Chapter Nine: Between The Past And The Present

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The dinner was louder than usual. The kind of gathering where voices blended together like an old song—familiar, comforting, and yet slightly out of tune. Aira moved between the kitchen and the dining room, keeping herself busy, not wanting to let anyone see the storm churning inside her.

Imran was there, talking with her cousins, laughing at one of their jokes. His easy smile and the way he interacted with her family only made everything feel more *real*. Too real.

She couldn't ignore the message. Or the pull it had on her heart.

Elliot.

It had been so long since they'd last spoken. Since she'd last seen him. But his words still had the power to wound her, to pull her back to a time when she thought love was something that could be perfected, made easy with the right intentions. A time when they had both promised things they hadn't been able to keep.

Aira stepped outside for a breath of fresh air, away from the noise inside. The cool air hit her face, grounding her, and for a moment, she let the quiet of the night settle over her. The stars above were distant, cold, and yet beautiful in their own way. She almost felt like she could breathe again—until she heard footsteps approaching.

Imran.

He stood in the doorway, watching her for a moment before stepping outside. "You okay?" he asked, his voice gentle.

Aira turned to face him. "Just needed a moment."

He came to stand beside her, hands in his pockets. They didn't speak for a few minutes. There was something comforting about the quiet, something that made Aira feel at ease.

But the weight of the phone in her pocket—the temptation of Elliot's message—was unbearable.

"Is something on your mind?" Imran asked, his gaze fixed on her, as if he could see through her.

Aira hesitated. She didn't want to pull him into the mess of her past. Not when things between them were finally starting to feel real.

But she couldn't lie to him, not when everything between them had been built on honesty.

"I got a message earlier," she admitted, her voice soft.

Imran raised an eyebrow. "From who?"

Aira's heart raced. "Elliot."

Imran's jaw tightened slightly, but his voice remained steady. "What did he say?"

Aira hesitated before showing him the message. She watched as his eyes scanned the screen, his expression unreadable.

"I don't know what to do, Imran," she confessed, her voice breaking slightly. "Part of me wants to ignore him. Pretend like nothing ever happened. But… another part of me wants to hear him out. To see if there's any closure left."

Imran's eyes softened. "Closure won't change anything, Aira. You're here with me. Right now. And I want to be the one who makes things right for you, not someone who left you behind."

His words hit her like a wave—sudden and overwhelming. She swallowed hard, unsure of how to respond.

"I'm not asking you to choose between us," he continued, his voice calm but firm. "I just want you to understand that you don't owe anyone anything. Not him. Not the past. Just yourself."

Aira closed her eyes for a moment, taking in his words. She didn't know what to say. Her heart was pulled in two directions—toward the history she'd shared with Elliot, and toward the future she was starting to build with Imran.

She wanted to believe in Imran. She *did* believe in him. But her past with Elliot felt like a shadow, something that would always follow her, no matter how far she ran from it.

"I don't want to hurt you," she whispered, turning to face him.

"You're not going to," he said firmly, stepping closer to her. "But you need to make peace with your past if you're going to move forward. And you can't do that if you keep holding on."

Aira nodded, feeling the weight of his words settle in her chest.

He reached out and took her hand, his touch grounding her. "If you decide to talk to him, I won't stop you. But know that I'm here. I want to be here. For you."

The sincerity in his voice made her heart ache. She didn't want to hurt him. She didn't want to drag him into the chaos of her unresolved feelings.

But the pull toward Elliot was still strong, and the guilt gnawed at her insides.

"I'll figure it out," she said, trying to smile. "I promise."

Imran didn't press further. Instead, he pulled her gently into his arms, wrapping her in the warmth of his embrace. The moment was quiet, simple, and yet it felt like everything. Like the calm before the storm.

After a few minutes, Aira stepped back, pulling away from him. "I should get back inside."

Imran nodded. "I'll go with you."

They walked back into the house together, hand in hand. But the weight of the decision still pressed on Aira's chest.

The night passed in a blur of family chatter and laughter. But Aira couldn't fully engage. Every time she glanced at her phone, her heart would skip a beat. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen. That she had a choice to make.

The evening wound down, and guests began to leave. Aira found herself standing at the doorway, saying her goodbyes, but all she could think about was the message. The promise of closure that Elliot seemed to be offering her.

Finally, the last guest—her aunt—left, and Aira was alone with Imran in the living room. The house was quiet now, the only sound the soft hum of the refrigerator.

Aira sat down on the couch, her hands in her lap. She could feel Imran's eyes on her, but she couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze.

"You're still thinking about him, aren't you?" Imran asked quietly, sitting beside her.

Aira nodded. "I don't know what to do."

Imran exhaled softly. "I can't tell you what the right choice is, Aira. But I know you deserve to be happy. And you deserve someone who chooses *you*. Not someone who left you behind."

His words stung, but they were true. She had spent so much time chasing something that had already faded. And yet, she couldn't let go.

"I don't want to hurt you," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"You won't," Imran said, his voice firm. "I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere. But you have to make the decision for yourself. For your future."

Aira took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his words sink in. She had a choice to make. And it was one that would define the rest of her life.

The question was: would she choose the past that had defined her for so long—or the future that was waiting for her, full of possibilities, with someone who was already there?

As she sat there in the quiet, Aira realized something. No matter what she chose, she had to choose with her heart.

And right now, it was beating only for one person.

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