SS: You Are My Genie, You Are My Shining Star, Chap Update Pg 26

He had finally found his happy place.

Wasn't that what she had wanted for him all along? To see him smile, not because that was what he wanted to show to the world but that was what he wanted.

And now from a distance she saw him smile. But that smile was not for her and it would never be. It was for the girl standing before him holding hands whispering sweet nothings as she hugged him under the mistletoe. When she turned her face and brought it closer to his, she could not bear to see it anymore. She turned on her heels and walked away from there, hugging the coat about her tiny frame in a futile attempt to ward off the cold that no longer bothered her.

As she walked along she felt something warm on her cheeks. When she lifted her fingers to feel it she realised unbeknownst to her, her tears had betrayed her yet again but this time she did not stop them. She let them flow hoping this would wash away her pain, her guilt.

Guilt for breaking his heart which had now been pieced by someone else and that thought gave her little solace knowing he was not hurting anymore. Not over her at least.

But something inside her had broken to never be pieced again and she could not even shout out to ask Ayyappa why her or call it unfair for she knew the answer.

She recalled the night when he had placed his heart in her hands and she had broken it. She had seen the naked pain in his eyes but she had also seen hope. Hope that them being together would finally see its day but she had walked away, the coward she had been then. And now when she had finally decided to let go of all the insecurities and uncertainties that had plagued her all her life opening her heart to cherish his true love, destiny had played a cruel joke on her.

"You deserve it Nandini," she muttered to herself just when her cell phone started buzzing. With shaking fingers she took it and answered it. The voice at the other end was brimming with excitement.

"Nandu where are you? Everyone is waiting for you and did you meet him? Stupid me, of course you would have! Yeah I know you guys must have kissed and made up by now," Navya, her bff added with a tease and without pausing she continued.

"And you won't believe what just happened. He proposed to me Nandu! Can you believe it?"

There was a pause.

"Nandu are you listening to me or are you still lost in your own world huh?"

Silence again.

"Nandu..."

"I am... I am happy for you Navya," she replied in a small voice trying hard to keep her emotions at bay but Navya could sense something was amiss.

"Nandu what's the matter? Did you meet Manik? What did he say? Nandu speak up yaar, you are freaking me out now!"

Her voice shook as she tried to form coherent words but nothing came out.

"Nandu..."

"Navya it's... it's over," her voice came out in broken sobs.

"I... I lost him."

NOTE - Guys please don't assume this is a tragic story just by reading the prologue. There is more to come 😳