Abhiya: One shotssss????????

Now or then?-2

](A nervous energy hung in the air as Abhishek and Jiya sat facing each other in the quaint café. It felt like time had come to a standstill, and their past, present, and future converged in that moment.)

Abhishek: (clearing his throat) So, Jiya, what is it that you want to talk about?

(Jiya hesitated, her eyes locked onto Abhishek's. She had rehearsed her apology countless times in her mind, but now that the moment had arrived, the words seemed to escape her.)

Jiya: (nervously) Abhishek, I... I want to apologize. I know I hurt you back in college, and I deeply regret it. I was foolish and immature. I didn't understand what I had until it was gone.

(Abhishek studied her for a moment. Her words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of their shared history. He had braced himself for this meeting, but facing Jiya again brought back a flood of emotions he thought he had buried.)

Abhishek: (guarded) Jiya, it's not easy to forget the past. You hurt me deeply, and it took me a long time to move on. I've built a new life, and I'm not the same person I used to be.

(Jiya nodded, tears welling up in her eyes.)

Jiya: I understand, Abhishek. But I needed to make amends. I couldn't live with the guilt of how I treated you any longer. I want to be a better person, and that starts with apologizing to you.

(Abhishek's expression softened, and he could see the sincerity in Jiya's eyes. It was a side of her he hadn't seen before—the vulnerable and remorseful Jiya.)

Abhishek: (thoughtful) Jiya, people change, and sometimes, they deserve a second chance. But I want you to know that I've moved on. My life is different now.

Jiya: (teary-eyed) I don't expect you to forgive me right away, Abhishek. I just hope we can find a way to heal from the past and maybe, just maybe, build something new.

(Their conversation continued, a mixture of emotions and memories shared between them. They talked about their lives since college, the paths they had taken, and the lessons they had learned. The café, once filled with tension, began to feel like a place of reconciliation.)

Abhishek: (reflective) You know, Jiya, I never thought I'd see you again, let alone have a civil conversation with you.

Jiya: (smiling faintly) Life has a funny way of bringing people back together, doesn't it?

(Abhishek's phone buzzed with a notification, reminding him of a meeting he had to attend.)

Abhishek: (apologetic) I have to go, Jiya. I have a meeting soon.

Jiya: (understanding) Of course, Abhishek. Thank you for meeting me today.

(They both stood up, a sense of closure and possibility in the air. Abhishek and Jiya parted ways, uncertain of what the future held, but willing to explore the chance of forgiveness and new beginnings.)

(As Abhishek walked away from the café, he couldn't deny the mixture of emotions that swirled within him. Jiya's unexpected return had opened a door he had closed long ago. Whether he chose to step through it or keep it shut remained to be seen.)

---

(Over the coming weeks, Abhishek and Jiya continued to communicate sporadically. Their conversations were cautious yet friendly, a delicate dance between past grievances and the possibility of a fresh start. They met a few more times, gradually rebuilding a connection that had once seemed irreparably broken.)

(As time passed, Abhishek found himself wrestling with his feelings. Could he truly forgive Jiya and move forward? Was there a chance for a new chapter in their lives, or were some wounds too deep to heal?)