WHEN YOU READ THIS, I'M GONE
( – The Last Night)
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CHAPTER 9 – THE NIGHT HE CHOSE TO LEAVE
The clock ticked softly in Aarush's room. It was 2:13 a.m., the kind of silent night where even the air felt heavy.
Aarush sat on his bed, legs pulled to his chest, staring at the wooden box under it.
The box was overflowing now—fifty-six letters, each beginning with "Riya, I love you."
He pulled it out slowly, running his fingers over the lid.
One by one, he opened each letter, reading them in the dim light. His own words stared back at him, filled with love, longing, and quiet desperation.
He smiled sadly. "You idiot," he whispered to himself. "You wrote all this… and she'll never read them."
But he didn't cry. He had cried enough over the years. Tonight, there was only… peace.
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CHAPTER 10 – THE FINAL RITUAL
He stood and walked to his desk, taking a blank page. His hands didn't shake. His heart didn't race. He wrote the final letter with slow, deliberate strokes, his handwriting neat despite the weight of the words.
When he finished, he placed it in an envelope, writing her name carefully: Riya.
Then he arranged the letters inside the box, placing the final one on top.
He took one last look at them, whispering, "You'll read them now, Riya. You'll finally know."
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CHAPTER 11 – THE LAST MOMENTS
The rain had started again outside, soft at first, then harder. Aarush opened the window, letting the cold breeze in.
He sat back on his bed, holding the small bottle of sleeping pills in his hand. He had bought them quietly a week ago, just in case he couldn't take it anymore.
Now, they sat heavy in his palm, like a choice he had already made long ago.
He lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to the rain. His thoughts drifted—not to death, but to her.
He remembered the first day they met in the rain. Her laughter. The way she called him her favorite person. The way she hugged him tightly at her birthday, whispering, "You're the best friend I could ever ask for."
And for the first time in weeks, he smiled—really smiled.
Because at least he had loved her. At least he got to exist in her world, even if only as a shadow.
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CHAPTER 12 – GOODBYE
He opened the bottle, poured the pills into his hand, and whispered, "I hope you smile for me, Riya. Just once. That'll be enough."
Then, without hesitation, he swallowed them, one by one, washing them down with water.
He lay down, pulling the blanket over himself. His eyes grew heavier, his breathing slower.
As sleep pulled him under, his last thought was of her smile—the one that had saved him once, long ago, and now was the last thing he'd ever see in his mind.
His lips curled into a faint, peaceful smile.
And then… silence.
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THE END OF AARUSH
(For the world, it was just a quiet death. But for him—it was finally peace.)
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