"Say It Before It’s Too Late"

Aryan had always been the quiet one. Not shy exactly, but careful with his words. He believed that some feelings were too big for sentences, especially the ones he held for Zara

Zara, on the other hand, was full of life. Confident, fearless, the kind of girl who lit up any room she entered. She and Aryan were best friends since childhood. But he had always loved her — quietly, deeply — from the shadows.

He watched her laugh, grow, dream… and fall for the wrong people.

One day, they had a small fight — something silly, really. But it turned into something big. Words were thrown, and silence followed. They stopped talking.

Before Aryan could fix things, Zara got engaged to someone else. A man named Sultan. From the outside, Sultan looked perfect — polite, successful, charming. But Aryan had a strange feeling about him.

He tried to warn Zara. Told her that something felt wrong. But she didn’t listen.

“Why do you even care?” she snapped, hurt from the fight still fresh in her heart.

And Aryan… he said nothing. Because deep down, he was scared his feelings would only push her farther away.

Zara married Sultan. At first, everything seemed fine. But slowly, the mask fell off. Sultan was not who he pretended to be. He was cruel, violent, and full of darkness. He had hurt people before. And now, he hurt Zara too.

He controlled her, insulted her, isolated her. She was scared and broken.

But Aryan was always there, in the background — watching, waiting, hoping she’d reach out.

One day, she did.

Tears in her eyes, voice shaking, Zara called Aryan and told him everything. About the abuse. The fear. The bruises no one else could see.

Aryan didn’t think twice. He stood by her, helped her find strength, and got her family involved. It wasn’t easy — there were threats, fear, and pain. But together, they got her out.

Zara divorced Sultan.

And in that healing… something changed.

One rainy evening, Aryan and Zara sat on a bench under a streetlight. Her head rested on his shoulder. And for the first time, Aryan spoke his truth.

“I’ve always loved you. Even when I wasn’t supposed to.”

Zara didn’t answer right away. She just hugged him, tightly. Then she whispered, “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

They both cried that night. Not out of sadness, but out of relief. Their hearts had finally spoken.

Weeks later, they decided to get married. Not a grand wedding, just something small and peaceful. It was all about love — finally, love without pain.

Two days before their wedding, they went shopping for their new home. They laughed like they hadn’t in years. Picked out silly curtains. Talked about where the books would go. For once, life felt kind.

But fate had one more cruel twist left.

As they stepped out of the shop, Sultan was waiting.

He had been watching, planning, feeding on his hate.

And in a moment of madness, he attacked.

Aryan saw it happen — the flash of a weapon, the fear in Zara’s eyes. He screamed, ran to her — but it was too late.

She collapsed in his arms, blood on her dress, her voice weak.

“I wanted to love you forever…” she whispered.

And then, silence.

Zara was gone.

Now, every week, Aryan visits her grave.

He brings her favorite white lilies. He talks to her like she’s still there — tells her about the sunsets, the music, the books she never finished.

And before he leaves, he always says the same thing:

“I should’ve told you sooner. I’ll always love you.”