• 𝐭 𝐡 𝐢 𝐫 𝐭 𝐲 𝐟 𝐨 𝐮 𝐫 •

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[Strong languages and Slight NSFW content ahead]

A a r a v

It's been one fucking hour.

I had downed my third drink, pacing impatiently by the bar. An hour had passed since the gala began and still no sign of Meher.

Most guests had arrived, mingling and making pleasantries. But Meher was still absent from the crowd. Unusual. She was supposed to be present here before me.

Anxiety began to creep in as more time passed. What if she had changed her mind and not come after all? No, surely she would have told me. Then where was she?

Unable to stand it any longer, I made my way to the hotel elevator. Her room number was etched in my memory by now. As the lift rose, concern mounted with each floor.

The door seemed to loom as I approached, hand poised to ring the bell. Please, let her be alright.

Heart in throat, I pressed the button and waited with ragged breath for any response from within. Silence. My fear solidified into an icy knot.

Then... the lock clicked and the door opened a crack, revealing Meher's puffy face. Almost as if she was on the verge of crying.

Relief crashed over me in a dizzying wave. "Meher, thank god. Are you okay?" My voice came out rougher than intended, but the worry in my chest was too strong to mask.

She opened the door wider, and my heart sank at the sight of her flushed face-eyes puffy and red-rimmed, nose tinted pink.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked gently, concern lacing my tone.

She glanced away, mumbling something under her breath as she walked away leaving the door open. Her tone was clipped, frustrated. It was like she didn't want to let me in, but I couldn't just stand there and do nothing.

"Did something happened?" I pressed gently. I stepped inside the room, closing the door behind me and desperate for her to talk to me. Seeing her like this, hurting, twisted something deep inside.

Meher sighed heavily, wrapping her arms around herself and still not meeting my gaze. "It's nothing, really. Just being foolish."

I sighed, "You don't seem the type to fool. What is it?"

There was a long, tense moment before she spoke, and I watched the battle playing out across her face. "I'm just... so angry. At myself." Her voice cracked, and suddenly, the tears spilled over. She looked up at me, her expression helpless, raw and broken. "I don't understand what's wrong with me. This isn't me. I- I don't usually behave like this..."

Without a word, I opened my arms and she wordlessly stepped into my embrace, finally surrendering to quiet sobs as she buried her face against my chest. The feel of her trembling against me stirred something protective, something that made me want to tear apart whatever was causing her this pain. I held her tightly, refusing to let go.

"Is this related to your mother?" I muttered over her temple.

The way her body tensed confirmed it.

"...Yes," she choked out, her voice breaking completely as fresh tears streamed down her cheeks. "Her cancer is in the third stage, and she's been admitted to the hospital... The doctors said it's growing aggressively. They don't know when she'll be discharged."

I felt like the ground was pulled from under me, leaving me fumbling for words that wouldn't come.

"I... I'm so sorry, Meher." It sounded so inadequate, but what else could I say? Comforting people was never my strength, and now, when it mattered most, I was failing her.

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 | 21+Where stories live. Discover now