The Promise We Forgot
Introduction
Ayra Shaikh (FL)
People say every love story begins with a confession.
Mine began with a promise.
A promise made years ago beneath a summer sky.
Back then, we were too young to understand how cruel life could be.
Too young to know that some promises break.
And some people leave.
Even when they never wanted to.
If someone asked me when everything changed...
I wouldn't know how to answer.
Maybe it happened in a single day.
Maybe it happened little by little.
All I know is that the boy who once felt like home became a stranger.
And strangers don't get to know your secrets.
Aariz Khan (ML)
There are memories that fade with time.
And then there are memories that follow you everywhere.
No matter how far you run.
For me...
she was one of those memories.
The girl next door.
My first friend.
My favorite person.
I spent years trying to reach her.
Years waiting for a single reply.
But silence can be louder than words.
And hers was deafening.
The day I finally returned home, I thought I was ready for anything.
I was wrong.
Because nothing could have prepared me for the look in her eyes.
It wasn't anger.
It wasn't sadness.
It was something far worse.
As if I no longer belonged in her world.
10 June — 3:50 A.M. Aariz Khan was born.
10 June — 4:00 A.M. Ayra Shaikh was Born.
The entire neighborhood used to joke:
"Aariz was born first, so he had to wait ten minutes for his best friend to arrive. "
Episode 1: The Promise.
Some memories refuse to fade, no matter how much time passes.
The first rain of June tapped softly against my bedroom window.
I stopped there silently, my fingers wrapped around a warm cup of tea, watching the dark clouds gather above the city.
Now it only brought back memories.
Memories I had spent years trying to forget.
My gaze shifted towards the calendar hanging on the wall.
A bitter smile touched my lips.
Birthday were supposed to make people happy.
The phone on my desk suddenly vibrated.
A message from my younger sister, Inaya.
Inaya Shaikh (Fl Younger Sister)
Happy Birthday, Apa! Don't forget we're cutting the cake tonight!
Ayra Shaikh (FL)
I started at the message.
A few seconds later, another text appeared.
Inaya Shaikh (Fl Younger Sister)
And please smile today, Just Once.
No matter how many times I pushed everyone away.
No matter how many times I pretend I was fine.
A knock sounded on the door.
My mother carrying a small plate of sweets.
Her eyes softened when she saw me standing alone near the window.
Rukhsar Shaikh (FL Mother)
Happy Birthday, Ayra.
Ayra Shaikh (FL)
Thank you, Ammi.
She gentle touched my cheek.
Rukhsar Shaikh (FL Mother)
You should go visit Nani today. She has been waiting since morning.
After she left, silence filled the room once again.
My eyes 👀 drifted towards the old wooden drawer beside my bed.
The drawer I never opened.
The drawer that held memories I wasn't ready to face.
For a moment, I simply started at it.
Some things were better left buried.
That's what I keep telling myself.
————————————————————––————————–––——
Somewhere Above the Clouds....
A man sat beside the airplane window, starting at the city far below.
His dark eyes hadn't left the view for hours.
And now he was finally coming home.
A date flashed across the display.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
The word escape his lips before he could stop them.
His thumb moved toward an old chat pinned at the top of WhatsApp.
A chat filled with thousands of unanswered messages.
The last message he had sent only a few hours ago.
Aariz Khan (ML)
Happy Birthday, Sunshine.
But he didn't delete the message.
Outside the airplane window, Mumbai slowly came into view.
And for the first time in five years.....
Aariz Khan was coming back.
Not knowing that everything had changed.
And neither did he know.....
that the girl waiting below wasn't the same girl he had left behind.
Episode 2: Unanswered.
The street were still damp from the morning rain as I walked towards Nani's house.
Every corner carried a memory.
Every lane whispered a name I refused to think about
Rukhsana Begum (FL Grandma)
Ayra!
I look up as Nani opened the gate.
A warm smile spread across my face.
Rukhsana Begum (FL Grandma)
My Birthday girl is finally here.
Before I could say anything, she pulled me into a hug.
For a moment, I closed my eyes.
Nani's hug always felt like home.
Rukhsana Begum (FL Grandma)
Come inside.
Rukhsana Begum (FL Grandma)
Everyone has been waiting.
The house was filled with voices.
The same people who had watched me grow up.
The same people who noticed how much I had changed.
Full family
Happy Birthday!
Everyone wished me together.
The smile lasted barely a second
As I sat beside Nani, my gaze drifted towards the empty house across the lane.
The curtains were closed.
Just like it had been for years.
I immediately looked away.
Pretending I hadn't noticed.
Pretending it didn't matter.
Pretending I didn't remember who used to live there.
The airplane finally landed.
A wave of relief wasted over me.
As soon as I stepped outside the airport, a familiar voice shouted,
I barely had time to react before Arham threw his arms around me.
Arham Khan (Ml Younger Brother)
Bro!
Aariz Khan (ML)
You're taller than me now.
Aariz Khan (ML)
And you're old now.
Before I could answer, Hiba Pushed him aside.
Hiba Khan ( Ml Younger Sister)
My turn!
A second later she hugged me tightly.
For the first time in years, something felt normal.
Everything looked different.
As we drove through Mumbai's crowded streets, I rested my head against the window.
The city lights blurred together.
My eyes drifted toward my phone.
Finally, I locked the screen.
Maybe today wasn't the day.
The birthday celebration ended late in the evening.
By the time I returned home, I was exhausted.
I changed into comfortable clothes and sat beside the window.
The city was unusually quiet.
A cool breeze entered the room.
"Congratulations on completing your final exams. "
Before I could think futher, another message arrived.
"And Happy Birthday Ayra.!"
My fingers tightened around the phone.
I already knew who it was.
Without replying, I blocked the numbers.
Then I switched off the phone completely.
As if that would stop the memories from returning.
As if that would stop him from coming back into my life.
The taxi stopped outside my neighborhood
Everything was still here
My eyes automatically searched for one balcony.
I saw someone standing near a window across the lane.
Her face hidden behind the curtain.
Aariz's heartbeat quickend.
Because after five years......
She still felt impossibly far away.
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