Minnie POV
Days passed, and our exams were still going on. I couldn't concentrate on anything. My heart felt heavy, and slowly I slipped into depression. Sara was the only one who stayed with me through everything.
Even my mom noticed something was wrong.
One evening she asked, "Minnie... what happened between you and Will?"
I told her everything. She looked worried, but I held her hand and said, "I'll be okay, Mom. Don't worry."
For now, I stopped going to work because I wanted to focus only on my career and my exams.
Sara helped me study every day. But forgetting Will was not easy. Every place reminded me of him. Every silence carried his memory.
Now we were sitting in the library, preparing for our next exam. My mind was lost in thoughts when suddenly Sara gasped loudly.
Sara: "OMG!!! Minnie!"
I looked up quickly. "What happened?"
She whispered,
"He is back."
My eyes widened.
"Who?" I asked in confusion.
Sara: "Akil... that boy from your school who had a crush on you. He is back in Chennai."
I stared at her in silence. Akil was my best friend since school days. When Sara once saw me talking to him on a video call, I introduced them. She took his number, and soon they became close friends.
"Are you still in contact with him?"
Sara nodded. "Yes... he texted me now."
My heart skipped a beat. "Why now... after all these years?"
Sara smiled slightly.
"He asked about you, Minnie. He wanted to know how you are"
I sighed and shook my head I said "He hasn't changed at all, Sara."
Sara looked at me quietly for a moment and said "Uhh... Minnie, can I ask you something?"
Before she could finish, I already knew what she was going to say. I looked at her and spoke quickly, my voice breaking.
"Sara, I'm sorry... please don't ask me to give Akil a chance. I can't even forget Will yet. Please... please don't talk about boys anymore. I'm really fed up with all this."
She was silent for a second. Then she slowly nodded.
Sara (thinking): I feel relieved... and I don't know why. I had a crush on Akil, but he liked Minnie. That insecurity always stayed inside me. Maybe that is why my heart feels lighter now.
She forced a small smile and said, "Okay, Minnie. I understand. Let's just concentrate on our exams.
I nodded.
We opened our books again, but my mind was still heavy. I noticed something painful inside me.
In my life right now... there is nobody.
No Will.
No love story, Only silence and responsibilities.
I looked at the window of the library. Students were laughing, talking, living their normal lives. But inside me, everything felt paused.
I whispered to myself,
"Maybe this is the time to choose myself."
Sara touched my hand and said softly, "Minnie... you don't need anyone right now. You just need to become strong again."
I took a deep breath and looked back at my book.
My heart was still broken...but I decided not to depend on anyone to fix it.
I will heal.
I will study.
I will build my future.
And someday... when my heart is ready, love will find me again.
Sara POV
After completing our class, Minnie and I walked out of the college together. I was still thinking about our exam when suddenly I saw someone standing near the gate.
It was Akil.
My heart started beating faster. It had been so many years since I last saw him.
I questioned myself silently,
Do I still like him.. or is this just sudden attraction because I saw him again?
Akil smiled brightly when he saw us.
Akil: "Hello, girls!!! How are you?"
I hugged sara first and then looked at Minnie she smiled at me softly. She had changed so much. She looked weak and tired, like someone who had gone through too much pain.
Sara: "We are good. How are you? It's been so many years, but you still remember us," I said with a smile.
Minnie: "How are you doing? How is your mom and dad?" she asked gently.
Akil: "All are good. I can't forget you girls. So... are you both free now? Shall we go and have dinner?"
Minnie and I looked at each other. We hesitated for a moment.
Minnie was silent. I knew her heart was still broken.
After a few seconds, she nodded slowly. "Okay..."
I also said, "Yeah
Akil smiled happily. "Good. Then wait here. I'll go and get my car."
He walked away.
Minnie and I stood there in silence.
I looked at Minnie and asked softly, "Are you sure you're okay with this?"
She gave a weak smile.
"I don't want to stay alone today, Sara. Maybe this will distract my mind."
I nodded, but inside my heart was confused.
Why does seeing Akil again make my heart feel like this?
I hid my feelings for him in school for Minnie's happiness... and now he is standing in front of us again.
A few minutes later, Akil came back in his car and honked.
Akil: "Come on, girls."
We got into the car.
Minnie sat in the back seat quietly, looking out of the window. I sat in the front seat beside Akil. My hands felt cold.
Akil started the car and said,
"So... so many years passed. Still, you both look the same."
Minnie smiled faintly. "Life changed us more than our faces."
I looked at Minnie through the mirror and felt pain for her.
Inside my heart, two feelings were fighting.
One was for Minnie - my best friend. The other was for Akil - my old crush.
Akil drove us to a small restaurant near the beach road. Soft lights were glowing outside, and slow music was playing inside.
When the car stopped, Minnie suddenly froze.
Her eyes widened as she looked at the name board of the restaurant.
This was the same place where Will once brought her.
I noticed her face change.
"Minnie... are you okay?" I asked softly.
She didn't answer. She just stared at the entrance of the restaurant.
Akil smiled and said, "Come on, girls."
We went inside and sat near the window.
Minnie looked around silently. Every corner of the restaurant reminded her Vill.
Minnie : i look surprised by The same table, the same lights,the same music... My heart started to ache. This is where he held my hand and smiled at me and said everything felt real.
Akil looked at Minnie and said,
"So... after so many years, we are sitting together again."
Minnie forced a small smile. "Yeah... time really flies."
Akil noticed her silence. "Minnie, are you okay? You look tired."
She looked down at the table. "I'm fine... just exam pressure."
But I knew it was not the exams.
Akil opened the menu. "What do you want to eat?"
Minnie : "Anything is fine." I said
Akil ordered for all of us.
"Your favorite noodles, Minnie. I still remember," he said with a smile.
Minnie looked up in shock. "You still remember that?"
He nodded. "How can I forget?"
That sentence hurt her more.
Because Will once said the same thing to her in this very restaurant.
Her eyes slowly filled with tears.
I saw her fingers trembling as she held her spoon.
She suddenly said softl
"I... I need some air."
She stood up and walked toward the washroom.
I followed her.
Near the mirror, she broke down.
"Sara... this is the same restaurant," she whispered. "Will bring me here once. He sat in that chair... and I sat here."
She pointed at the table.
"I thought I was getting better... but everything came back at once."
I hugged her tightly.
"It's okay, Minnie. Memories don't disappear in one day."
She wiped her tears.
"I don't want Akil to know. I don't want to spoil this evening."
I nodded.
"You don't have to pretend to be strong. I'm here"
I nodded.
We went back to the table.
Akil looked worried. "Are you feeling sick, Minnie?"
She forced a smile. "No... I'm okay."
Dinner continued, but Minnie barely ate.
Her mind was not with us.
It was with Will...
in the same place...
in the same silence...
For her, this dinner was not just food.
Author POV
When they reached home, Minnie walked straight into her room without saying a word.
She closed the door slowly and leaned against it.
The silence was too heavy.
Her eyes fell on her phone... and suddenly the restaurant memories came back.
Will's voice echoed in her mind: "How can I forget? This place will always remind me of you."
Minnie sat on the bed and hugged her pillow tightly.
"I was doing fine... I was really trying to forget him," she whispered.
"But why did fate bring me to the same place again?"
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I don't want to remember him anymore... but everything reminds me of him"
She cried silently, not wanting Sara to hear.
Sara POV
Outside the room, I stood quietly near the door.
I knew Minnie was crying inside.
My chest felt tight with guilt.
Why did I agree to go to that restaurant? Why did I let Akil bring us there?
leaned against the wall and closed my eyes.
"This is my fault," I whispered to myself. "She was healing... and I pushed her back into pain."
I remembered how Minnie froze when she saw the restaurant signboard.
I should have stopped everything right there.
But I didn't.
I felt torn between two feelings -
my care for Minnie and the strange emotions Akil had awakened in me again.
I just wanted her to smile again," I said softly. "But instead, I made her cry."
Tears filled my eyes when I heard my phone notification.
It was Akil.
Akil: "Is Minnie alright?"
I wiped my tears and replied slowly.
Sara. "No... she is not okay. Today at the restaurant, she remembered someone she loved. That person is not with her anymore.
There was a pause.
Akil: "Who is that?"
I sighed.
Sara: "It's a long story, Akil. But one thing I can tell you... she already loved someone deeply, and now she is broken. She needs time to heal."
His next message came immediately.
Akil: "I'm really sorry, Sara. If I had known about the restaurant, I would have taken you to another place."
Sara: "It's okay, Akil. It's not your fault."
A few seconds later, another message appeared.
Akil: "It's already late. Have some rest. I'll text you tomorrow."
I typed back softly.
Sara: "Okay.'
I kept my phone aside and lay down on my bed.
But my mind was not calm.
I kept thinking about Akil... and about us.
I didn't know if what I felt was just old memories from school or something new beginning to grow in my heart. That night, sleep came very slowly to me.
_________________________________________
Author Note
Hello readers 👋 If you're enjoying the story, please support with Power Stones Your support helps this story grow.❤️😀🤠