Shadows of Elegance [MeenBabe]

Chapter 19: Fading Moonlight

They found themselves once again seated together on the couch, the air heavy with unspoken words. Aoom, grappling with the weight of her emotions, took a deep breath, steeling herself for the conversation ahead.

"Meena," she began, "I want us to be together," she said, her voice wavering with the weight of her statement. "I want to wake up beside you every morning, share my hopes and worries, and navigate this chaotic path besides you. But... I fear it's not meant to be, at least not now."

Meena met her gaze, her eyes betraying the pain she felt. "Aoom," she murmured, her voice soft with resignation. "Perhaps you were right. Maybe we should have followed your suggestion and maintained cero-contact during this period. It might have spared us both this pain."

Aoom's heart constricted with the weight of Meena's admission, the bitter taste of regret lingering upon her tongue.

"I don't know, Meena," she confessed, her voice laced with uncertainty. "All I know is that I can't bear the thought of losing you. Not now, not ever."

Meena's determination decreased and her disguise crumbled under the weight of Aoom's unwavering devotion.

"I know," she muttered, barely audible above the hum of their shared pain. "But... maybe it's time we faced the truth. Maybe we were never meant to be."

Aoom's heart tightened as Meena's words resonated in the empty space between them, a sharp reminder of the permanent rift that had developed between their once-intertwined souls. She studied Meena's tear-streaked face for an indicator of hope, but only resignation was carved in the lines of her tired gaze.

"Aoom," Meena initiated again, her voice timid yet determined. "What do you believe love is? I mean, seriously".

Aoom furrowed her brow, contemplating the matter with a thoughtful expression. "Love... it's complicated," she admitted. "But I think it's about more than just affection or desire. It's about acceptance, understanding, and support. It's about being there for each other, even when things get tough."

Meena nodded, her gaze thoughtful as she considered Aoom's words. "I agree," she mused. "But I also think love is about sacrifice. It's about putting someone else's needs before your own, even if it means sacrificing your own happiness."

Aoom's chest felt trapped at Meena's words, a pang of guilt chewing at her insides. "But what if sacrificing your own happiness means sacrificing the happiness of the person you love?" she asked.

Meena sighed, "I don't know," she confessed, her voice a mere whisper against the deafening silence that enveloped them. "But I think true love means wanting what's best for the other person, even if it means letting them go."

Aoom's breath caught in her throat at Meena's words, the weight of their innevitable pressing down upon her. "But how do you know when it's time to let go?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Meena reached out, gently squeezing Aoom's hand in a gesture of comfort. "I think you just know," she murmured. "When the pain of holding on outweighs the joy of being together, when letting go feels like the only option left."

"Do you think we've reached that point?" Aoom's voice quivered with vulnerability, the words tumbling out in a rush of desperation. "The point where... letting go feels like the only option left?"

Meena's gaze softened, "I don't know for certain," she admitted, her voice a gentle murmur in the stillness of the room. "But I think we owe it to ourselves to acknowledge when the pain of holding on becomes too much to bear."

"Do you think you can do this?" Meena's voice was a whisper, heavy with resignation, as if she already knew the answer. "Being thousand of miles apart, with barely any communication, and a severe time difference... Can we truly get through it?"