As the evening light began to fade, Abhinav stood frozen in disbelief. His heart raced, caught between the memory of Mareena’s gentle touch and the stark reality of her presence—or was it just a figment of his imagination? He blinked, trying to clear the haze from his eyes, but the image of her silhouette lingered like a ghost. The street was bustling with life, but for Abhinav, time had stopped.

“Abhinav?” Priya's voice pulled him back to reality, her tone laced with concern. She stepped into the dimly lit hallway, her brows knitted together. “Are you okay? You’ve been gone a while.”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he replied, forcing a smile that felt more like a mask than a genuine expression. He couldn’t share with Priya what he’d just seen. Not now. He needed to understand it first.

He returned to the dining room, where the table was set for a feast, yet all he could taste was the bitterness of confusion. Priya, ever the attentive partner, noticed his distraction but chose to remain silent, perhaps sensing that this was not a night for probing questions. They finished dinner with small talk and polite laughter, but Abhinav’s mind was elsewhere, spiraling through memories and questions that had no immediate answers.

As the evening came to a close, Abhinav excused himself to their bedroom under the guise of exhaustion. He needed to think. He sat on the edge of their bed, staring out at the city lights twinkling in the distance. The vision of Mareena replayed in his mind, her finger pressed to her lips, urging him to keep quiet. What did she mean? Why had she come back now?

Lost in thought, Abhinav barely registered when he heard a soft knock at the door. He looked up to find Priya standing there, her expression softening as she entered the room.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked gently, her voice a soothing balm to his tumultuous thoughts. “I can tell something’s bothering you.”

“Just tired, Priya. It’s been a long day,” he lied, not wanting to burden her with the reality of his internal chaos.

“I understand,” she replied, her eyes searching his for the truth. “But remember, you can talk to me about anything.”

He nodded, grateful for her unwavering support, but the weight of his unspoken truth pressed heavily on his chest. As she turned to leave, a thought struck him.

“Wait,” he called after her. “What if… what if you could see someone from your past? Someone you thought you’d lost forever?”

Priya paused, her expression shifting from concern to curiosity. “I suppose that would be… confusing. Why do you ask?”

Abhinav hesitated, the shadows of doubt creeping back in. “Just a thought. You know, memories can be tricky.”

“True,” she agreed, a thoughtful look crossing her face. “But sometimes they can also be a gift. They remind us of who we were, what we’ve been through.”

As Priya left, Abhinav’s heart sank deeper into the abyss of his thoughts. The night wore on, and sleep eluded him. Instead, he found himself pacing the room, torn between the life he had built with Priya and the haunting memories of Mareena.

In the early hours of the morning, driven by an irresistible urge, Abhinav grabbed his coat and stepped outside into the crisp night air. He needed to know if Mareena was real. He needed to find her.

The cool wind brushed against his skin as he wandered the streets, retracing the path he thought she had taken. The city felt different, as if it were holding its breath in anticipation. Every corner, every shadow seemed to whisper her name.

Finally, he reached the spot where he had seen her—a quiet street corner lined with flickering streetlamps. He stood there, heart pounding, scanning the crowd for any sign of her. Nobody was there.

FLASHBACK

Abhinav is the son of A.K.Roy and S.K.Roy big business people of the town. Abhinav was sent to abroad to study MBA after which he returned to India. His father brought Mareena and gave her shelter in their house saying that she was his friend's daughter. Abhinav’s father said that Mareena’s parents had passed away recently and that she needed shelter. Abhinav's mother was not that fond of Mareena. Abhinav and Mareena had soon became friends. Their friendship had eventually turned into love.

Mareena was a 2nd year law student. Eventually Mr.A.K.Roy had taken her responsibility. Abhinav and Mareena who lived in the same house became eventually close to eachother. Abhinav's parents were not liking their growing closeness, especially his mother.

One evening, Abhinav fetched Mareena from her college. They went to eat icecream. The late afternoon sun, golden and benevolent, slanted through the window of "Sweet Indulgence," painting stripes across the checkered floor. Fifteen years ago, the world hadn't yet learned how to hurt them. Mareena giggled, a bright, unrestrained sound, as Abhinav expertly navigated the precarious tower of her triple-scoop monstrosity. "Careful, Abhinav! That's my Cookies & Cream, and it's holding up my Strawberry Swirl!"

He grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You always were ambitious, Mareena. Always reaching for everything at once." He nudged her arm playfully, their shoulders brushing. The air between them, thick with the scent of sugar and melting chocolate, also hummed with an unspoken promise. A future.

She leaned into him, letting her head rest against his shoulder for a moment, the chill from her cup a pleasant contrast to his warmth. "Only when I'm sure I can get it. And only when I know you'll catch me if it falls." She glanced up at him, her smile softening, revealing a depth that belied her playful tone. "You always do."

He returned her gaze, a profound tenderness in his dark eyes. "Always." He reached across the small, sticky table, taking her free hand, his thumb tracing lazy patterns on her skin. "What about you? Still planning to solve all the world's injustices with that law degree?"

"And then some!" she declared, sitting up straighter. "Starting with figuring out why this place charges extra for sprinkles. It's a conspiracy, I tell you." She playfully narrowed her eyes at him, then playfully dabbed a smudge of chocolate from his cheek with her napkin.

Abhinav laughed, a rich, full sound that made a few heads turn. He caught her hand again, bringing her palm to his lips for a soft kiss. "My little conspiracy theorist. Just don't go uncovering anything too dangerous, okay? Stick to the sprinkles."

Mareena squeezed his hand, her gaze suddenly serious. "No promises. You know me, I can't resist a mystery. Especially if it means finding out who’s pulling the strings." Her smile returned, bright and defiant. "Besides, I'll have you, my brave hero, to protect me from the villains."

He just looked at her, his eyes filled with adoration, a silent vow passing between them as the ice cream slowly melted, oblivious to the clock ticking toward a different, colder future.

When the were back home, they were reading a book together . They were sitting closely on the sofa and their bodies were touching eachother. They were sitting very closely. Suddenly Abhinav’s mother entered the room and started shouting on Mareena. Abhinav always defended Mareena but his mother was always rude to her.

FLASHBACK ENDS

His chain of thoughts were broken when his driver called him. Abhinav received the call and headed to his office.

______________________________

How do you feel for their innocent past?

Why did Mareena disappear?

Why was Abhinav's mom rude to her?

Why did he marry Priya?

To know more stay tuned!