A Forgotten Path

In the soft light of an April evening, under the shimmer of a thousand stars, a bond was formed between two souls at a Nikkah ceremony. Among the laughter and the celebrations, their eyes met—quietly, yet with a depth that spoke of untold stories. His name was Arif, and hers, Ayesha Rahman. In those fleeting moments, they shared more than just casual words; they shared pieces of their souls.

The days that followed were filled with conversations that spanned everything from dreams to fears. They spoke of life, of hopes, and of the beauty of the world they had yet to explore. With every exchange, their bond grew stronger. Though they lived in different places, their hearts seemed connected by an invisible thread, one woven through late-night chats, each one filled with a promise of something beautiful.

But life, as it often does, took them on separate paths.

In May 2019, Arif left for Delhi to pursue his UPSC preparations. His world became a blur of books, classes, and endless hours of study. Yet, amid the chaos, his thoughts often drifted back to Ayesha, who had embarked on a journey of her own, enrolling at IUST Awantipora in a medical lab technology course. Despite the miles and the noise of their respective lives, they never stopped connecting. Their conversations, whether on WhatsApp or through fleeting moments on social media, remained constant—a gentle reminder of the bond they shared.

But then, in August 2019, the unimaginable happened. The abrogation of Article 370 severed connections, not just for the people of Kashmir, but for those like Arif, whose heart was torn between his family’s safety and the uncertainty of the future.

Communication became impossible. The world seemed to stand still, and Arif’s worries grew. He feared for the safety of Ayesha, and he feared for his own. But after what felt like an eternity, the internet was restored. When Arif finally received a message from Ayesha, his heart skipped a beat. It was a lifeline, a connection to the girl who had shared so many of his dreams.

Their messages resumed, and for a while, everything seemed to fall back into place. Arif, feeling the pull of his feelings once again, decided to visit her in her ancestral village in Tral. It was a visit he would never forget—each moment spent with her felt like a page out of a cherished dream. But as quickly as it had come, it ended. Arif had to return to Delhi, back to his studies and the uncertainty of his future.

The following year, 2021, was filled with the anticipation of the UPSC results. Arif had passed the mains examination, and he was determined to ask Ayesha for her hand in marriage. But fate had other plans. When the final list was released, his name was not among those who had succeeded. The crushing weight of failure hung over him, and with it, the promise he had made to Ayesha seemed impossible to fulfill.

Then, on a cold February afternoon in 2022, everything changed. The phone rang. It was Ayesha. The words she spoke to

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him that day felt like a dagger to the heart.

"Whatever relationship we had, it's finished."

The call ended abruptly, and within moments, she blocked him from every communication channel. Arif was left in a whirlwind of confusion and pain. He couldn’t understand what had happened, what had gone wrong. He had loved her with a purity and depth that few could understand, and yet, in a single moment, she had severed the bond between them.

Months passed. Arif tried to reach out, but each attempt was met with silence. His heart ached with every unanswered call, every message left unread. Yet, despite the hurt, he couldn’t bring himself to hate her. His love for her was unwavering.

Then, in August 2023, something unexpected happened. A call came through. It was Ayesha. She asked for his help—she needed assistance with a project report for her work at SKIMS Srinagar. Arif was stunned. The feelings he had tried so hard to bury resurfaced, and he agreed to help her.

Their conversations resumed, and for a brief moment, it felt as though the bond they had shared was rekindling. But it was fleeting. Once the project was completed, she disappeared again, blocking him from every platform once more.

In the silence that followed, Arif’s mind wandered back to the moments of their past, to the memories that still lingered in his heart. One memory stood out more than the others—when Ayesha had once mentioned her cousin, Zaid Malik, from Tral, who worked in Dubai. Arif had always felt uneasy about their interactions. Zaid sent her photos and videos, and their conversations seemed too frequent. Yet, every time Arif asked about it, Ayesha grew defensive, accusing him of not trusting her.

Despite the doubts, despite the moments of betrayal and confusion, Arif’s love for her never wavered. He could not forget the laughter they had shared, the dreams they had built together in their secret world. Every time she blocked him, every time she pushed him away, his heart broke, but it never stopped loving her.

He had always believed in the purity of their connection, even if the world around them seemed to be unraveling. But now, with so many unanswered questions, with so many unspoken words, Arif found himself standing at a crossroads.

What did it mean to love someone so deeply, yet be caught in a web of uncertainty and mistrust? Was it worth holding on to a love that seemed to slip further away with every passing day?

As Arif looked back at the memories they had created, he realized that love was not just about holding on to the past. It was about letting go, about understanding that sometimes, despite all the love in the world, some things were never meant to be.

And yet, in the quiet spaces of his heart, he knew he could never truly forget her. No matter how many times she pushed him away, no matter how many times she blocked him, Arif's love for Ayesha would remain eternal, a quiet echo in the corners of his soul.