It was the day we were leaving for the Diwali break.
All I wanted—just once—was to see him before I left.
And I did.

But he was talking to a girl.
Laughing.
Smiling.

Something burned in my chest.
It was sharp, sudden, and stupid.
My breath caught.
So I turned around and left.

It ruined my mood. I couldn't explain why.

On the way to the airport,
At the airport,
Even on the flight back home—
I kept seeing him.

In strangers. In silhouettes.
In voices that weren’t his.

My head turned every time.
My heart too.

What is this?