love you to the moon

Chapter 10

zia. utkarsh

21 January

Zia stared at the delicate petals of the cherry blossom tree, their soft pink hue mirroring the conflict within her heart. The garden, once a sanctuary of their shared dreams and whispered promises, now felt like a mausoleum of what could have been.

Utkarsh stood a few steps away, his silhouette cutting through the dappled sunlight that filtered through the leaves. His voice, when it finally came, was measured and distant, as if spoken from across an unbridgeable chasm.

"I think we need to talk, Zia."

Her heart skipped a beat. She knew this day might come, but she had hoped against hope that their love would weather any storm. She turned to face him, her eyes searching his for a hint of the boy she had fallen for beneath the laughter and late-night conversations.

"What is it, Utkarsh?" Her voice trembled, betraying the façade of calm she struggled to maintain.

He took a deep breath, as if steeling himself for what was to come. "I don't think we should be together anymore."

The words hit her like a physical blow. She felt the world tilt on its axis, threatening to send her spiraling into the unknown. "But why? What happened?"

Utkarsh looked away, his jaw tightening with unspoken emotion. "It's... it's not you, Zia. It's me. I just... I don't think I can give you what you deserve. I've been feeling like... like I'm holding you back."

Zia felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes, hot and stinging. She had sensed a growing distance between them, moments where he seemed lost in thought, but she had chalked it up to stress or a passing phase. Now, faced with his confession, she realized how blind she had been.

"You're not holding me back, Utkarsh," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the rustling of leaves. "You are my anchor, my partner in every dream I've ever had."

He shook his head sadly, his eyes clouded with regret. "I can't be that for you anymore, Zia. I'm sorry."

She wanted to scream, to shake him and make him see the depth of her love, but the words lodged in her throat like bitter bile. Instead, she took a step closer, reaching out to touch his arm. He flinched slightly, as if her touch burned him.

"I don't want this," she murmured, her voice breaking. "I don't want to lose you."

Utkarsh closed his eyes briefly, a pained expression crossing his features. "I know," he replied softly. "But maybe... maybe it's for the best."

The silence that followed was heavy with unsaid words and shattered dreams. Zia felt the weight of their love pressing down on her chest, crushing her with its intensity. She turned away, unable to bear the sight of him standing there, so close yet impossibly far.

As she walked away from the garden that had once been their haven, Zia clung to the fragile hope that maybe, someday, they would find their way back to each other. But for now, all she could do was mourn the loss of a love that had been as fleeting and fragile as the petals scattered at her feet.