Whispers of the Summer Sky

The following summer felt different. The heat was heavier, the days longer, and the world seemed to press in on them from all sides. Arjun couldn't quite shake the feeling that things were changing—slowly, almost imperceptibly, but undeniably.

It was a week before they were supposed to meet at the bench again, and Arjun found himself checking his phone every few minutes, feeling restless. Naina had been quiet lately, her usual fire dimmed by something he couldn't quite figure out.

When the evening came, he arrived early, his mind churning with questions. The bench was empty, the air thick with anticipation, but there was no sign of Naina. Arjun shifted uneasily, tapping his foot against the gravel.

Then, just as he was about to sit down, a figure emerged from the trees.

It was Naina, but she didn't look the same. Her hair was disheveled, her eyes shadowed with exhaustion, and her usual spark was absent.

Naina? Arjun called, his voice tentative.

She paused for a moment, as if surprised by his presence. Then a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Arjun, she said, though the greeting lacked its usual warmth. I didn't think you'd actually show up.

Of course I would, Arjun replied, though he was unsure why he felt this sudden distance between them. He gestured toward the bench. You okay?

Naina sat down beside him without a word. She stared out at the horizon, her gaze distant. Arjun couldn't remember a time when she'd been this quiet.

You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, Arjun said after a moment, trying to fill the silence.

Naina turned to him, her eyes searching his face as if looking for something. Then, softly, she spoke. It's my mom. She... she's sick. Really sick.

The words hit Arjun like a punch to the gut. He had always known that Naina's life wasn't easy, that there were things she carried that she never talked about, but hearing this—it was different.

I'm sorry, he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Is she—

She's getting worse, Naina cut him off, her voice trembling. I don't know what to do. I'm just... stuck, Arjun. I promised her I'd stay, that I'd be there, but I feel like I'm drowning. Everything is changing so fast, and I don't know if I can handle it anymore.

Arjun's heart twisted. He wanted to reach out, to say something comforting, but the words felt too small for something this big. Instead, he sat beside her, his presence solid and unyielding.

After a long pause, Naina exhaled, as if releasing a weight she had been carrying for too long. I don't know how to keep this promise, Arjun. I don't know if I can handle it. I don't even know if I can handle myself right now.

Arjun turned to face her, his expression serious. You don't have to do it alone, Naina.

She looked at him, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. But I do. I have to.

For a moment, they both just sat there, the words unspoken but understood. Arjun didn't have the answers, didn't have a solution to fix everything. But he knew one thing for sure—he wasn't going anywhere.

They had made a pact, a promise under the stars, and Arjun wasn't about to let that slip away just because things were getting hard.

I'll be here, he said, his voice steady. Whenever you need me. I'm not going anywhere.

Naina gave a small, grateful smile, though it was tinged with sadness. Thanks, Arjun.

The night stretched on, and the stars twinkled above, indifferent to the human drama unfolding below. But Arjun didn't mind. For now, they didn't need answers, didn't need solutions. They just needed each other.

The summer felt longer now, heavier with unspoken burdens, but it was also a reminder—sometimes, promises were the only thing that could hold the world together when everything else was falling apart.

And as Arjun looked at Naina, he knew that their pact wasn't just about meeting at a bench every year. It was about being there, even when the world seemed impossible, and making sure the weight of promises never crushed them.

--END--