Between Love and Destiny

July arrived with monsoon rains and a sense of longing neither Minsha nor Abhinav could shake. It had been weeks since they last saw each other, and though life kept them busy, they couldn’t escape the thoughts of that one moment—when fate brought them together, only to pull them apart.

They went on with their daily routines, chasing their goals, pretending that everything was fine. But no matter how hard they tried to focus, there were always little reminders—songs that played at the wrong time, places that felt too familiar, conversations that circled back to memories they wished they could relive.

Then, as if destiny had been waiting for the right moment, their paths crossed again.

At an event in mid-July, they found themselves in the same crowd, their eyes meeting in a way that sent a shiver through both of them. They hadn’t planned for this. They hadn’t expected it.

Their mutual friend, Karav, had unknowingly played a role in this reunion. A group photo from the event landed in their inboxes, and curiosity got the better of them.

"Do you know this person?" Minsha asked.

Abhinav, miles away, sent the same message.

Karav, in his usual sleepy state, replied with confusion. "Wait… you guys don’t know each other yet? I thought you met before?"

And just like that, their connection was restored.

Numbers were exchanged, and before long, their phones buzzed with familiar names. The first calls were hesitant, filled with small talk and laughter that masked the weight of everything left unsaid.

By August 15th, something shifted. They had spent weeks talking again, and the connection they once feared was still there, stronger than ever.

That night, under the glow of city lights, Minsha hesitated before speaking. "I don’t know what to do," she admitted. "I love you… I really do. But I don’t know how to choose you when my past keeps following me."

Abhinav, though hurt, understood. "Then take your time," he said. His voice was steady, but his heart ached with every word.

That night, she lay awake, thoughts spinning, emotions clashing. By morning, she couldn’t fight the urge any longer. At exactly 12:30 p.m., she called him.

"How are you?" she asked, her voice softer than she intended.

There was something so comforting about hearing his voice again, something so familiar yet so new. That evening, they found themselves on a video call, their walls breaking down piece by piece.

Then, in a moment of courage, Minsha did what she never thought she would. "I don’t want to lose you," she whispered. "I promise I won’t doubt us again."

Her confession left them both breathless.

They stepped into a relationship, full of hope, love, and the kind of happiness that made them forget about everything else. But life has a way of testing even the strongest bonds.

By October, reality caught up with them. Their situations, their distances, their responsibilities—it all became too much.

They wanted to be together, but the world kept pulling them apart.

Seeing each other sad was unbearable. Yet, they had never felt happiness the way they did when they were together. It was a love beyond words, something unexplainable, something deeper than anything they had known.

But love alone wasn’t enough.

November passed in silence. No messages, no calls. Just the ache of missing someone they knew they shouldn’t hold on to.

Then, December came.

A single message changed everything.

"Hey."

That one word was all it took. In an instant, it was as if no time had passed. They laughed, they teased, they talked about everything and nothing.

"It doesn’t feel like a month, does it?" Abhinav said, his voice laced with amusement.

Minsha smiled. "No, it doesn’t."

But as their conversation stretched on, they realized something.

Their love hadn’t disappeared. It had just taken a different form.

As the last days of the year approached, they sat in the quiet of their own rooms, staring at the screens that connected them, yet feeling miles apart.

"I don’t know why," Minsha whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "But I can’t see you sad. I’m happy in your happiness."

She smiled, but Abhinav could hear the tears in her voice.

He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Maybe we have to let destiny decide."

The new year was just around the corner—a symbol of new beginnings, new paths, new hopes.

They didn’t know what the future held.

But for now, they had this moment.

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