I gulped as Taira finished her story, an uncanny silence descending upon us. To say I was shocked would be an understatement.

"You... you... Taira, that's so... "

"I know, and I'm terribly sorry to have hidden this from you. I don't even know why I hid it from you. Perhaps because I knew in my heart that you wouldn't allow me to marry Abhimanyu if I told you the truth," Taira worried her fingers and started pacing the room.

"Of course, I..."

"I'm going back to Paris. I have been so foolish all along. Stability? When does anyone have stability in their lives? Isn't everything a risk already?" There was a wild look in her eyes, close to eccentric. Panic rose within me and I finally got a hold of my senses.

"Taira, are you sure?" I said carefully, knowing that I had to address Taira slowly. It wouldn't do to outright debate her choices.

"Sure about what?" Taira asked, turning to face me on the bed.

I sighed, and got up from the bed. "Look, I'm all in for impulsive decisions. I have made hundreds of them in the past. But this shouldn't be an impulsive decision."

"What are you talking about?" She asked again, her brows furrowed with confusion.

"I just... I only mean to say that, you both have made no promises. I'm in no way undermining the intensity of your emotions, I understand them perfectly. Trust me, I do," I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. This was getting difficult to talk about. But she needed to know, she needed to understand.

"There is no declaration of love; you both haven't even spent enough time together to ascertain if you want to be together. Do you want to be with him? Have you thought of a future with him?" I asked softly, knowing the answers already. I could see it on her face; she hadn't thought of it all. And I couldn't blame her. She hadn't allowed herself to think she could have more. Something else.

After a beat of silence, she finally spoke up. "No, I don't know if I see a future with him. Perhaps there is a future. Perhaps there isn't. But should I not claim today because I don't know what the future holds? Does anyone know what the future holds?"

I held my silence, eyes wide.

"A year ago, I was living safely with my father and wondering what a perfect little family we were. Had I known that a certain Abeer Sen would waltz in our lives and reveal my father's sins?" I winced when she took his name, but she didn't notice my actions. She was too far gone in her thoughts to notice anything, or anyone.

"I hadn't known that my father would be behind bars by the end of the year. I hadn't known the media would be pestering me, and suddenly our family would be in everyone's radar, with every layman interested in our lives. I hadn't known that I would be stepping in my father's role to take his place on the Board. I hadn't known that I would be going to France and meet the love of my life in the form of my instructor. I hadn't known I would be getting married to my childhood friend, and then get jilted by him on the altar! Do you see, everything happened on its own."

I closed my eyes, unable to say anything.

"The people around me influenced my life. I had no say in it. My father's action, the company stakeholders, Abhimanyu...and the worst part, Aashi," My eyes flew open when she called out to me. "I let them, I let them control my life," she whispered sadly, looking me straight in the eye.

"When I go to Paris today, or tomorrow, I don't expect anything. It is simply my choice. I expected love and protection from my father, I expected stability from Abhimanyu, but with Marco..." her voice broke and she held me by the shoulders, her eyes urgent, as if she didn't say it now, she would never be able to in the future. "I don't expect anything from him. I'm simply going because it would make me happy. And it is there, I know it is. I don't know how things will go with Marco, I'm not even sure if it is truly love that I feel for him. But I'm sure of one thing, that if I don't take this step, I don't think I will ever truly be in charge of my life. Do you get me, Aashi?"

I nodded, tears threatening to spill through my eyes. "I do, Taira, and know that I'm always with you," I sniffed, unable to say anything else.

She smiled so wide I wondered if her cheeks hurt because of it. She took out her suitcase from the corner and started to stuff things in. "In a way, I'm glad Abhimanyu jilted me. Not that its a thing to be happy about," she corrected, but the smile on her face failed her attempts. "But I won't have to settle. Stability," she chuckled and continued to dump her clothes in. "What is stability? Life in itself is an adventure, how can one settle for stability when life doesn't even offer that? And if one thinks that they have stability, they're wrong. They're simply placating themselves to not be miserable. The truth is, everyday is a risk. There is risk with everyone you be with. It's way better to take it with someone you love." My hands paused as I was helping Taira pack, my throat closing up. It felt as if I had been struck with something powerful. It knocked the air out of me.

She booked the first flight in the morning and flew away to Paris. I went to drop her to the airport. She was gone, but her words kept ringing in my ears, making it impossible to focus on anything else.

It was the truth.

Life is a rollercoaster with danger at every corner. There is risk with everyone. It's better to take it with someone you love.

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