Farhan gazed at the woman seated across from him, struggling to comprehend that she was truly there in person.
Nikita absentmindedly twirled a strand of hair that brushed against her forehead, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon.
He was overwhelmed by the unexpected convergence of their paths, especially in Athens, so far from their homes. A rush of memories flooded his mind, and he took a deep breath, breaking into a smile. As always, Nikita remained composed, her face adorned with a constant smile.
The universe had fulfilled its promise to him, he mused, fidgeting with his shirt collar and taking a sip of his margarita. Finally, a proper farewell!
"How have you been, Nikki?" he asked eagerly, his eyes brimming with anticipation.
"Fairly good. I got married to Kunal two years ago. We have a hyperactive kid," she replied with a grin.
His heart leaped at the sight of her in the local supermarket. He stood rooted to the spot, completely disoriented. It took him a while to snap out of his daze and realize that it was indeed his Nikki standing before him.
After the initial shock, Nikita managed to say, "Farhaan, let's meet at the Terrasa cafe tomorrow. It's time we did."
He spent the entire night watching the clock, urging time to hasten its pace.
Sitting with her in the charming cafe overlooking the deep blue sea, he could hear the pounding of his own heart.
They engaged in small talk about their careers. He learned that she was on a family vacation in Greece while he was attending a conference there.
I may never get another chance like this. Don't waste time. Talk to her!
"Nikki, it's time to find closure for the unresolved wounds. I've been in constant pain all these years, unable to stop thinking about you every moment," he confessed.
"Why is it always about you, Farhaan?" she retorted, her eyes demanding an answer.
"What do you mean? Shouldn't I express how I feel?" he replied.
"Right! As usual, it's all about you, Mr. Perfect?" she said, her eyes piercing.
It felt like an old wound had been reopened.
"Is that what you think I am — 'perfect'? Ha! What a joke. If I were, I would have forgotten you instead of yearning to see you again every single moment," he retorted.
"I always believed you were Mr. Perfect. It used to overwhelm me. I wondered why you couldn't be as flawed and human as the rest of us," she reflected.
"You were like a mirror to me, Nikki. With you, I saw my flaws and weaknesses. You made me confront my reality," he said.
She pushed her fork through the Greek salad, lost in thought.
"Nikki, you never truly opened up to me. I could sense your walls and tried so hard to break them down. I was left in the dark, having to guess everything and make decisions on my own. Why couldn't you tell me what you truly wanted?" he questioned.
"You knew, Farhaan, that I struggle with self-love. You expected more from me than I could give. It felt like your love for me came with conditions," she explained.
His jaw dropped. It was far from true, but her perception of him wounded him deeply. She was sharing all of this now! It was too late, he thought, but at least it would help heal and cleanse their wounds.
"I have done a lot of introspection. Yes, I admit I pushed too hard. I couldn't comprehend why you wouldn't want to spend more time with me. It felt like you were avoiding me," he admitted.
"I know you meant well, but your emotions overwhelmed me. I couldn't keep up. I was afraid that I would become irritated with you and that you wouldn't give me space to breathe," she confessed.
"Is that true, Nikki? Did I not give you space? I was even willing to be just friends. All I wanted was to stay in touch and occasionally meet. Physical love became secondary to me because of the intense soul connection I felt with you," he pleaded.
"All you cared about was having your feelings reciprocated. It was selfish of you," Nikita said, averting her gaze.
"Don't we all have some degree of selfishness? I was the one trying all the time to make things work. If only you had let me in and expressed your true feelings, I would have understood. I am a reasonable man. But you never gave me a hint about what you were thinking. You simply smiled with pursed lips," he expressed his consternation.
"Farhaan, I assumed you understood me — what I wanted and what I didn't. You know I struggle with words, so I hoped you would understand without me having to spell it out," she reasoned.
"Am I a magician, Nikki? Am I supposed to be a mind reader to know everything? You give me too much credit. I am an ordinary man with many weaknesses to overcome," Farhaan said, feeling perplexed.
"No, you're not ordinary," Nikita said, leaning forward, her face filled with emotion. "I thought you were too good for me. You didn't deserve me."
"Hush, Nikki. Ask me what you mean to me," he whispered.
"No, Farhaan, I was afraid I couldn't give you the love you desired. I was scared that one day you would grow tired of me and leave me for someone who could love you the way you wanted," she confessed.
Farhaan was stunned. Oh, how foolish he had been, he realized. He prided himself on understanding human psychology, yet he failed to grasp what his Nikita must have been going through. He slumped back in his chair.
"Oh, Nikki. Oh, my love. Did I make you feel that way? I must have. I could have done so much better. But I didn't," Farhaan said, placing his hands on his head. His eyes grew red, and he felt himself teetering on the edge.
"Why didn't you try to talk to me, Farhaan? When you knew I was avoiding you, you could have confronted me about it," she questioned.
They had ended their relationship after 18 months together. However, Farhaan couldn't bear the separation and reached out to her for reconciliation. But she remained hesitant.
"I wrote emails and sent voice messages. I was torn apart, trying to win you back. Why did you never reply to me, Nikki?" he asked, fighting back tears that threatened to overflow.
"Because they didn't feel genuine to me," she replied.
Upon hearing this, the floodgates opened, and he began to sob.
"You believed that only you could love perfectly, and I should be grateful for it. Should I have messaged you instantly?" Nikita said, pushing the boundaries.
Her words reverberated in his mind as he wiped away his tears and looked away, trying to process her outburst.
Shaking her head, she continued, "I am so sorry, my Panda. You don't deserve this. You did your best. I was the one running away and being reclusive. What could you have done?"
She affectionately called him "Panda," a name that became synonymous with love for him. Whenever he saw a picture of a panda, he yearned for her deeply and craved her love.
"Nikki, I was terrified to ask you anything because you were always so silent. You never seemed comfortable discussing emotions. I didn't want to upset you. Every day, I woke up thinking you would leave me. I'm shocked to learn that we shared the same fears," he confessed, biting down on his lips.
"I might appear strong, but I have my inner demons to battle with. My mom abandoned me for three years when I was two. I was so insecure, thinking that you no longer loved me and that you would leave me just like she did. So before you broke up with me, I acted first to escape the pain of you leaving me. If I had thought rationally and talked it out with you... perhaps we would still be..." he trailed off, his voice filled with regret.
"There was never a time when I stopped loving you, Panda," she said, shaking her head vigorously.
"I wish we had this conversation a long time ago, Nikki."
"Yes, but we wouldn't have grown so much internally. I worked on my weaknesses and have become much more mature," she replied with a faint smile.
"I wonder why the universe plays such games with people like us who have good intentions but cannot be together."
"After my grandpa's death, I was shattered by the loss, Farhaan. When you came into my life and told me it was destiny, I fully opened my heart to you."
Nikita had experienced the loss of her grandfather at the age of 14. She felt helpless and deeply pained. Since then, she had vowed never to get close to anyone until she met Farhaan.
"I could sense the purity of your love, Nikki. That's why I was so drawn to you. I could easily forget my past relationships, but not you. Even after all these years, my love for you continues to grow," he expressed.
"I used to wonder why you loved me so much, Farhaan. I was so consumed by self-loathing that I didn't want to burden you. I was afraid of disappointing you and becoming a burden," she choked out.
Farhaan couldn't believe the heartfelt words coming from Nikita. His Nikki had always been shy about expressing her feelings. Yet here she was, drenching him with emotions.
"Oh, my love. We have both endured so much pain," Farhaan said, rising from his seat and sitting beside her.
"We have both grown tremendously during this time," he said, taking her hand in his. "You know, one day I happened to read about Twin Souls/Twin Flames, and I became certain that we are twins. They are true mirrors of each other," he said, his enthusiasm perking up about his favorite topic.
"You mean we see our flaws and what we aspire to be in each other?" she asked.
"Yes. The universe separates us so that we can learn self-love and find wholeness within ourselves. I have become so much stronger and better than before," he explained.
"I agree. I have done a lot of inner work on myself."
"Don't you see, Nikki? Out of all the places on Earth, we met in Athens because I believe we were ready for it."
"I have gone through turmoil all these years, Panda. But I slowly understood what was missing within me. You truly showed me the mirror. It all makes sense now," she said, gently caressing his hand.
"Twins don't always stay together. They teach each other life lessons and then part ways. That's what happened with us," Farhaan said, relieved that she was understanding him.
"Yes, Farhaan. I read about twin flames, and it seems so true in our case. We are complete opposites. Our age difference, religion, food habits, and upbringing are quite different," she acknowledged.
"Nikki, the knowledge of twin souls is what kept me going through the agony of these past years. I knew in my heart that we would meet again. I desperately wished for a proper goodbye," he expressed.
"When my mom discovered our picture together, she was furious. I was angry with myself and with you for bringing all of this into my life. So I decided to never see you again," she revealed.
Nikita's mother had found their picture and raised hell over their religious differences. Since then, she had diligently avoided him, despite his attempts to contact her. He had even gone to her office, but she turned him away.
"Did that bring you any peace?"
Nikki's knuckles turned white as she tightened her grip on the arm of the chair, reminiscing about those days.
"When you left for Dublin, I completely fell apart," she sobbed.
After a whirlwind romance that lasted four months, Farhaan had to leave for Dublin for a job opportunity.
"You knew I would be moving when we met," he remarked.
"Yes, but I didn't know that I would fall so deeply in love. The separation tore me apart. I couldn't cope with your absence," she confessed.
Farhaan resigned from his job and returned to Nikita nine months later. However, she had started pushing him away mentally, afraid that he might leave again. Throughout his return, she felt confused and avoided meeting him.
"I understand, sweetheart. You were conflicted. You began to detach from me. You felt that I had abandoned you, and the pain caused you to drift further away," he acknowledged.
"Yes, there I was, thinking this guy left me to go to another country, with a nice job and a family. And here I am, all alone, crying for him. I felt miserable and left out," she confessed, tears streaming down her face.
"But I did come back, only for you. I gave up my job to be with you in Bangalore," he reminded her.
"Yes, but the feeling that you would leave again never went away. I couldn't bear the thought, so I decided that blocking you was the only solution," she said, her voice trembling with emotion.
"I misunderstood you and felt angry, Nikki. I thought you no longer loved me and were avoiding me. I would wake up in a cold sweat, thinking that one day you would break up with me," he admitted.
"Instead, it was you who broke up with meFarhaan and Nikki had ended their relationship after being together for 18 months. However, Farhaan couldn't handle the separation and tried reaching out to Nikki to reconcile. But Nikki remained hesitant.
"I wrote emails and sent voice messages. I was torn apart, doing everything I could to win you back. Why didn't you ever reply to me, Nikki?" he asked, struggling to hold back his tears.
"Because they didn't feel genuine to me," she replied.
Upon hearing this, his emotions overwhelmed him, and he began to sob.
"You believed that only you were capable of perfect love, and I should be grateful for it. Should I have messaged you right away?" Nikki said, pushing the boundaries of their conversation.
Her words echoed in his mind as he wiped away his tears and looked away, trying to process her outburst.
Shaking her head, she continued, "I am so sorry, my Panda. You don't deserve this. You did your best. It was me who was running away and being reclusive. What could you have done?"
She affectionately called him "Panda," a name that became synonymous with love for him. Every time he saw a picture of a panda, he would long for her intensely and yearn for her love.
"Nikki, I was terrified to ask you anything because you were always so silent. You never seemed comfortable discussing emotions. I didn't want to upset you. Every day, I woke up with the fear that you would leave me. I'm shocked to learn that we shared the same fears," he confessed, biting his lip.
"I might appear strong, but I have my inner demons to battle. My mom abandoned me for three years when I was two. I was so insecure, thinking that you would stop loving me and leave, just like she did. So before you broke up with me, I acted first to escape the pain of you leaving me. If I had thought rationally and talked it out with you... maybe we would still be..." he trailed off, his voice filled with regret.
"There was never a time when I stopped loving you, Panda," she said, shaking her head vigorously.
"I wish we had this conversation a long time ago, Nikki."
"Yes, but we wouldn't have grown so much internally. I worked on my weaknesses and have become much more mature," she said with a faint smile.
"I wonder why the universe plays such games with people like us, who have good intentions but can't be together."
"After my grandpa's death, I was shattered by the loss, Farhaan. When you came into my life and told me it was destiny, I fully opened my heart to you."
Nikita had experienced the loss of her grandfather at the age of 14. She felt helpless and deeply pained. Since then, she had vowed never to get close to anyone until she met Farhaan.
"I could sense the purity of your love, Nikki. That's why I was so drawn to you. I could easily forget my past relationships, but not you. Even after all these years, my love for you continues to grow," he expressed.
"I used to wonder why you loved me so much, Farhaan. I was so consumed by self-loathing that I didn't want to burden you. I was afraid of disappointing you and becoming a burden," she choked out.
Farhaan couldn't believe the heartfelt words coming from Nikita. His Nikki had always been shy about expressing her feelings. Yet here she was, pouring out her emotions.
"Oh, my love. We have both endured so much pain," Farhaan said, rising from his seat and sitting beside her.
"We have both grown tremendously during this time," he said, taking her hand in his. "You know, one day I happened to read about Twin Souls/Twin Flames, and I became certain that we are twins. They are true mirrors of each other," he said, his enthusiasm perking up about his favorite topic.
"You mean we see our flaws and what we aspire to be in each other?" she asked.
"Yes. The universe separates us so that we can learn self-love and find wholeness within ourselves. I have become so much stronger and better than before," he explained.
"I agree. I have done a lot of inner work on myself."
"Don't you see, Nikki? Out of all the places on Earth, we met in Athens because I believe we were ready for it."
"I have gone through turmoil all these years, Panda. But I slowly understood what was missing within me. You truly showed me the mirror. It all makes sense now," she said, gently caressing his hand.
"Twins don't always stay together. They teach each other life lessons and then part ways. That's what happened with us," Farhaan said, relieved that she was understanding him.
"Yes, Farhaan. I read about twin flames, and it seems so true in our case. We are complete opposites. Our age difference, religion, food habits, and upbringing are quite different," she acknowledged.
"Nikki, the knowledge of twin souls is what kept me going through the agony of these past years. I knew in my heart that we would meet again. I desperately wished for a proper goodbye," he expressed.
"When my mom discovered our picture together, she was furious. I was angry with myself and with you for bringing all of this into my life. So I decided to never see you again," she revealed.
Nikita's mother had found their picture and caused a scene over their religious differences. Since then, she had diligently avoided him, despite his attempts to contact her. He had even gone to her office, but she turned him away.
"Did that bring you any peace?"
Nikki's knuckles turned white as she tightened her grip on the arm of the chair, recalling those days.
"When you left for Dublin, I completely fell apart," she sobbed.
After a whirlwind romance that lasted four months, Farhaan had to leave for Dublin for a job opportunity.
"You knew I would be moving when we met," he reminded her.
"Yes, but I didn't know that I would fall so deeply in love. The separation tore me apart. I couldn't cope with your absence," she confessed.
Farhaan resigned from his job and returned to Nikita nine months later. However, she had started pushing him away mentally, afraid that he might leave again. Throughout his return, she felt confused and avoided meeting him.
"I understand, sweetheart. You were conflicted. You began to detach from me. You felt that I had abandoned you, and the pain caused you to drift further away," he acknowledged.
"Yes, there I was, thinking this guy left me to go to another country, with a nice job and a family. And here I am, all alone, crying for him. I felt miserable and left out," she confessed, tears streaming down her face.
"But I did come back, only for you. I gave up my job to be with you in Bangalore," he reminded her.
"Yes, but the feeling that you would leave again never went away. I couldn't bear the thought, so I decided that blocking you was the only solution," she said, her voice trembling with emotion.
"I misunderstood you and felt angry, Nikki. I thought you no longer loved me and were avoiding me. I would wake up in a cold sweat, thinking that one day you would break up with me," he admitted they had separated after being together for 18 months. However, Farhaan couldn't handle the breakup and reached out to Nikki for reconciliation. But she was hesitant to respond.
"I sent emails and voice messages, desperately trying to win you back. Why didn't you ever reply to me, Nikki?" he said, fighting back tears that threatened to flow.
"Because they didn't feel genuine to me," she replied.
Upon hearing this, he couldn't hold back his emotions, and he began to sob.
"You believed that only you could love perfectly, and I should be grateful for it. Should I have messaged you immediately?" Nikki said, pushing the limits.
Her words resonated in his mind as he wiped away his tears and looked away, trying to process her outburst.
Shaking her head, she continued, "I'm so sorry, my Panda. You don't deserve this. You did your best. It was me who was running away and isolating myself. What could you have done?"
She affectionately called him "Panda," a name that became a symbol of love for him. Whenever he saw a picture of a panda, he missed her deeply and longed for her love.
"Nikki, I was terrified to ask you anything because you were always so silent. You never seemed comfortable talking about emotions. I didn't want to upset you. Every day, I woke up fearing that you would leave me. I'm shocked to learn that we shared the same fears," he confessed, biting his lip.
"I may seem strong, but I have my inner demons to battle. My mom abandoned me for three years when I was two. I was so insecure, thinking that you would stop loving me and leave, just like she did. So before you broke up with me, I acted first to escape the pain of you leaving me. If I had thought rationally and talked it out with you... maybe we would still be..." his voice trailed off, filled with regret.
"There was never a time when I stopped loving you, Panda," she said, vigorously shaking her head.
"I wish we had this conversation a long time ago, Nikki."
"Yes, but we wouldn't have grown so much internally. I worked on my weaknesses and have become much more mature," she said, faintly smiling.
"I wonder why the universe plays such games with people like us, who have good intentions but can't be together."
"After my grandpa's death, I was shattered by the loss, Farhaan. When you came into my life and told me it was destiny, I fully opened my heart to you."
Nikita had experienced the loss of her grandfather at the age of 14. She felt helpless and deeply pained. Since then, she had vowed never to get close to anyone until she met Farhaan.
"I could sense the purity of your love, Nikki. That's why I was so drawn to you. I could easily forget my past relationships, but not you. Even after all these years, my love for you continues to grow," he expressed.
"I used to wonder why you loved me so much, Farhaan. I was so consumed by self-loathing that I didn't want to burden you. I was afraid of disappointing you and becoming a burden," she choked out.
Farhaan couldn't believe the heartfelt words coming from Nikita. His Nikki had always been shy about expressing her feelings. Yet here she was, pouring out her emotions.
"Oh, my love. We have both endured so much pain," Farhaan said, rising from his seat and sitting beside her.
"We have both grown tremendously during this time," he said, taking her hand in his. "You know, one day I happened to read about Twin Souls/Twin Flames, and I became certain that we are twins. They are true mirrors of each other," he said, his enthusiasm perking up about his favorite topic.
"You mean we see our flaws and what we aspire to be in each other?" she asked.
"Yes. The universe separates us so that we can learn self-love and find wholeness within ourselves. I have become so much stronger and better than before," he explained.
"I agree. I have done a lot of inner work on myself."
"Don't you see, Nikki? Out of all the places on Earth, we met in Athens because I believe we were ready for it."
"I have gone through turmoil all these years, Panda. But I slowly understood what was missing within me. You truly showed me the mirror. It all makes sense now," she said, gently caressing his hand.
"Twins don't always stay together. They teach each other life lessons and then part ways. That's what happened with us," Farhaan said, relieved that she was understanding him.
"Yes, Farhaan. I read about twin flames, and it seems so true in our case. We are complete opposites. Our age difference, religion, food habits, and upbringing are quite different," she acknowledged.
"Nikki, the knowledge of twin souls is what kept me going through the agony of these past years. I knew in my heart that we would meet again. I desperately wished for a proper goodbye," he expressed.
"When my mom discovered our picture together, she was furious. I was angry with myself and with you for bringing all of this into my life. So I decided to never see you again," she revealed.
Nikita's mother had found their picture and caused a scene over their religious differences. Since then, she had diligently avoided him, despite his attempts to contact her. He had even gone to her office, but she turned him away.
"Did that bring you any peace?"
Nikki's knuckles turned white as she tightened her grip on the arm of the chair, recalling those days.
"When you left for Dublin, I completely fell apart," she sobbed.
After a whirlwind romance that lasted four months, Farhaan had to leave for Dublin for a job opportunity.
"You knew I would be moving when we met," he reminded her.
"Yes, but I didn't know that I would fall so deeply in love. The separation tore me apart. I couldn't cope with your absence," she confessed.
Farhaan resigned from his job and returned to Nikita nine months later. However, she had started pushing him away mentally, afraid that he might leave again. Throughout his return, she felt confused and avoided meeting him.
"I understand, sweetheart. You were conflicted. You began to detach from me. You felt that I had abandoned you, and the pain caused you to drift further away," he acknowledged.
"Yes, there I was, thinking this guy left me to go to another country, with a nice job and a family. And here I am, all alone, crying for him. I felt miserable and left out," she confessed, tears streaming down her face.
"But I did come back, only for you. I gave up my job to be with you in Bangalore," he reminded her.
"Yes, but the feeling that you would leave again never went away. I couldn't bear the thought, so I decided that blocking you was the only solution," she said, her voice trembling with emotion.
"I misunderstood you and felt angry, Nikki. I thought you no longer loved me and were avoiding me. I would wake up in a cold sweat, thinking that one day you would break up with me," he admitted.
You know how strict my parents are. They monitored my every move."
"What you've been through is much more than what I had to deal with, Nikki."
After the breakup, they attempted to reconcile and give their relationship another chance.
"Why didn't it work the second time, Farhaan?"
"I was tired of chasing after you. I was done and wanted to let you be."
"But I waited for you."
"I know. You got used to me pursuing you. You were always the one running away."
"I tried to change myself, but the effort overwhelmed me, so I closed up. I thought that by staying silent, I could avoid hurting you even more."
"I could see all the walls you had built around yourself, Nikki. I wanted to break them down, but we never reached that stage."
"You are a very impatient man."
"Agreed. It has caused me a lot of trouble, including losing you," he said, gently tucking a strand of her hair behind her ears. "Nikki, if you hadn't kept your lips sealed and told me how you felt and what you wanted, I wouldn't have pushed you so hard."
"I believed my silence would make the problems disappear," she paused, contemplating what to say next. "By the way, Kunal is a wonderful husband. I feel genuinely happy with him and our child," she said with a mischievous smile, clearly aiming to evoke his envy.
"That makes me so jealous," he laughed boyishly. "Well, he might be your soulmate, but I am your twin soul," he grinned. "With soulmates, relationships are usually happy, but with twins, it's often a fiery and stormy connection, just like the two of us."
She giggled with a refreshing innocence. A deep sense of relief seemed to wash over both of them as they felt liberated from their pain. The atmosphere relaxed as if a tremendous burden had been lifted. The air felt light, refreshed by the sea breeze.
Just then, her phone rang. She placed a finger on her lips and whispered, "It's Kunal."
"Hi, baby. Yeah, I'm still at the Acropolis Museum. It'll take another hour... Yes, honey, I will. Yes... Yes... ha ha ha... Sure. See you soon. Love you too."
Farhaan's heart raced wildly. He looked at Nikita with a desolate expression. "What happens now, Nikki?"
She sighed. "I can't understand. I love Kunal deeply, but you are always in the background of my life, no matter what I do or who I am with. I don't know how to deal with this."
"Do you think it has been easy for me? I feel guilty too when I'm with my wife. All I can think about is you."
"But we also know that we can never be together again."
"After discovering that you truly are my twin soul, it doesn't matter to me whether we are united physically or not. What matters is that our connection in the emotional and spiritual realm is stronger."
"What do we do now, my Panda?"
"Let destiny guide us. It brought us together here, and it will know what to do with us next."
He looked at her through misty eyes. Her fingers rested on his wrist. The moment felt surreal as everything else blurred in the background. Their gazes locked onto each other, like staring into a crystal-clear mirror. Her lips trembled. The magnetic charm of their presence blended. Time faded as they continued to mesmerize each other with their gaze.
Their vibrations infused their bond with energy. He drew closer and softly kissed her lips. Sweetness enveloped them, and their bodies felt weightless.
Farhaan felt an overwhelming sense of elation as his chest expanded, filled with all the happiness in the world. She took a deep breath, flushed with joy at their reunion.
"What we experienced was a profound union of the twins. We didn't even need physicality. It was solely based on our feelings."
They sat there, holding hands, their energies flowing into each other, while the gentle wind caressed their faces.
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