It was one of those rare evenings when I wasn't buried in work, but even then, I couldn't fully disconnect. My laptop was open in front of me, the screen glowing as I tapped away a few important emails to my supplier. I could hear my two bestfriends rummaging through my wardrobe and chattering about outfit choices, but I didn't let it distract me.

"Gauri, you're going to make us late if you keep working!" Cassie called from the bedroom, her voice a mixture of playfulness and frustration.

I rolled my eyes, but there was a smile tugging at the corner of my lips. "You two can't be serious about getting ready. It's just dinner," I replied, not looking up from the screen.

"You say that now, but wait till you see the place. You're going to regret it if you don't stop working and enjoy the night!" Lily chimed in. I could hear the excitement in her voice.

She was right. I have a habit of burying myself in work. I can't help it; I grew up in a middle-class family. My parents always made sure we had what we needed, but luxury was something we never quite reached. My only goal was to be rich, to live the life I'd dreamed of when I was younger—glamorous, free, and filled with endless possibilities.

For that, I had to work harder than anyone else. My career wasn't just a job, it was my ticket out, my escape route.

And well, there was another reason too.

I hesitated, fingers hovering over the keyboard as I tried to focus on the task at hand. I never liked getting too comfortable. Comfort meant distraction, and distractions meant falling behind. I couldn't afford to fall behind. The idea of slowing down, of letting go, unsettled me in ways I wasn't willing to admit. The guilt crept in—the guilt of not being constantly productive, of not chasing the next goal.

But I could feel Lily's words sinking in. "You have to live a little, Gauri," she'd said that morning over coffee. I heard her again, her voice almost pleading. Enjoy the moment, for once.

Cassie appeared in the doorway "Are you really going to make us do this without you? We planned this night for us I can hear you underneath us, not some emails and studies."

I met her eyes, and for a split second, something in me faltered. Cassie and Lily were more than just friends—they were my reminders of a life I hadn't yet allowed myself to fully embrace. They lived freely, with no fear of taking breaks, of enjoying the now, of living for the small moments.

I shifted in my chair, letting out a slow breath. They were right. But there was still that little voice in my head, the one that reminded me that if I stopped now, I might never catch up.

Lily peeked over Cassie's shoulder; her eyes wide with excitement. "You need to let go of the grind for just a few hours. Trust us, it's going to be worth it."

I closed my laptop with a soft click and stood up, feeling an odd sense of liberation. My mind, however, was still back at work, and the emails I hadn't sent, more like emails that I didn't get time to send because of my studies. But it was only one night, right?

And tonight, I promised myself that I'd take a break and enjoy the evening with my friends.

Cassie teased "You know you'll have fun once you're out of that chair, even if I have to drag you there."

I sighed, shutting the laptop with a small thud. "Fine, fine. Let's go before you both talk me into something wild."

"I will for sure," Cassie said pulling me into the bedroom.

As I headed toward the bedroom, I could feel the weight of my decisions shift. Maybe I was ready for a night of indulgence. Maybe there was a part of me that needed to remember what it felt like to be more than just the workaholic, the one who sacrificed everything for a dream that felt so distant at times. Maybe tonight would remind me why I worked so hard in the first place. Or maybe it would just remind me that there was more to life than work, emails, books, and ambition.

"What have you guys done to my room?" I asked, standing in the doorway, my voice a mix of disbelief and amusement.

"Nothing, just hunting for the perfect outfits for tonight," Lily said, applying her mascara with precision.

"Okay, cool! What's the plan for tonight? What are you wearing?"

Cassie stepped aside, revealing two stunning dresses—a royal blue ruffled dress and a deep emerald green with a slit. They looked familiar. Both were undeniably beautiful, but I could swear I'd never worn them.

"Wow, these are amazing!" I said, my voice full of excitement. "Which one should I wear?"

"That one," Lily said, pointing toward a long, sleek black dress with a daring yet elegant slit.

I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth. It had one sleeve—a perfect, elegant design that I never remembered buying.

"I've never bought this dress... How did it end up here?"

"It's yours, Gauri," Cassie said, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

I stared at them, still confused.

"It's a gift... from us," Lily added with a wink.

I blinked, still trying to process what they were saying. "Wait... this is a gift? But how did you even know about this dress?"

Cassie grinned, clearly pleased with herself. "Let's just say, we've got some connections," she teased, winking. "You'll look stunning in it. Trust us."

I stood there, frozen, my mind racing. The dress—that dress—it was oddly familiar. Then, the memories hit me like a wave. It reminded me of a dress my maasi (my mother's sister) wore when she was in her residency years. I was so close to her, more so than anyone else in my family. She was my idol, my go-to friend, the one I could always turn to.

My maasi passed away when I was 20. She was taken from us too soon. And I'd never really gotten over it. I didn't want to, either. She had been the person who pushed me to chase my dreams, and who taught me to keep moving forward no matter what life threw my way. The thought of her, especially on a day like today—the anniversary of her passing—was enough to make my heart ache all over again.

The sudden rush of seeing the dress made all the memories with her come back. Every conversation, every laughter, and the accident, everything. I didn't realize my eyes were brimming with tears until Lily's voice brought me back to the present.

"Now enough of the surprised look, Gauri. We must head out in an hour"

I blinked rapidly, trying to hold back the flood of emotions threatening to spill over. I couldn't cry. Not now. Not like this.

"Brave of you, Gauri" I heard Cassie whisper softly as she wrapped her arms around me, pulling me into a hug. The comfort of her embrace grounded me.

I stood there for a moment, feeling a strange mix of excitement and confusion. How did they know about this dress, of all things? I glanced down at the black dress again, its sleek fabric almost whispering my name. It was like it was meant for tonight.

It wasn't just a dress. It was a memory. And it was time to live in the moment, just like my maasi would have wanted.

We continued catching up, our laughter ringing out, before finally heading out for the evening. The evening was crisp, the perfect temperature for a night out. I felt the soft hum of the city as we approached our destination—this new, trendy spot that had been all over social media. The lights were dimmed, creating a cozy yet vibrant atmosphere. The place was bustling with people enjoying their meals, but as soon as we walked in, it was clear that this was the place to be.

As we sat at our table, I couldn't help but feel a slight sense of discomfort. Was I really doing this? Sitting here and pretending I wasn't already mentally drafting work emails in my head? I glanced around, trying to relax.

After settling in, we started chatting, laughing, ordering drinks, and clicking pictures.

Cassie, though, had her eyes glued to a table across the room. "Those guys are cute," she said under her breath to Lily, but loud enough for me to hear. "We should go talk to them."

I glanced over briefly, but I wasn't interested. "I'm not interested in them. We're here to relax, not to chase after strangers, Cass" I muttered, half-absorbed in my phone.

But Cassie wasn't having it. "Come on, Gauri. Don't be such a buzzkill. You never know, it could be fun!" Her eyes were gleaming with mischief.

I raised an eyebrow but didn't reply. But Cassie wouldn't be deterred. She turned to Lily, who was grinning, already on board. "What do you think?"

Lily gave a knowing smile. "Oh, I'm in. You only live once, right?"

I groaned. "You guys are impossible."

Cassie grinned triumphantly and stood up. "Perfect! I'll go ask them." That's so her—bold, fearless, and completely unapologetic. Typical redhead.

Cassie walked confidently toward the group of men, her heels clicking against the floor while the emerald dress flowed effortlessly with each stride. She flashed them a playful smile, her voice light and casual. "Hey, guys," she said, effortlessly charming. "We're sitting over there and thought it would be nice if you joined us for the evening."

The men exchanged glances, clearly surprised but intrigued. After a beat, one of them—stood up. "Sure, we'd love to."

Cassie grinned, waving over to Lily, who followed with a small laugh. I stayed put, my eyes glued to my phone, tapping away on emails, focusing on the work that, for once, I was determined not to let go of.

But then, a voice broke the comfortable silence. "May I?"

I didn't look up, absorbed in my task. "Sure," I muttered, voice flat, still tapping away on my phone.

And then—that voice.

My heart stuttered and then began to pound in my chest. A cold shiver ran down my spine. My fingers faltered on the keyboard, and my screen blurred for a moment as everything inside me went completely still. The voice I'd hoped to never hear again—that voice. A voice that used to make my stomach do flips, a voice that had haunted my dreams— no my nightmares.

No. No way.

I slowly, almost mechanically, turned my head, my pulse suddenly racing, the familiar, sharp feeling of dread coiling in my gut. I could see the shadow of his figure in my peripheral vision before I even laid eyes on him.

There he was. Standing in front of me.

My breath hitched. My throat went dry.

It couldn't be him.

But there he was—his jawline just as sharp as I remembered, those eyes that once made my stomach flip, and then—nothing. The eyes that had caused so much pain.

For a moment, time seemed to stop, a breathless void stretching between us. The years disappeared, and all I could see was him—my first love, my teenage obsession, the one who had rejected me so easily without a second glance.

My mind screamed at me, what are the odds? What is he doing here? But my mouth couldn't move. I couldn't find the words to say. The shock was paralyzing. I wanted to run. I wanted to disappear into the floor beneath me, but instead, I sat frozen, my body tense, and rigid. The familiar ache—the feeling of being caught in the past I'd buried so deep—hit me like a punch to the gut.

He looked just as shocked as I felt, standing there, both of us struggling to process the impossible reality that had just unfolded. A ghost from my past resurrected in the present.

I swallowed hard, feeling the lump in my throat. I wanted to get up. I wanted to leave, to crawl into a hole and pull it over my head. But no. That wasn't an option. Not today. Not ever.

Instead, I forced myself to take a shallow breath, my hands shaking slightly as I tried to steady my grip on the phone that suddenly felt so foreign in my hands. My pulse quickened as my mind raced back through all those years—every ignored message, every glance that was never returned, the endless nights spent torturing myself with the "what-ifs."

This wasn't supposed to happen. I wasn't supposed to be here—staring at him again, feeling everything I'd buried resurface all at once. I wanted to shrink, to fold in on myself and make myself as small as possible. But I couldn't. My body wouldn't cooperate.

I looked away, glancing quickly at the table, at Cassie and Lily, who were blissfully unaware of the tension now suffocating me. They didn't know the history. They didn't know why I was suddenly so stiff, why every muscle in my body was locked in place, as if I were bracing for impact.

And then I heard it—the sound of his chair scraping against the floor as he sat down next to me. I flinched involuntarily, feeling my whole body go rigid.

Breathe, Gauri. Just breathe.

I tried to calm myself, but my breath was shallow, and my heart was hammering in my chest, threatening to burst out of me.

Why was he here? How was I supposed to face him? I hadn't thought about him in years, had buried the pain so deep, but now—now it was all flooding back.

I didn't sign up for this. Not today. Not ever.

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- GAURI

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