Regrets...

 In the depths of my heart, I embarked on a journey, carrying with me a myriad of regrets and a treasure trove of memories, both sweet and bitter.

The road ahead was uncertain, and I couldn't predict what lay in store for me, but the past, that was a different story. I carried with me a burden of regrets for things gone awry.

My heart yearned for one final encounter with Drishya, to seek forgiveness and reveal the true depths of my feelings for him. I also wished to say goodbye to Kiran, but perhaps that was no longer possible now....

"Arya, make sure nothing's left in the truck, have you taken out all our belongings?" my mother called out from the doorway.

"No, Mom, we've taken everything out," I reassured her.

The new beginning in our new home was already underway, my mother and I were busy unloading our belongings from the truck. My father, Professor Sen, had left for work early in the morning.

"Will you be able to manage taking the stuff inside?" the truck driver asked my mother as he handed over the last few items.

My mother handed him the money and replied, "Yes, thank you. We'll handle it from here."

Our new home was significantly larger and more beautiful than our old one, yet I found myself longing for the memories of our previous abode.

I couldn't help but reminisce about the view from my old room—the mango tree with a bird's nest perched on its branches. A mother bird had constructed a cozy nest there and laid eggs, but I had never been fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of the hatchlings.

"Perhaps the baby birds have hatched from their eggs by now?"

I was still lost in my daydream when my mother interrupted, "Arya, it's already 2 o'clock! Let's have lunch first, we can take care of the rest afterward."

"Okay, Mom." I replied, pulling myself away from my thoughts.

It took us a full week to complete our transition to the new home.

Our belongings and furniture had arrived at the new house, yet despite my efforts, I couldn't free myself from the grip of my past memories.

The regret of not being able to bid Drishya a proper farewell still weighing heavily on my heart, and it continued to haunt me despite my best efforts to move on.

Then, a few days later, while we were having dinner, a postman arrived with a letter. My mother received the letter and informed us that it had come from my school. As soon as I heard this, anxiety began to wash over me because I knew it likely contained the result of my 10th-grade exams.

Amidst the chaos of shifting to our new home, I had completely forgotten to check my exam results.

When my father heard that the letter contained my exam results, he abandoned his dinner and eagerly took the letter from my mother's hands. His excitement only added to my anxiety.

As soon as my father glanced at my results, his face lost all its reactions. Along with my results, the envelope also contained a note from the principal's office.

 This sight of my father's expressionless face, which typically only emerged when confronted with truly unbelievable news, sent shivers down my spine as I pondered what could have caused this reaction.

My father explained, "the note contained an invitation from the principal.

Arya and her parents were being invited to the school because Arya had secured the top position."

Saying this, a huge smile spread across my father's face, and upon hearing the news, my mother embraced me tightly, her joy palpable.

At that moment, my happiness stemmed not just from my academic achievement, but more so from the fact that I was getting a chance to meet Drishya.

"Hi, you've been transferred here, right?"

"Huh?"

"Your name is Arya, and you've been transferred to the 11th science class in this school, haven't you?"

"Y...yes, but how do you know?"

As I took my first steps towards the beginning of this new journey and stepped through the school gate, a voice called out to me from behind.

When I turned to look, I saw a tall, young boy wearing a big, welcoming smile on his face. I couldn't quite grasp the situation before he swiftly moved from behind me to stand right in front of me, his grin still intact.

"My name is Teerth, and I'm also a student in the 11th grade, pursuing the sciences," he said with a warm smile, launching into his story without my prompting.

"Oh, really? How did you know about my transfer?" I inquired eagerly.

He scratched his head thoughtfully before responding, "Well, when I was at Mr. Talwar's office for some paperwork, our 11th-science class teacher, I happened to glimpse your transfer letter lying on his desk.

By the way, you know, you look even cuter in person than in your photos," he quipped with a playful grin.

"Are you sure you're not just teasing me?" I asked, casting my gaze downward, and he burst into laughter.

My first day of 11th grade had started off quite well. Many people wanted to befriend me, but I hesitated to make new friends at that point. Every time someone approached me, memories of how Kiran and Riti had treated me with disdain would come flooding back.

I walked into the classroom and took a seat at the very back. Teerth, seeing me seated so far behind, suggested I take a seat closer to the front. However, I simply chuckled and dismissed his suggestion.

I was reluctant to open up and connect with anyone from my past, determined not to trust anyone wholeheartedly, no matter how much I may have wanted to.

But now, what filled my heart with the greatest joy was the prospect of meeting Drishya once again.

I had made a promise to myself - this time, I would pour my heart out to Drishya and tell him to wait for me.

I would apologize for the mistakes I had made, seek forgiveness for every wrongdoings, and express my gratitude for every bit of his assistance.

Today was Sunday, and my parents and I were about to revisit my old school. I was incredibly, tremendously happy, but even more nervous. My mind was consumed with thoughts of what I would say to Drishya, how I would say it, and what his reaction would be. All these thoughts created a whirlwind of excitement in me, a thrilling sensation that sent shivers down my spine.

We were supposed to leave at 9 AM, and it was almost 8:30 AM. I rushed downstairs, eagerly checking if my parents were ready because I absolutely did not want to be late today. To my surprise, I found my dad engrossed in writing something.

"Oh, Dad! Forget all that work for now and get ready quickly!" I blurted out, unable to contain my excitement.

Just then, my mom came in from the kitchen with breakfast and said, "I'm sorry, dear, but your father has some urgent work today, so we won't be able to go."

"But..." As soon as I heard my mom's words, it felt like the ground had disappeared from under my feet. I couldn't say anything before my dad came and gently patted my head, saying, "Arya, we know how excited you were today, but I have a lot of work at the college, and I must go."

"Dad, but if we don't go, won't the school principal feel bad?" I said, trying to hold back my tears.

"Don't worry, I've already sent them an email with our apologies and expressed our gratitude for the invitation," he said with a smile.

But at that moment, nothing was getting through to me. I couldn't hold back my tears, so I quickly ran to my room.

"Would I ever get a chance to meet Drishya again? Would he ever forgive me? I felt like such a terrible person. He had always helped me, and I had treated him so poorly by leaving without a word. I hadn't even apologized to him for the last time."

Now, my heart was entangled in these questions, and I couldn't find any answers. It felt as though someone had placed a heavy stone on my chest. There seemed to be no way to contact Drishya. I think there was no way that can be seen, no phone number, no email, no address, and that fool, didn't even use social media.

  All that was left was regret...

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***