Where Shadows Learn To Dream

The Taste of The Forbidden

Aanya

The following days felt like a blur of stolen moments and whispered conversations. Raghav and I grew closer, and though I was still wary of the world around me, I found myself leaning on him more than I intended. It was in the way he smiled when he saw me, the way his hand lingered a little longer when he brushed past, and the quiet moments where we would sit together in the garden, saying nothing at all, yet understanding everything.

One afternoon, I was in the library, my fingers trailing along the spines of dusty old books, when I felt Raghav's presence behind me. The room, which had been eerily quiet, suddenly seemed to hum with energy.

"You've been hiding in here all day," he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

I turned to face him, and there he was, leaning against the doorframe with that familiar, easy smile. It was a smile that had come to comfort me, one that made me feel like maybe, just maybe, things could be okay.

"I wasn't hiding," I said, smiling back, though my voice betrayed me.

Raghav raised an eyebrow. "You were definitely hiding."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the laugh that escaped. "Fine. Maybe I was. But sometimes it's the only place where I feel like I can breathe."

For a moment, we stood there, the silence between us thick with unspoken words. Then, Raghav reached out, brushing a strand of hair away from my face, his touch so gentle it made my skin tingle.

"You deserve more than this, Aanya," he said, his voice low and serious.

I looked up at him, my heart pounding in my chest. "More than what?" I asked, not sure I wanted to know the answer.

"More than this life. More than being trapped here. You deserve to be free, to be happy," he said, his eyes searching mine, as if he was trying to find something there.

His words made my heart ache. I wanted to believe him, wanted to believe that happiness was something I could have, but it felt so far away, like a dream I had forgotten.

"How can I be happy, Raghav? Look at me. Look at where I am." My voice cracked as I spoke, the weight of everything I had been through threatening to crush me all over again.

Raghav's hand cupped my face, his thumb brushing against my cheek in the most delicate way. "Aanya," he whispered, leaning down so our foreheads were almost touching. "I don't know how, but I promise, things will change. I won't let you feel this way forever."

The sincerity in his voice broke something in me, and before I knew it, I had closed the gap between us, wrapping my arms around him. He held me tightly, his warmth enveloping me, making me feel safe in a way I hadn't felt in so long.

For a long while, we stood there, just holding each other. I didn't want to let go, didn't want the moment to end. But when we finally pulled apart, Raghav's eyes were intense, filled with something I couldn't quite name.

"You're not alone anymore, Aanya," he said, his voice a gentle promise. "Not as long as I'm here."

Before I could say anything, he leaned in, pressing his lips to mine. The kiss was soft, tentative, as if he was afraid I might break, but it sent a rush of warmth through me all the same. My hands found their way to his chest, clutching the fabric of his shirt as I kissed him back.

For that brief moment, everything else faded away-the pain, the fear, the torment. It was just us, and for the first time, I allowed myself to feel something other than despair.

When we pulled apart, I was breathless, my mind spinning. I wasn't sure what this meant, what we were, but I knew one thing: I didn't feel as alone anymore.

And maybe that was enough for now.