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BETWEEN THE MOONS

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BETWEEN THE MOONS

CHAPTER 1 - BETWEEN THE MOONS

🌙 CHAPTER 1 - BETWEEN THE MOONS

2025, Chandigarh

Khushi lived in Dhanas, in a small house that always felt louder than her own thoughts.

That morning, at around 10:00 a.m., she was busy cleaning the house. Breakfast had already been prepared for the family, but she hadn't eaten yet. Like always, she had decided she would eat only after finishing all her work.

Her bua (aunt) was visiting that day. Her chachu and elder brother were getting ready to leave for work, while her father and bua sat at the dining table, eating breakfast. Khushi moved silently from one corner of the house to another, wiping, arranging, cleaning-doing everything without complaint.

Finally, when she finished, she sat down for a moment to rest. But even before she could breathe properly, her bua asked her to do another chore.

Khushi sighed softly, stood up again, and went back to work.

By the time she was finally free, it was 11:30 a.m.

Khushi was 22 years old, born on 14 August 2003, into a Sikh family. She was her father's second child. On the outside, her family seemed loving-but as a girl, she had grown up with rules instead of freedom, duties instead of dreams.

When Khushi was in second grade and her elder brother in fourth, her parents divorced. Her mother returned to her maternal home in Delhi, while Khushi and her brother were left behind with their father's family. As she grew older, Khushi slowly understood the difference between herself and her brother.

He could go out freely.

She couldn't.

He could play.

She had to behave.

She never protested. She simply accepted.

Her bua, especially, was strict-almost cruel. She wanted Khushi to become a "perfect girl," just like she believed she once had been. But Khushi was clumsy, emotional, and imperfect. For that, she was constantly scolded. Over the years, irritation turned into quiet hatred inside Khushi's heart.

Her family consisted of:

Father - Sonu

Elder brother - Harsh

Chachu (uncle) - Rajan

Bua (aunt) - Pooja

Her grandparents had already passed away. Her bua was married and had two sons, who were younger than Khushi.

Khushi loved music and dance. She had a creative mind and a naturally beautiful face. But after 2020, when COVID entered her life like an unwanted guest, she started gaining weight. Slowly, people stopped seeing her smile and started seeing her body.

She was an introvert with outsiders, but at home, she laughed, joked, and teased. She missed her mother deeply, though they stayed in touch. Khushi was dramatic, funny, and soft-hearted-but whenever she was hurt, she swallowed her pain, cried alone, and then returned with a normal face for the world.

That night was a full moon night.

After dinner, around 9:00 p.m., the family sat together when her bua suddenly started talking-about Khushi's weight.

She said things like: "If you get fatter, no one will marry you."

"You'll stay in this house all your life."

Every word cut deeper than the last.

Khushi sat silently, her heart breaking. She didn't understand why her bua hated her so much-why she always wanted to push her out of the house. Tears burned her eyes, but she didn't let them fall.

She complained silently to God.

Why this life? Why this pain?

People often said her bua had once been kind, polite, and caring when she was young. Khushi wondered what kind of life her bua had lived-because the woman she saw every day was cold, rude, and full of bitterness.

And then-

The earth began to shake.

An earthquake.

Everyone panicked. Her family shouted, "Khushi, come out!"

They rushed outside along with her. The shaking grew stronger. The entire society was on the streets, terrified.

Suddenly, Khushi froze.

The gas stove.

She had forgotten to turn it off.

Ignoring everyone's screams, she ran back inside the house. The walls trembled violently as she reached the kitchen and turned off the gas. At that moment, a large wooden box fell from the shelf.

It struck her head.

Everything went dark.

Her family rushed in, lifted her, and tried to wake her, but she didn't respond. An ambulance was called. As they placed her inside, Khushi slowly opened her eyes.

For a brief second, she saw two full moons colliding in the sky.

Then-

everything went blank.

🌙 Author's Note - Chapter 1

Hello dear readers,

Thank you so much for choosing to read Between the Moons 🤍

This story is very close to my heart. It is about time, destiny, love, and the bonds that remain even when timelines change. Some moments may feel slow, some emotional, and some magical-just like life itself.

Please read this story with patience and an open heart. Every chapter will slowly reveal the journey of Khushi and Raj, written not just with words, but with feelings.

If this chapter makes you feel even a little something-please vote, comment, or share your thoughts. Your support truly means the world to me and motivates me to continue this journey.

Thank you for being here.

Let's meet again... between the moons 🌙✨

- Aera Moon

#timetravel

#romance

#slowburn

#destiny

#pastandfuture

#indiaromance

#reincarnation

#emotional

#moon