UNEXPECTED VOWS

part-9(thoughts)

Same Night – KK at Kundra Mansion & Teju at Prakash Mansion

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KK’s Room – 2:11 AM

The grand corridors of the Kundra Mansion were silent, wrapped in the hush of midnight. Only the soft ticking of the old wall clock and the distant rustle of the trees outside could be heard. KK’s room, usually a calm escape, felt suffocating tonight.

The city lights blinked lazily through the tall French windows, casting soft, moving shadows across the wooden floor. The AC hummed steadily above, and the occasional honk from a faraway car rose and fell like a wave in the stillness.

But KK… he felt like he was drowning in that stillness.

He sat at the edge of his bed, elbows on his knees, head bowed. His grey T-shirt clung to his chest slightly from the humidity. His hair was tousled — not from style, but from frustration. He’d run his fingers through it too many times tonight. His phone buzzed once, but he didn’t look. A glass of water stood beside him, untouched.

His fingers twitched. His breath was uneven.

He was restless.

He knew why.

It was her.

Not her name. Not her face. Not even her voice. Just… her.

The girl his parents had mentioned earlier that day.

The girl who had said yes to a meeting.

But it wasn’t some arranged marriage formality. Not a forced conversation with tea and fake smiles. No. This felt different. This yes felt heavier… personal.

It felt like someone had pulled down the curtain he’d been hiding behind for years, and suddenly, someone was about to see the real him.

And he wasn’t sure he was ready to be seen.

He stood up slowly, like even his body wasn’t sure of what it wanted to do. He walked over to his side drawer, barefoot, dragging slightly on the floor.

Opening the drawer, he took out an  leather diary

As his fingers grazed the cover, a memory surfaced — clear and unshakable.

He remembered how she recommend  him
Dr. Tejasswi. His therapist. His doctor. The woman who hadn’t blinked at his silence. Who hadn’t looked away from his mess. Who spoke to him like she knew how it felt to break and rebuild.

Her voice echoed in his head:
“Karan… when it becomes too heavy, try to write it down. Don’t fight it. Just write.

It had only been four days since his first session with her. And tomorrow evening was his second.

Her words had stayed.

But tonight… he wasn’t okay.

He felt like a shaky glass about to spill.

Broken. Confused. Scared.

More than anything, he felt unsafe inside his own mind — and that was the scariest feeling of all.

He sat back down, the diary in his lap. His hand trembled slightly as he picked up the pen. The pages were blank, waiting.

He hesitated. Then, slowly, the words began to pour out.

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13 May – 2:17 AM

"I don’t even know her name.
But her 'yes' is echoing in my head.
Why does it scare me so much?
I’ve learned how to smile in rooms full of people and still feel like I’m underwater.
I thought I made peace with being alone.
But now…
Now I’m scared I’ve made peace with pain instead.
And this girl…
I don’t know who she is.
I don’t know if she’s kind or cruel or in-between.
But the thought of moving on…
It terrifies me.
What if she’s like the others?
What if she hurts me, breaks me all over again?
I don’t think I can take another fall.
God… help me. I don’t know if I’m strong enough anymore."