Him

Tara was curled up next to me, her head resting on my shoulder, and I felt the weight of the moment pressing down on us. In just a week, she'd be leaving for India, and all these late-night talks, easy laughs, and stolen kisses would be put on pause. It was going to be hard to get used to an empty house, knowing she'd be thousands of miles away. But if that's what it took, I'd make it work. It was Tara, after all. For her, I'd do whatever it took.

"You know, it's weird," I said, breaking the comfortable silence between us. "Next Sunday, I'm going to come home, and you won't be here."

Tara lifted her head to look at me, a sad smile playing on her lips. "We'll still have FaceTime, you know. And calls. It's not the end of the world, Mr. Grump."

I chuckled softly. "I know. But it's not the same, is it? I'm going to miss this-just having you here, like this."

"Me too. Back in Kolkata, Ma is excited for me to come back. Urvi is planning a 'Welcome Back' party."

I smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "A 'Welcome Back' party, huh? Should I be worried that Urvi's planning to replace me with some guy from India with better dance moves?"

She chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Trust me, Urvi trusts me with you."

"Oh, so I've still got a shot," I said, winking.

She laughed, and for a moment, everything felt light. But then her laughter faded, and she looked down, her fingers drawing idle patterns on my hand. I could sense she was thinking something. "Sometimes I wonder if... if we're just setting ourselves up for disappointment, Dante."

I sat up, narrowing my eyes. "What are you talking about, Petardo?"

She took a breath, clearly struggling to find the right words. "I mean, look at us. You're here, running QuantumTech with Bhaiya. You have... all of this," she gestured around the room, "and I'll... I'll be halfway across the world most of the time. I just wonder if we're getting into something too big to handle."

I shook my head, feeling a pang of frustration. "Why are you doubting us? We talked about this. We knew it'll be tough, but you are worth the effort."

"It's not just that, Dante," she said, her voice softer but no less intense. "I don't want us to fall apart because of something we both knew could be an issue. I don't want us to... to hate each other down the line because we tried to force something that doesn't fit."

"That's ridiculous." My voice came out harsher than I intended, but I couldn't help it. "We fit, and you know it. You're just getting cold feet because you're leaving soon."

Her eyes flashed. "Cold feet? Really, Dante? This isn't about being scared. It's about being realistic."

"Realistic?" I let out a scoff, crossing my arms. "You think we're not going to make it because of a few miles between us? I thought you had more faith in us than that."

"Don't twist my words, Dante. It's not about distance; it's about..." she paused, struggling. "It's about knowing when to stop pretending that love alone will fix everything."

I felt anger rising, and I didn't try to push it down. "Pretending? So what, this whole thing between us has been just pretend to you?"

Tara shook her head, looking exasperated. "No! That's not what I'm saying, and you know it. I'm saying that maybe we need to stop acting like everything's going to be easy."

I threw my hands up. "Nothing worth it is easy! I thought you, of all people, would get that. I'm willing to fight for us, to make this work, and you're just ready to throw it all away because it's a little complicated?"

Her face reddened, her eyes narrowing. "I am not throwing anything away! I'm just trying to be practical here, Dante. But I can see that you're too caught up in your own stubborn ideas to even consider my point of view."

"Oh, so now I'm the problem?" I shot back, voice rising. "I'm the one who's been here, willing to do whatever it takes, and you're the one who's making excuses. Maybe you're just looking for a reason to leave, to walk away."

"Are you even listening to yourself?" she demanded, her voice shaking. "I've given everything to be here, Dante. I've put my heart into this relationship, into us. But I can't sit here and watch you act like I'm just some... some problem you need to solve."

I clenched my jaw, trying to reel in my frustration. "That's not what I meant, and you know it."

"Really?" She crossed her arms, her gaze steely. "Because it sure sounds like that's exactly what you meant."

Silence fell between us, thick and heavy, the words hanging in the air like a challenge neither of us was willing to back down from.

Finally, Tara shook her head, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. "You know what, Dante? I don't think I can do this right now."

I frowned, stepping closer to her. "Petar-"

"No," she said sharply, grabbing her coat. "I don't want to see your face right now."

Her words hit me harder than I expected, but I reached out, trying to stop her. "Tara, wait. Don't leave like this. Let's just... let's just talk it out."

But when she turned to look at me, there was a fury in her eyes I'd never seen before. "Stay away from me, Dante," she said, her voice cutting through the air like a knife. "You've made it pretty clear what you think of me. So stay away."

And with that, she turned and walked out. Silence.

Her

I stepped out of Dante's apartment, the cool night air hitting me like a splash of cold water. I needed a moment-some space to breathe and gather my thoughts. The argument echoed in my mind, and I could feel the weight of it sitting heavily on my chest.

As I made my way to the nearby park, I settled down on a familiar bench, the wood worn and smooth beneath me. I stared up at the stars, trying to let the vastness of the sky calm my racing thoughts.

"I'll be leaving in two weeks."

The words had slipped from my lips. I remembered Dante's sigh, the way he had looked at me, not quite meeting my eyes, as if afraid to acknowledge the reality of it all.

"You're really going to leave, huh?" he had asked quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"It's not like I have a choice," I replied, trying to sound light-hearted but knowing my tone gave me away.

He didn't say anything for a long moment, just staring around the park. I could see the gears turning in his head, the way he was grappling with what this meant for us.

After a moment, he looked at me, a spark igniting in his gaze. "Do you want to dance?"

I blinked, surprised. "Here? Now?"

"Why not? The stars won't mind," he replied, a charming grin breaking through the tension.

Taking his hand, I stood up, feeling a thrill pulse through me. I slipped off one heel and stepped on his toes, my head barely reaching his neck. "Perfect height," I teased, glancing up at him with a playful smile.

Dante chuckled, wrapping his arms around me, and we swayed gently under the starlit sky. "This moment," he murmured, his breath warm against my hair, "is a secret I want to keep forever."

I tilted my head back, meeting his gaze. "What do you mean?"

He hesitated for a heartbeat, then whispered, "If I had to choose between breathing and loving you, I'd use my last breath to say I love you."

My heart raced at his words. "Dante..."

"Just let me hold you like this for a while," he urged softly. "No questions, no goodbyes. Just us."

In that moment, the world around us melted away. I leaned in closer, feeling the rhythm of his heartbeat against my cheek. I kissed him, tilting my head as he cradled my neck, his fingers tangling in my hair.

I giggled to myself, lost in the memory, but then the memory of the fight crashed back in. I felt guilty for not communicating better with him. What if I had just expressed my fears instead of letting them fester?

I shook my head. I would go back, and talk it out. It wasn't worth throwing everything away over a misunderstanding.

As I stood up from the bench, ready to head back, everything shifted. A shadow loomed behind me, and before I could react, the world went dark. A hand clamped over my mouth, and I felt myself being pulled back. Panic surged through me, my heart racing as everything faded away as I tried to scream.

"Keep quiet," he hissed, dragging me down the street.

I kicked out, trying to land a hit, but he tightened his grip.

He yanked me into a narrow alleyway. My breath quickened, and I fought harder, desperate to escape. I didn't know who he was, but I refused to let him control me.

"Let go!" I yelled, my voice echoing off the walls.

He stopped abruptly, shoving me against the wall. The cold surface pressed against my back, dread pooling in my stomach. The alley was deserted, and reality hit me hard-I was utterly alone.

"Stop struggling," he said, voice low and threatening. "It'll be easier if you just cooperate."

"Cooperate with what?" I shot back.

"Just get in the car, and no one gets hurt," he said, glancing toward the street. My mind raced for a way out. There had to be something.

"No!" I shouted, resolve igniting. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

He hesitated, and in that instant, I knew I had to act. I drew my knee up, aiming for his groin, but he caught my leg and twisted it, forcing me to the ground. Pain shot through me, and I gasped, biting my lip to keep from crying out.

"Enough!" he snapped. In one swift motion, he pulled out a cloth and pressed it to my face. Instinct kicked in, and I thrashed against him, but the world began to blur. Darkness crept in, pulling me under. I fought against the pull, desperation clawing at my mind.

Stay awake.

***********