Whispers of the Summer Sky

A week passed before Arjun saw Naina again. She didn't answer his calls, and her absence at the bench each evening felt like a void. He tried to tell himself she needed space, but doubt gnawed at him.

When she finally appeared, it was unannounced. Arjun was sitting at their bench, tossing pebbles into the dirt, when Naina walked up behind him. Her footsteps were quieter than usual, her presence subdued.

You've been avoiding me, Arjun said without turning, his tone sharper than he intended.

Naina hesitated, then sat down beside him.

I wasn't avoiding you. I just... needed time.

To shut me out? he pressed, looking at her now. Her face was paler than usual, the circles under her eyes darker.

Don't make this about you, Naina snapped, though her voice lacked its usual fire.

Arjun flinched, the words cutting deeper than he expected. For a moment, they sat in a tense silence, the weight of unspoken things pressing between them.

Finally, Naina sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. It's just... everything feels too much right now."

Arjun softened. I get it. But you don't have to go through this alone, Naina. That's the whole point of—

Of what? she interrupted, her voice rising. Of our pact? Of promises we can't keep? Life doesn't stop for stargazing, Arjun. It doesn't wait for us to sit on a bench and pretend everything's fine.

Her words hung in the air, sharp and unyielding. Arjun clenched his fists, struggling to keep his own emotions in check. So what? We just give up? Throw it all away because it's hard?

Naina looked at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Maybe. Maybe that's what we have to do.

The words hit Arjun like a slap. He stared at her, searching for the girl who had once laughed at the stars, who had made him promise to come back here every summer. She was still there—he could see it in her eyes—but she was drowning beneath the weight of something he couldn't reach.

I don't believe that, Arjun said quietly. And I don't think you do either.

Naina broke eye contact, staring at the ground. You don't understand, Arjun. My mom… she's not just sick. The doctors said it's terminal. Months, maybe weeks.

Arjun's heart sank. The finality of her words settled like a stone in his chest. Naina, I—

Don't, she said, cutting him off. Don't say you're sorry. Don't try to fix it. You can't.

For a long moment, they sat in silence. The stars above them felt impossibly distant, their light cold and indifferent.

Finally, Arjun spoke. I can't fix it. But I can be here. For you. If you'll let me.

Naina's shoulders trembled, and she wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. Why do you care so much?

Arjun hesitated, then leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. Because you're my friend. Because you've been there for me when I needed someone. And because you're not as alone as you think you are.

Naina didn't respond right away. When she finally looked at him, her expression was a mix of gratitude and guilt. I don't deserve that, Arjun. Not right now.

Too bad, he said, offering a small smile. You're stuck with me.

For the first time that night, Naina let out a shaky laugh. It wasn't much, but it was enough to ease some of the tension between them.

As the evening stretched on, they didn't talk much more. Words felt too fragile, too small to contain the enormity of what they were feeling. But for the first time in weeks, Naina stayed.

And as they sat beneath the stars, a fragile understanding began to form between them. Their pact might have been born from a simple promise, but it had grown into something much more—a lifeline in the darkness, a reminder that even in the hardest times, they wouldn't face the night alone.

The fractures in the sky were still there, but together, they began to feel a little less daunting.

--END--