Chapter 17
The Things We Don't Plan
The rain had stopped.
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But the air—
Still carried it.
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Cool.
Heavy.
Quiet.
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Bela didn't go home immediately.
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She walked slowly.
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Not really paying attention to where she was going.
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Just… moving.
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The streets were damp.
Lights reflecting off the wet ground.
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Everything felt softer.
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Muted.
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Like the world had slowed down—
Just for a while.
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Her fingers tightened slightly around the sleeves of his jacket.
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Still warm.
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Still carrying him.
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She exhaled slowly.
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Why does it feel like this?
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"Bela."
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She stopped.
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Didn't turn immediately.
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Because she knew.
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Of course she knew.
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"…You followed me."
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His footsteps slowed behind her.
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"…You didn't go home."
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"That's not your concern."
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"It is."
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A pause.
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Bela turned this time.
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Vihaan stood a few steps away.
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Not too close.
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Not far either.
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Just—
There.
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"…Why?" she asked.
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"Why what?"
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"Why do you keep doing this?"
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A pause.
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"…Doing what?"
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"This," she said, her voice quieter now. "Not letting me go."
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Silence.
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Because that—
That wasn't something he could deny.
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"…You're the one who's leaving."
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Her breath caught slightly.
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"That doesn't mean you have to follow."
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"Maybe I want to."
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Simple.
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Again.
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But not simple at all.
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Bela looked at him.
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Really looked this time.
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At the way he stood.
Still.
Unmoving.
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But not distant.
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Not anymore.
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"…You're making this harder," she whispered.
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"For who?"
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"For both of us."
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A pause.
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"…Then tell me to stop."
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The words settled between them.
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Waiting.
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Heavy.
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Because this time—
He meant it.
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If she told him to stop—
He would.
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Bela's lips parted slightly.
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Say it.
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Say it now.
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Tell him to stop.
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Tell him to leave.
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Tell him this is wrong.
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Tell him—
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Nothing came out.
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Because she couldn't.
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Silence.
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Long.
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Unspoken.
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Vihaan took a step closer.
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Slow.
Careful.
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Like he was giving her time to move away.
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She didn't.
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Another step.
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Closer now.
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Close enough to see everything.
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The way her breath hitched.
The way her fingers trembled slightly.
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But she still didn't move.
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"…That's your answer," he said quietly.
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Her heart skipped.
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"…I didn't say anything."
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"You didn't have to."
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A pause.
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Neither of them looked away.
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"…This isn't right," she whispered.
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"Then why aren't you stopping me?"
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She didn't have an answer.
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Because she didn't want to.
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The distance between them—
Gone now.
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Nothing left.
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Just a breath.
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Just a moment.
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Vihaan's hand lifted—
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Slowly.
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Like he wasn't sure.
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Like he was asking without words.
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It hovered near her face.
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Waiting.
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Bela closed her eyes.
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Just for a second.
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And that—
That was enough.
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His fingers brushed lightly against her cheek.
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Warm.
Gentle.
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Careful.
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Like she might break.
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Her breath caught.
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But she didn't move away.
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"…Bela," he said softly.
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Not a question.
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Not a warning.
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Just—
Her name.
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And then—
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He leaned in.
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Slow.
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Giving her time.
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A chance to stop him.
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A chance to step back.
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A chance to say no.
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She didn't.
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Their lips met.
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Soft.
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Barely there at first.
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Like neither of them believed it was real.
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Then—
A little closer.
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A little deeper.
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Still gentle.
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Still careful.
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Not rushed.
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Not demanding.
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Just—
Feeling.
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Bela's fingers tightened slightly against his jacket.
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Her heart—
Racing.
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Her chest—
Tight.
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Because this—
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This was everything she had tried to avoid.
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Everything she wasn't supposed to feel.
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And yet—
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She didn't pull away.
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Not immediately.
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For a moment—
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She let herself stay.
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Just—
One moment.
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Then—
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Reality hit.
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Hard.
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She pulled back suddenly.
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Her breath uneven.
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Her eyes wide.
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"…We can't," she whispered.
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Vihaan didn't move.
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Didn't step back.
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Didn't look surprised.
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"…Why?"
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The question came quietly.
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But it carried everything.
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Bela shook her head.
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"…This isn't right."
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"You said that before."
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"And it's still true."
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"Then why didn't you stop?"
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Silence.
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Because she didn't have an answer.
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One she could say.
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"…I shouldn't have done that," she said instead.
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A lie.
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Because part of her—
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Didn't regret it at all.
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Vihaan watched her.
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Carefully.
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"…You're lying again."
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Her chest tightened.
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"…I'm not."
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"You are."
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A pause.
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"…And you don't even believe it."
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That—
That broke something.
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Because he was right.
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Again.
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Bela stepped back.
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"…Please," she said softly.
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Not angry.
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Not defensive.
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Just—
Fragile.
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"Don't make this harder than it already is."
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A pause.
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"…For you?"
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"For both of us."
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Vihaan didn't respond.
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Because this time—
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He understood something.
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This wasn't about not wanting him.
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This was about something else.
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Something bigger.
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Something she still wasn't telling him.
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Bela turned.
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Walked away.
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Again.
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But this time—
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It wasn't distance.
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It was fear.
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And Vihaan—
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Wasn't going to let fear be the reason she left.