Chapter: 34
(The Address of Escape)
Friday felt like a morning that had swallowed fire. Every moment, every breath, felt like an explosion bursting inside the chest. Aishi is sitting on her bed. She knows today is the most difficult, most decisive day of her life. The hands of the clock seem to be ticking inside her heart. Her mother calls out to her repeatedly, but she doesn't respond.
Her mother is very happy today. This afternoon, the groom's family is coming to see Aishi. That's why she has been busy in the kitchen since morning. Occasionally, she calls out from the other room, "Aishi, keep that yellow saree ready, okay? Don't forget the Konkachur jewelry either. Wear that one."
Aishi sits in front of the mirror. There is no color on her face, no kohl in her eyes. But her eyes seem to be burning with an inner fire. She slowly took out a small note from the table drawer—it was in Ayush's handwriting: "You are mine. Until my last breath." She pressed the note against her chest and whispered, "You are my final decision, Ayush."
Meanwhile, Ayush is packing his bag in his room. Time is running out. His mother is downstairs, praying, while his father's voice can be heard—"We'll go to his uncle's house this evening. There are things to discuss." He realizes there is no time left. In his bag, he packed two shirts, some money, the blue fabric scarf Aishi gave him, and a map—marking three different routes to make it easier to escape if anyone followed.
Around noon, while Aishi was standing on the balcony, her younger brother came and said, "Didi, Ma says to tie your hair beautifully. A suitor is coming for you today!" Aishi then replied in a low voice, "No one is coming for me today; I am leaving." Her brother didn't understand and went away to play with a smile.
It's exactly ten minutes to five. Aishi is slowly walking down the stairs. Bag in hand, sunglasses on, and a brave silence on her lips. Her mother is busy in the kitchen, and her sister is just returning from the gym; no one notices Aishi leaving. She walks straight out, never looking back once.
On the other hand, Ayush is standing by that old bookstore where they had their first fight. Waves of fear, anxiety, and excitement are surging inside him. He looks at the face of every passerby, hoping Aishi appears...
And then... Aishi arrives.
In a white kurta, bag on her shoulder, and with determination in her eyes, she stands before Ayush. Their eyes meet.
"You came," Ayush whispers.
"You knew I would," Aishi smiles. "In this city, I have no one else but you."
"I've chosen a new address for you," Ayush says softly.
"Not an address, Ayush, I want a home. Where I can sleep beside you without being afraid."
The two stand there, looking at each other for a while. The hot breeze around them seems to go still. Their hearts beat loudly against their ribs.
"Let's go," Ayush says.
"Where are we going?" Aishi asks.
"Where no one knows us. Where no one will judge our love through the lens of religion. Where no one will teach you who you are supposed to love. There."
They take an auto-rickshaw toward the station. Leaving behind the familiar faces, the known intersections, and the shop signboards of the city, they move forward. Upon reaching the station, they stand on the platform. There is still time before the train arrives.
Standing at the station, Ayush grips Aishi's hand tightly. "Are you afraid?" he asks.
Aishi says, "It's not fear, it's responsibility. I know this path isn't easy. But with you by my side, I can do anything."
They buy two cheap tickets. The destination—a small town where no one knows them, and no one knows their history.
The train arrives with a roar. The platform shakes. They board the train. As she sits by the window, Aishi looks back one last time. The city of light and shadows, where she was born and raised, has been left behind today. Tears well up in her eyes, but she doesn't cry out. She rests her head on Ayush's shoulder.
Ayush places his hand on her head. "You are my sky, Aishi. When you are here, the rest of the world ceases to exist."
The train speeds away. Not just toward a destination, but toward a new life.
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What happens next? To find out, stay tuned for the next episode.
# Next episode coming very soon #
To be continued.... 🌷