What broke before

The mirror didn’t lie.

But it didn’t tell the whole truth either.

Aarav stared at his reflection, still dressed from the event. The suit was perfect. His posture was better.

His expression?

Empty.

---

“You embarrassed me.”

The words echoed again.

Over and over.

Until they started to sound like something else.

Something older.

Something familiar.

---

“You’re useless.”

A different voice.

Sharper.

Louder.

From a different place.

---

Aarav’s hand slowly dropped from the mirror.

His breathing changed.

And before he could stop it—

The past pulled him back.

---

The house had always been loud.

Not with laughter.

With anger.

---

“You can’t even do this right?”

A plate slammed onto the table.

Aarav flinched instantly.

He was younger then.

Smaller.

Still hoping things might change.

“I—I tried,” he whispered.

That was the wrong thing to say.

It always was.

---

His stepmother’s expression twisted in irritation. “Tried?” she repeated mockingly. “What use is trying if the result is garbage?”

Mira sat nearby, watching.

Not helping.

Never helping.

“Maybe he’s just like that,” she said casually, scrolling through her phone. “Slow.”

Aarav’s chest tightened.

“I’m not—”

“Don’t talk back.”

The words came fast.

Cold.

Final.

---

Silence.

Aarav lowered his head.

“I’m sorry.”

The words came automatically.

Like breathing.

---

“Clean this,” his stepmother said, pushing the plate toward him. “And don’t make a mess this time.”

Aarav nodded quickly.

“Yes.”

---

But his hands were shaking.

They always did when she watched him.

Every movement felt heavier under her eyes.

Every mistake felt bigger.

---

And of course—

It happened.

The glass slipped.

It shattered on the floor.

---

Silence.

The dangerous kind.

---

Mira laughed first.

“Wow. Impressive.”

Aarav froze.

His heart started racing.

“I—I didn’t mean—”

---

The slap came fast.

Too fast to react.

His head snapped to the side, ears ringing.

“Can’t you do anything right?” his stepmother snapped.

Aarav didn’t cry.

Not anymore.

He had learned that crying made it worse.

---

“I’m sorry,” he whispered again.

Always sorry.

Always wrong.

---

“Clean it up.”

---

He knelt down immediately, picking up the broken pieces carefully.

One by one.

Quietly.

Like if he stayed silent enough—

Maybe the world would forget he was there.

---

“You’re lucky we even keep you here,” his stepmother added coldly. “Don’t forget that.”

Aarav’s fingers paused for just a second.

Then continued.

---

Back then—

He believed her.

---

The memory blurred.

Shifted.

Changed.

---

Another night.

Another mistake.

---

“You’re going out?” Mira asked, leaning against the door.

Aarav nodded. “Just to the library.”

She smirked. “Studying won’t fix your face.”

Aarav didn’t respond.

He had learned that silence was safer.

---

“You think anyone would choose you?” she added casually.

That one stayed.

Long after the moment passed.

---

The past always knew where to hurt.

---

Back to the present—

Aarav’s breathing became uneven.

His hands trembled slightly at his sides.

The same words.

Different voices.

Same meaning.

---

Weak.

Useless.

Embarrassing.

---

His reflection stared back at him.

Still.

Quiet.

Unfighting.

---

A knock came at the door.

Aarav flinched.

Again.

---

“Open.”

Ruhan’s voice.

Calm.

Controlled.

Present.

---

Aarav wiped his face quickly—though there were no tears—and walked to the door.

He opened it.

Ruhan stood there.

Perfect as always.

Untouched by anything.

---

“You took too long,” he said.

Aarav lowered his gaze. “…Sorry.”

The word slipped out before he could stop it.

---

Silence.

---

Ruhan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“You apologize too much.”

Aarav froze.

“I—”

“Stop.”

The command was immediate.

Aarav fell silent.

---

Ruhan studied him for a moment.

Longer than usual.

As if noticing something—

Different.

---

“You look worse than before,” he said.

Not concerned.

Just observant.

---

Aarav didn’t answer.

Because he didn’t know how to explain something that had been broken long before Ruhan ever appeared.

---

“Get some rest,” Ruhan said finally, turning away.

Then paused.

“Tomorrow will be stricter.”

---

Of course it would be.

---

The door closed again.

---

Aarav stood there for a long time.

Not moving.

Not thinking.

Just… existing.

---

Because the truth was—

Ruhan didn’t break him.

---

He just stepped into a place where Aarav had already been falling apart.

---

And now—

There was no one left to stop it.

---

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