Swati Sandeep

In the quiet of the night, the boy sat on the windowsill, bathed in the soft glow of moonlight. His gaze was fixed on the twinkling stars above, his heart weighed heavy with regrets. The stars seemed to mock him, their brilliance a stark contrast to the shadows that enveloped his soul. There was a tempest raging inside his heart. He traced the outline of a star on the glass, its cold surface a reminder of his own isolation. The brilliance of the star came with the price of loneliness. He was learning it the hard way. Tears pooled in his eyes. “Why?” he whispered. “Why did I not listen to Bhabhi?” The stars remained silent, their ancient light offering no solace. His Bhabhi had warned him that it would happen. He had not heeded her warning. She had told him that keeping secrets can destroy relationships and urged him to be honest with his Big-B, but his fear overwhelmed him. His Big-B was his best friend, the first person to accept him for himself. For Ayu, his illegitimacy did not mat...

Sundays were made for lazing, and Andy embraced that wholeheartedly. Sprawled across his bed, he had no intention of waking up anytime soon. Even at 23, the simple miracle of opening his eyes each morning was lost on him. His Bhaiya swore by the wisdom of early risers, something about catching worms, but Andy had no interest in worms. His passion lay in computers, where efficiency ruled. Hard work, he had learned from Bhaiya, was the refuge of the untalented. Smart work, that was where true success lived. He was content in his own little world, teetering on the edge of sleep, ready to drift back into its comforting haze. But then, his Bhaiya’s voice cut through the silence, booming from downstairs, summoning him for breakfast. Andy groaned, burying his face deeper into the pillow. Waking up was overrated. “Adhvaik, do you want me to come up?” Dev yelled again. Andy reached for his pillow, not caring about the consequences, but a pair of firm hands grabbed the pillow from his hands and...