"Kavya..." I whispered. My hand gripped the handle at the last second, but it was too late.
The jet clipped the top of the giant trees. The sound was like a thousand windows breaking at once. There was a blinding flash of orange fire, a roar that drowned out the world, and then, nothing. Everything was pitch black.
_________
Chapter 45
KAVYA
The walk back from the academy was quiet, the crisp air of Switzerland clinging to my skin. Basel was alluring, almost like a dream I hadn't quite woken up from yet. Even though it had only been a month, the cobblestone streets and the rhythmic flow of the Rhine made me feel as if I had lived here for ages.
I was enjoying this new life, or at least, I was trying to. But I would be lying if I said I didn't miss them. Every evening, the silence of my apartment reminded me of my friends and my husband. I had cut ties with everyone back home; no one had my new contact information except Abhiraj. He had visited me three weeks ago, a brief bridge to a life I had left behind, but since then, the silence had returned.
Suddenly, a sharp ache of longing hit me. I wanted to see Saurav. I wanted to hear his voice, even if it was just to hear him say my name. Abhiraj had mentioned that Saurav visited his office the very day I left, and for a moment, a tiny flame of hope had ignited in my chest. I foolishly thought he would chase me. I imagined him landing in this country, searching every street corner until he found me.
But he didn't come.
The hope was slowly being replaced by a cold realization: maybe he had moved on. Maybe, in his world, I was already playing the role of air.
I pulled my keys from my purse, the metal cold against my palm, and opened the door to my apartment. People here might call it small, but to me, it felt like a sanctuary. It was big enough for me to dance when I was happy, to sing when I was lonely, and it even had a small corner for the plants I was trying to keep alive.
I dropped my bag on the sofa and slumped into the cushions, exhausted. My hand moved instinctively to my phone. I opened the gallery, scrolling until I found the folder from Bali.
The screen glowed with images of us. In those videos, Saurav looked so happy, so incredibly alive. Looking at his smile felt like looking at a sun that had already set. A wave of "what ifs" washed over me, heavier than usual. I wished I had chosen to tell him the truth. I wished I hadn't been so focused on the competition. I wished I had spent more time with Mr. Chauhan and my sister while I still had the chance.
My life was a map of regrets, but as I stared at Saurav’s face, I knew there was one thing I would never regret: marrying him. Even if our time was limited to two years, those were the best years of my life. That was my golden era.
I swiped to the photos of my sister, and the breath hitched in my throat. My chest felt tight, a familiar physical pain blooming behind my ribs. Seeing her lying in that hospital bed broke me all over again. I had moved across the world thinking I could save her, thinking I could find a way to get her out of that bed. I didn't know she would stay there forever. The doctors had warned me that her chances were slim, but I had taken the risk anyway. Now, it felt like it had all been in vain.
I should have tried harder,I whispered to the empty room.
I scrolled further to a photo of Mr. Chauhan. It was taken the night he took me to a party and introduced me to everyone with such pride. He did exactly what a father was supposed to do. He was the warmest, kindest man I had ever known, more of a father to me than my own ever was.
Finally, I looked at the photos of Avni, Noor, Rhea, and Ira. My girls. The distance between Switzerland and India felt like a thousand miles of lead. I missed them so much it hurt.
The screen suddenly changed. An incoming call from Abhiraj flashed across the display. I answered immediately, a strange sense of dread settling in my stomach.
"Kavya… "
The moment I heard his voice, I knew something was wrong. It wasn't his usual calm tone; it was thick with tension.
"Yes? Abhiraj, what is it?"
"It's Saurav… " He paused, taking a long, shaky breath. "Actually, Saurav’s jet…"
His voice trailed off, leaving a terrifying silence on the line.
"What about his jet?" I asked, standing up from the sofa. My heart began to race, my fingers gripping the phone so hard they turned white. "Abhiraj, tell me!"
"It was in Assam," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "During training... his jet crashed."
The world seemed to stop. The air in my apartment turned into ice. "What?"
"Kavya, listen to me… "
"Are you joking, Abhiraj?" I cut him off, my voice rising in desperation. I couldn't breathe. "If this is a joke, it’s the worst thing you’ve ever said. It’s not funny. Stop it."
"You need to come home," Abhiraj said, and the finality in his voice was louder than any scream. "You need to come to India, Kavya. Now."