Love feels very beautiful in the beginning.
Everything feels perfect.
Every small moment feels special.
Every smile feels important.
But love is not just about happy moments.
Sometimes, love also tests how much pain two people can handle.
Harsh and Indu had been together for a few months now. Everyone in class knew they were a couple. Some people supported them, some people were jealous, and some people just watched like it was a movie.
For Harsh, life had never been this beautiful before.
Every morning started with Indu.
Every school day ended with Indu.
Every small problem felt easy because Indu was there.
But slowly, a new problem started.
Harsh's marks began to drop.
He was never a topper, but now he was scoring even less than before. Teachers started warning him. One day, his class teacher called him after class.
"Harsh, what's happening to you?" she asked.
"I'm trying, ma'am," he replied quietly.
"Trying is not enough. Your marks are falling. If this continues, your future will be in danger."
Harsh stayed quiet.
Then the teacher said something that hurt him deeply:
"Are you distracted because of that girl? Indu is a topper. Her future is bright. But if you don't focus on studies, you will hold her back. Do you understand?"
Harsh felt like someone had hit him in the chest.
You will hold her back.
Those words kept repeating in his mind.
That evening, he didn't meet Indu.
He ignored her calls.
Ignored her messages.
He sat alone in his hostel room, thinking again and again about the teacher's words… and Rohan's words.
She has a bright future…
You are just average…
You will hold her back…
He looked at their photo together on his phone.
"I love you… that's why I have to do this," he whispered.
The next day, he called Indu to meet him behind the school building after class.
Indu came running, a little worried. "Why were you ignoring me? I was so worried."
Harsh couldn't look into her eyes.
"Indu… we need to talk," he said.
She immediately sensed something was wrong. "What happened?"
Harsh took a deep breath and said the words that broke both their hearts:
"We should break up."
For a moment, Indu didn't react.
It was like she didn't understand what he just said.
"What…?" she whispered.
"We should break up," Harsh repeated, his voice heavy.
Indu stared at him, her eyes slowly filling with tears. "Is this a joke?"
"No."
"Did I do something wrong?" she asked, her voice shaking.
Harsh quickly shook his head. "No. You did everything right. This is my fault."
"Then why?" she asked, tears now rolling down her face. "Why are you doing this?"
Harsh finally looked at her, and it was very hard for him to stay strong.
"Because I love you," he said.
Indu cried even more. "That's not a reason to break up!"
"It is," Harsh said. "You're a topper. You have a bright future. And me? I'm failing. Teachers think I'm distracting you. People think I'm not good enough for you. And maybe they're right."
"I don't care about people!" Indu almost shouted. "I care about you!"
"But I care about your future," Harsh said. "And I don't want to be the reason you fail in life."
Indu shook her head again and again. "You're not ruining my future. You're part of my future."
Harsh's eyes were wet now too, but he forced himself to say it:
"Maybe… I'm not meant to be in your future."
Those words broke something inside Indu.
She stepped closer and hit his chest weakly with her hands. "You don't get to decide my future! You don't get to decide for me! I love you, Harsh!"
Harsh closed his eyes for a moment, then slowly held her hands and moved them away.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
Indu looked at him like her world was collapsing.
"Are you really leaving me?" she asked quietly.
Harsh didn't reply.
That silence was the answer.
Indu nodded slowly, tears falling nonstop.
"Fine," she said, her voice broken. "If you want to leave… then leave. But remember one thing."
Harsh looked at her.
"I'm not leaving you because I stopped loving you," she said.
"I'm leaving you because you decided to leave me."
She turned around and walked away.
Harsh stood there, unable to move.
He wanted to run after her.
He wanted to hug her.
He wanted to say sorry.
He wanted to take his words back.
But he didn't move.
Because sometimes, people think leaving the person they love is the right thing to do.
And that day—
Harsh made the biggest mistake of his life.
That night, both of them cried.
In different rooms.
Under different roofs.
But with the same pain in their hearts.
Because love was still there.
But now—
So was distance.