ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ sᴏɴɢ ᴅᴇᴅɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ:
ᴛᴇʀᴀ ʏᴀᴀʀ ʜᴏᴏɴ ᴍᴀɪɴ

»»--❖--««

The large hospital widow immersed the dull room with warmth and light; as a figure in bed flipped through a photo album, reminiscing over all the wild adventures she had done in the past few months with her family and best friend.

Sienna had never expected her life to take such a drastic detour; in one moment, she was ready to confess her feelings to the love of her life, and the next, she found out she may not have much time to live.

The life Sienna knew had changed forever, but despite it all, she kept her faith strong and took this hardship in a positive light.

Over the course of time, Sienna had done everything on her bucket list, from bungee jumping to scuba diving to traveling to as many countries as she could in a short span.

And through it all, her best friend, Sahar, was her companion and the ray of light in her growing dark world.

Sahar motivated and pushed Sienna to do everything that her heart desired, and now the two best friends were inseparable even more than before.

Although Sienna had taken the news of her sickness in a positive light, It was hard for Sahar to come to terms with her best friend's new profound truth.

Sahar always had a very pure and kind heart, and she couldn't see anyone in pain, but now witnessing her best friend, her sister, going through so much constantly broke her heart.

But despite it all, Sahar had stayed strong from the outside for Sienna and supported her through everything.

Upon hearing movement by the door, Sienna switched her attention from the album to the new presence at the door. Awaiting the individual to enter the room, Sienna met an enthusiastic Sahar.

Every day after her classes, Sahar would spend the remaining day with her best friend so her family could relax and take a break from all the back and forth from the hospital, and today was no different.

Approaching Sienna with many balloons and a bright smile, Sahar started ranting to her best friend about her day.

"Sie, you know what happened today? Yasin asked me out on a date? I obviously said no because he's so annoying, but ever since we started spending more time together in college, he's not even that bad, and I kind of want to go out with him, so should I say yes?"

It seemed after ages Sienna had seen Sahar truly smile because despite keeping a happy facade in front of her best friend, Sienna knew how much everything affected her but now seeing Sahar smile from within warmed her heart.

Wiping the lone tear from the corner of her eye, Sienna replied to her best friend with equal enthusiasm.

"Bestie, I think you should say yes to Yasin, he's a good guy, and I think you should give him a chance.

And it will be a change of scenery, you have literally been stuck with me at the hospital for months, and I think you should go and have some fun.

Plus, I don't want Yasin to think that you said no to him because your spending all your time with your dying best frien-"

Biting her tongue back, Sienna realized what she had just said in excitement, and so realizing her mistake; she apologized to her best friend.

"Sahar, I'm sorry yaar, I didn't mean to say the last part. I was just joking, but I really want you to go and have fun. And don't worry about me, I will be okay."

Nodding her head in agreement and accepting her best friend's apology, Sahar and Sienna comforted each other in a bear hug.

After a few moments, Sahar asked Sienna the question she was dreading to ask.

"Sie, it's been a week since we have done the last thing on your bucket list. Do you think he even read the letter?

I know you wrote him the letter without expecting anything in return, but I just thought maybe after reading the letter, Zahaan would maybe come to see you."

Sienna had done many things on her bucket list over time, and she checked each box on her list every time she completed her adventures, yet the last thing she wanted to check off remained untouched.

Because despite her unsuccessful attempt the previous time, Sienna still wanted to confess her feelings to Zahaan.

And so, with the constant motivation from her best friend, Sienna wrote a letter to Zahaan and told Sahar to deliver the letter to him anonymously.

Yet, even after a week, Sienna did not receive a response back, and even though she had expected nothing in return somewhere in her heart, she had hoped for something much more.

But perhapses her concealed feelings and one-sided love will always remain unknown.

However, on the other side of town, a figure was seated in front of his locker room, anxiously holding the letter he received a week ago from an anonymous sender.

About a week ago, Zahaan had found a letter in his locker. At first, he hadn't paid much attention to the envelope, but over time his anxiousness grew over the contents of the concealed paper. And so he finally decided to open the short off-white envelope.

Upon opening the letter, he pulled out the neatly folded paper and scanned over the contents in it.

"Dear Zahaan,

It's me, Sienna, Mrs. Granger's favorite student. I know you probably have many questions regarding this letter, and maybe you are even confused as to why I wrote this letter to you, but I promise I will answer all your questions as you keep reading further.

I won't make you wait any longer, so here goes nothing. Zahaan, I am, absolutely, irrevocably, in love with you. I know it probably sounds crazy because we have never shared any relationship, which could lead me to this conclusion, but I don't know when and how I fell utterly in love with you.

The love I have for you within my heart goes beyond anything I have ever known. Maybe I fell in love with you the first time we met during class, or perhaps it was the moment I saw you helping the needy at our local charities; regardless of when, I never knew how you became an essential part of my life.

It's probably crazy to love someone to this extent without wanting anything in return, but trust me, Zahaan, I only wanted to confess my feelings to you so that you know there is someone out there who loves you beyond anything in this universe.

I'm not sure if you remember, but after the seasonal basketball game, a few months ago, I had asked you if we could meet at the library garden the next day, but luck wasn't on my side because the day I was planning to confess my love for you in person, I had discovered the biggest truth of my life.

I'm dying; I have a cancerous brain tumor, and as of right now, it's inoperable. I didn't want to tell you this, but I guess my emotions are pouring out on this letter.

Zahaan, you are an amazing person, and there has not been a day that I haven't prayed for your family, your safety, or your dreams. I wish and pray nothing but the best for you, and I only want to see you happy.

I'm sorry for this long letter, and I hope I didn't waste much of your time. You deserve the world, Zahaan, and until my very last breath, that will be my only wish for you.

I hope you have an amazing life ahead, and even though we weren't meant to be together in this lifetime, I hope one day above we can.

With immense love,
Sienna Arya."

By the end of the heartfelt letter, Zahaan was in tears. His heart could not contain the amount of love he received through a mere letter.

And Zahaan still could not understand how someone could love another without wanting anything in return.

Everything Sienna wrote in the letter gripped his heart and shattered it into pieces but now no matter what, Zahaan knew what he had to do.

After a long day, blackness had settled within the clouds above as the sliver moon casted a shimmering glow throughout Sienna's room.

It was around midnight when she started feeling the effects of her nightly medications, and just as she was drifting away to sleep, Sienna heard a slight knock on the door followed by light footsteps.

Upon glancing towards, the figure with droopy eyes, Sienna was astonished to see the person in front of her.

And so, with confusion and uncertainty, she called the name of the assumed individual in front of her.

"Zahaan?"

Was the supposed individually truly Zahaan, or was it a dream Sienna wished for in reality? Only time could tell.

»»--❖--««