A Hundred Miles to Love

Theme: The Road to LoveThe last bus was leaving.

Anika sprinted across the station, her breath ragged, heart pounding. Her duffel bag slammed against her side as she pushed through the late-night crowd. The driver was already closing the doors.

“Wait!” she gasped, reaching the bus just in time. The doors hissed open, and she climbed aboard, collapsing into the nearest seat.

She was going to stop a wedding.

Arjun’s wedding.

The thought sent a shiver through her, not from exhaustion, but from fear. Would he still love her? Would he even listen?

She had met Arjun five years ago in Mumbai. She was an aspiring journalist, and he was the dreamy-eyed architect who lived in the apartment below hers. Love had been easy then—morning coffees turned into midnight conversations, stolen glances became lingering touches. But life wasn’t a love story. It was a tangled road of missed calls, career ambitions, and pride that kept them apart.

And now, he was about to marry someone else.

Anika clenched her fists. If she didn’t try now, she’d regret it forever.

The bus jerked forward, rolling out of the station. She had a hundred miles to reach him.

The Roadblocks of LoveThirty miles in, the bus broke down.

Anika groaned. Fate wasn’t on her side tonight. She glanced at her watch—she had less than six hours before the ceremony.

Desperation surged in her chest. She wouldn’t give up. Not now.

She spotted a lone biker by the roadside, adjusting his helmet. Without a second thought, she rushed over.

“Hey! Can you give me a ride?” she blurted out.

The man turned, his sharp eyes narrowing. “Excuse me?”

“I need to get to Pune, fast,” she begged. “It’s… it’s a matter of love.”

A flicker of amusement crossed his face. “Love, huh?” He hesitated for a moment, then sighed. “Alright, hop on.”

The Ride with a StrangerHis name was Kabir. He was a traveler, someone who never stayed in one place for too long.

“You’re chasing a man about to marry someone else,” he mused as they sped down the highway. “Sounds like a Bollywood film.”

Anika laughed bitterly. “It feels like one too.”

Kabir glanced at her through the rearview mirror. “And what if he chooses her?”

The question struck deep.

For a moment, Anika was silent. Was she really prepared for the possibility that Arjun had moved on? That her love, her journey, was one-sided?

“I just need to see him,” she whispered. “Even if he chooses her, I need to know that I tried.”

Kabir didn’t say anything, but his grip on the handlebars tightened.

The Final MileBy dawn, they reached Pune.

The wedding venue was a grand hall, adorned with golden lights. Anika’s heart pounded as she stood at the entrance.

“You’ve got this,” Kabir said softly.

She took a deep breath and stepped inside.

Arjun was at the altar. Dressed in ivory and gold, he looked breathtaking. But it wasn’t his attire that made her stomach clench—it was the look in his eyes when he saw her.

Shock. Pain. Longing.

The world faded as they stared at each other.

“Arjun…” she whispered.

His bride-to-be followed his gaze, then sighed. “Go.”

Everyone gasped.

Anika turned to her, eyes wide.

“I’ve always known,” the woman said with a sad smile. “Some loves don’t end. They just… lose their way.”

Arjun hesitated for a moment, then walked towards Anika. “Why now?” His voice was raw. “Why, after all this time?”

Tears burned in her eyes. “Because I was scared. Because I was stupid. But mostly… because I never stopped loving you.”

Silence. Then, Arjun smiled—a smile that had once been hers and, she realized, still was.

Love had never been a straight road for them. It had been full of detours, breakdowns, and strangers who helped along the way.

But somehow, they had made it home.