When Stars Align: Chapter 8

Chapter 8: The Smile That Faded

After the dinner date with Dhaval, Anamika stepped into her room with a soft, beautiful smile painted across her face. Her heart felt light, her soul alive. Only one name echoed in her thoughts—Dhaval, Dhaval, Dhaval. She chuckled softly, catching her reflection in the mirror.

“Are you crazy?” she whispered to herself, amused.

A voice inside her answered back, Yeah… crazy, but in love.

Her fingers touched her lips as she remembered the laughter, the stories, the way Dhaval looked at her—like she was the only one in the room. Her heart fluttered. A thought flickered in her mind—Should I propose to him? Or should I wait?

She hesitated. He will propose… right? But her excitement made it difficult to wait. After much thought, she decided—I’ll set up another dinner and tell him myself.

The next day, with anticipation sparkling in her eyes, she dialed Dhaval’s number. No answer.

She sent a message: “Hey! Last night was amazing. Want to meet again soon?”

No reply.

She waited. Minutes turned into hours. The message remained unread. Worry crept in.


---

Meanwhile…

The beeping of machines filled the ICU. Dhaval stood frozen at the door, watching helplessly as doctors and nurses rushed around his mother. Each sound of the monitor pierced his chest. His hands were trembling, heart pounding like thunder. It felt like he was in a dream—a terrible, paralyzing dream.

Tubes, wires, doctors’ tense faces—it was all too real.

His eyes turned to his father. The strong man he had always known now sat like a hollow shell. He wasn’t crying, but pain bled through his silence. Anyone could see—his heart was.

Two hours passed like a slow, cruel eternity.

Finally, a specialist arrived. Time blurred.

Then, the main doctor came out, removing his cap and gloves.

“She’s out of danger,” he said, “but we need to keep her under observation for the next 24 hours.”

Dhaval's legs gave way slightly under him as tears filled his eyes. But this time, they weren’t just of pain—they held a flicker of hope.

Just then, his father walked up to him, gently placing a hand on his head. “Don’t worry now,” he whispered, voice cracked but calming, “everything will be good.”


---

But even as the storm inside Dhaval calmed a little…

Anamika sat by her window, phone clutched in her hand. The night had passed. So had the morning. Her message stayed unread. Her lips quivered.

No calls. No texts. Not even a “Hey.”

Her heartbeat raced.

What if something’s wrong? What if he’s hurt? Or…

She shook her head, fighting the darkness in her mind.

Yet, as the hours dragged, her worry turned into fear.

And across the city, Dhaval stood silently in the corridor, unaware of the heart waiting for him… and unsure of what the next hour might bring.


---

Stay tuned… Chapter 9: When Silence Speaks Louder is coming soon.
Some hearts wait in fear, others beat in love—will fate bring answers, or more silence?