emotions and keep them in check. She didn't want to risk getting hurt again, so she was content to keep her love for Anuj locked away, a secret she would carry with her always. But as the days passed, she couldn't help but wonder if he felt the same way. Did he think of her as often as she thought of him? She couldn't know for sure, and the uncertainty weighed heavily on her heart.

Anuj felt guilty for not being able to talk to Maaya for the past two days. He had been so caught up with work and finding a new place to live that he didn't get a chance to reach out to Maaya.

After two days, he finally found some free time and decided to reach out to Maaya. He picked up his phone and typed out a message to her. "Hey Maaya, it's been a while. I hope you're doing well. Sorry, I haven't been in touch, things have been pretty hectic here with work and all. How have you been?" As he waited for a response, he felt a mix of nervousness and excitement, wondering what Maaya's reply would be. He had missed talking to her and wanted to catch up on everything that had happened in their lives since they last spoke.

His face lit up on receiving a text from Maaya after all this time. He opened the message and was confused when he saw that the message read, "What to do when you are in love with the journey but at the same time scared of the undesirable destination?" He called her up.

Maaya was typing out a message to herself, her phone beeped with a new text notification. Without looking up, she absentmindedly hit "send" and continued typing. Suddenly, her phone rang, and she saw that it was Anuj calling. She felt nervous on seeing his call and took a deep breath before answering it.

Anuj: Hi Maaya, How are you?

Maaya: I'm doing fine. How about you?

Anuj: I am also fine. Maaya, are you going somewhere?

Maaya: (confused) No, Why are you asking that?

Anuj: You just sent me a text.

It was only a few seconds later that she realized what she had done. She had accidentally sent her private text to Anuj instead of herself. She quickly tried to come up with an excuse or explanation for her message, but her mind was blank.

Maaya: I was reading something and by mistake, a sentence got copied and got sent to you.

Anuj: Ahh okay. No worries. Is everything really okay with you?

Maaya: Yeah, everything is fine.

Anuj: How is Choti?

Maaya: She is fine.

Anuj: I miss you. (Anuj realized he said something he shouldn't have) I..I mean.. I mean I miss both of you.

Maaya: (Little disappointed and murmured) Me too.

Anuj: What?

Maaya: Even Choti misses you a lot. Anuj, I have some errands to run and I am getting a little late.

Anuj: Oh Sorry, I will call you later. Bye, take care.

Maaya quickly disconnected the call and took a deep breath. She couldn't let Anuj know that she had feelings for him, it would only complicate things further. She knew she had to keep her distance and move on from him. As she sat there, staring at her phone, she wondered if she had made the right decision. But she quickly brushed off those thoughts and tried to distract herself with some other work.

Days turned into weeks and Maaya tried her best to avoid Anuj. She made excuses whenever he asked to talk on the phone. She knew it was hurting him, but she couldn't bear the thought of being vulnerable in front of him. She didn't want to risk losing what little control she had over her heart. And so she continued to write her messages to herself, a silent witness to the love that burned within her.

Anuj couldn't shake the feeling that Maaya was avoiding him. He had sent her a text a few days ago and had not received a response. He had tried calling her several times, but she had either not answered or told him that she was busy. He decided to confront her about it. He sent her a text saying if they can talk. Maaya knew this was coming. She had been avoiding Anuj's messages and calls for days, and it wasn't fair to him. She finally decided to respond to his text saying that they can talk. He immediately called her.

Anuj: Why are you avoiding me?

Maaya: (silent for a moment) I'm not avoiding you, Anuj. I've just been really busy with work and studies.

Anuj wasn't convinced. He had known Maaya for some time now, and he could sense that something was off.

Anuj: Maaya, is there something that you're not telling me? Have I done something to upset you?

Maaya: No, Anuj. You haven't done anything wrong.

Anuj: Why is this love so painful, Maaya?

Maaya was taken aback. She felt as if Anuj read her mind.

Maaya: You know, the phrase "too much", we use it when something exceeds our limit. I think that is the reason love becomes painful. We should love adequately, but we love too much. We shouldn't love someone too much. If we do, it becomes too much.

She realized that more than Anuj, those words were for herself.

Anuj: How do we do that?

Maaya: I wish I knew. I wouldn't be in this situation then. You know Anuj, love can be the reason to remain sane all life and yet it can be an excuse to be insane in all the moments that make up a life.

Anuj: Like, a momentary presence of a person, at times, can comfortably numb his absence in your life.

Maaya: Yeah, it's like a temporary relief, but then the pain comes back stronger than before.

Anuj: What to do then?

Maaya: I think the best thing to do is to allow yourself to feel the pain. Don't suppress it or try to ignore it. Let yourself grieve, cry, or even scream if you need to.

Anuj: You too should enjoy the journey without worrying about the destination. Sometimes, unexpected detours and twists and turns can lead you to even better destinations than you could have ever imagined.

Maaya: Are you reading my mind?

Anuj: (Laughing) No, but I wish I could. I could have known the reason why you were avoiding me.

Maaya: It is late. I think we should go to sleep now.

Anuj: Alright, Maaya. Good night.

As Maaya put her phone down, a message from Anuj appeared on the screen. The message read, "It was nice talking to you after a long time. Whenever you need a friend, remember that I am just a text away. Goodnight". Anuj's words had given her a sense of hope and optimism. She realized that she didn't need to have everything figured out right now and she could take things one step at a time. She realized that perhaps the pain of love could be transformed into a journey of self-discovery and growth.

Beautiful as always.Very deep thoughts on love.

Originally posted by: strancho

Part 4

It had been two days since they talked to each other. From that day on, whenever Maaya felt overwhelmed by her emotions, she would take out her phone and write a message to herself. Sometimes it was just a few words, a reminder of a moment they had shared or a feeling she had experienced. Other times it was a longer message, pouring out her heart and soul to the only person she trusted with her deepest thoughts - herself.

Maaya found that it helped her to process her emotions and keep them in check. She didn't want to risk getting hurt again, so she was content to keep her love for Anuj locked away, a secret she would carry with her always. But as the days passed, she couldn't help but wonder if he felt the same way. Did he think of her as often as she thought of him? She couldn't know for sure, and the uncertainty weighed heavily on her heart.

Anuj felt guilty for not being able to talk to Maaya for the past two days. He had been so caught up with work and finding a new place to live that he didn't get a chance to reach out to Maaya.

After two days, he finally found some free time and decided to reach out to Maaya. He picked up his phone and typed out a message to her. "Hey Maaya, it's been a while. I hope you're doing well. Sorry, I haven't been in touch, things have been pretty hectic here with work and all. How have you been?" As he waited for a response, he felt a mix of nervousness and excitement, wondering what Maaya's reply would be. He had missed talking to her and wanted to catch up on everything that had happened in their lives since they last spoke.

His face lit up on receiving a text from Maaya after all this time. He opened the message and was confused when he saw that the message read, "What to do when you are in love with the journey but at the same time scared of the undesirable destination?" He called her up.

Maaya was typing out a message to herself, her phone beeped with a new text notification. Without looking up, she absentmindedly hit "send" and continued typing. Suddenly, her phone rang, and she saw that it was Anuj calling. She felt nervous on seeing his call and took a deep breath before answering it.

Anuj: Hi Maaya, How are you?

Maaya: I'm doing fine. How about you?

Anuj: I am also fine. Maaya, are you going somewhere?

Maaya: (confused) No, Why are you asking that?

Anuj: You just sent me a text.

It was only a few seconds later that she realized what she had done. She had accidentally sent her private text to Anuj instead of herself. She quickly tried to come up with an excuse or explanation for her message, but her mind was blank.

Maaya: I was reading something and by mistake, a sentence got copied and got sent to you.

Anuj: Ahh okay. No worries. Is everything really okay with you?

Maaya: Yeah, everything is fine.

Anuj: How is Choti?

Maaya: She is fine.

Anuj: I miss you. (Anuj realized he said something he shouldn't have) I..I mean.. I mean I miss both of you.

Maaya: (Little disappointed and murmured) Me too.

Anuj: What?

Maaya: Even Choti misses you a lot. Anuj, I have some errands to run and I am getting a little late.

Anuj: Oh Sorry, I will call you later. Bye, take care.

Maaya quickly disconnected the call and took a deep breath. She couldn't let Anuj know that she had feelings for him, it would only complicate things further. She knew she had to keep her distance and move on from him. As she sat there, staring at her phone, she wondered if she had made the right decision. But she quickly brushed off those thoughts and tried to distract herself with some other work.

Days turned into weeks and Maaya tried her best to avoid Anuj. She made excuses whenever he asked to talk on the phone. She knew it was hurting him, but she couldn't bear the thought of being vulnerable in front of him. She didn't want to risk losing what little control she had over her heart. And so she continued to write her messages to herself, a silent witness to the love that burned within her.

Anuj couldn't shake the feeling that Maaya was avoiding him. He had sent her a text a few days ago and had not received a response. He had tried calling her several times, but she had either not answered or told him that she was busy. He decided to confront her about it. He sent her a text saying if they can talk. Maaya knew this was coming. She had been avoiding Anuj's messages and calls for days, and it wasn't fair to him. She finally decided to respond to his text saying that they can talk. He immediately called her.

Anuj: Why are you avoiding me?

Maaya: (silent for a moment) I'm not avoiding you, Anuj. I've just been really busy with work and studies.

Anuj wasn't convinced. He had known Maaya for some time now, and he could sense that something was off.

Anuj: Maaya, is there something that you're not telling me? Have I done something to upset you?

Maaya: No, Anuj. You haven't done anything wrong.

Anuj: Why is this love so painful, Maaya?

Maaya was taken aback. She felt as if Anuj read her mind.

Maaya: You know, the phrase "too much", we use it when something exceeds our limit. I think that is the reason love becomes painful. We should love adequately, but we love too much. We shouldn't love someone too much. If we do, it becomes too much.

She realized that more than Anuj, those words were for herself.

Anuj: How do we do that?

Maaya: I wish I knew. I wouldn't be in this situation then. You know Anuj, love can be the reason to remain sane all life and yet it can be an excuse to be insane in all the moments that make up a life.

Anuj: Like, a momentary presence of a person, at times, can comfortably numb his absence in your life.

Maaya: Yeah, it's like a temporary relief, but then the pain comes back stronger than before.

Anuj: What to do then?

Maaya: I think the best thing to do is to allow yourself to feel the pain. Don't suppress it or try to ignore it. Let yourself grieve, cry, or even scream if you need to.

Anuj: You too should enjoy the journey without worrying about the destination. Sometimes, unexpected detours and twists and turns can lead you to even better destinations than you could have ever imagined.

Maaya: Are you reading my mind?

Anuj: (Laughing) No, but I wish I could. I could have known the reason why you were avoiding me.

Maaya: It is late. I think we should go to sleep now.

Anuj: Alright, Maaya. Good night.

As Maaya put her phone down, a message from Anuj appeared on the screen. The message read, "It was nice talking to you after a long time. Whenever you need a friend, remember that I am just a text away. Goodnight". Anuj's words had given her a sense of hope and optimism. She realized that she didn't need to have everything figured out right now and she could take things one step at a time. She realized that perhaps the pain of love could be transformed into a journey of self-discovery and growth.

As usual, brilliant👏

And you know what, it somehow clicked with me a little more than usual🫣

In our engagement period, I used to type my thoughts to my then would be husband on WhatsApp. I used to talk to myself too. The only difference here is that we were engaged and I actually sent them and told him to not read, because these were my deepest thoughts🤣🤣

The whole time I'm just thinking: I'm so glad you discovered the writer in you.

So much maturity, so much realism.

It's written in a way many people can connect. Insightful as always.

Originally posted by: CheekuKaBeej

As usual, brilliant👏

And you know what, it somehow clicked with me a little more than usual🫣

In our engagement period, I used to type my thoughts to my then would be husband on WhatsApp. I used to talk to myself too. The only difference here is that we were engaged and I actually sent them and told him to not read, because these were my deepest thoughts🤣🤣

I do it as well. Difference is everything remains in my draft and I never send it to anyone 😂

Originally posted by: MOTHERHOOD

Beautiful as always.Very deep thoughts on love.

You know my one of the source of enlightenment right? 🤣

Wonderful as always...!! ❤️