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Sitting on the small stage of a cozy café, she clutches her guitar tightly, her fingers gripping the edges as if holding on for dear life. She curled her toes, trying to suppress the violent shaking of her leg. Her hands itched to dig into her palm-a nervous habit she had developed long ago whenever she was anxious or scared.

Despite the storm raging inside her, her face remains unreadable, masked by a neutral expression. But beneath the surface, doubt whispers cruelly. What if I mess up? What if nobody likes my voice? Will I be able to express the emotions woven into this song? Will I touch their hearts, or will I fade into the background, unnoticed?

These thoughts swirl in her mind, relentless and suffocating, despite the fact that she has performed here countless times. No matter how often she sings, the fear remains the same-as if it were her first time all over again.

Singing here every Sunday is her way of speaking the words she cannot say aloud. A silent therapy, recommended by her doctor, to help her navigate the darkness that often clouds her mind. As she waits for the performance to begin, her hazel-brown eyes scan the café, observing the people lost in their own little worlds.

Some sit with friends, laughter spilling between them like a comforting melody. Others lean into their partners, their eyes reflecting the warmth of love as they create new memories together. Families share meals, their chatter filling the air with joy, while a few lonely souls sit with slumped shoulders, seeking solace in the presence of true friends who try to mend their broken hearts.

Watching them, she wonders-Will this moment ever come in my life? Will I ever experience this kind of carefree joy? The thought lingers in the air, heavy and bittersweet, before she exhales softly, trying to push it away.

She closes her eyes as the first soft beats of the music reach her ears, signaling that it is time. Straightening her posture, she takes a deep breath, her heart hammering in her chest. The café fades away, and for a moment, it's just her and the melody.

she begins to sing.

A hush falls over the café. Conversations cease, forks pause mid-air, and all attention turns toward her voice, rich with raw emotion, weaves through the space, mesmerizing every listener. It holds a depth of longing, of silent suffering, of dreams that feel just out of reach.

"Kise puchoon hai aisa kyun..."
"Bezubaan sa yeh jahaan hai..."
"Khushi ke pal kahan dhoondhoon..."
"Benishaan sa waqt bhi yahaan hai..."

With each verse, she mirrors her own struggles, her voice reflecting the loneliness and detachment she had felt for so long. Her desperate longing for happiness, only to find herself trapped behind the walls she has built.

"Jo bheji thi duaa woh jaake aasmaan..."
"Se yun takra gayi ke aa gayi hai laut ke sadaa..." (2x)

She pours her heart into every note, her voice painting a story of loss and hope, of unanswered prayers and silent cries.

The warm glow of the café's lights illuminates the space, casting a golden hue over the audience, but the stage remains cloaked in shadow. No one can see the face behind the voice that grips their hearts, yet they feel her pain, her yearning, as if it were their own.

"Saanson se ne kaha rukh mod liya..."
"Koi raah nazar mein na aaye..."

Her voice carried a sense of longing and nostalgia, yet in her loneliness, memories accompany her, offering a strange kind of solace

"Jo bheji thi duaa woh jaake aasmaan..."
"Se yun takra gayi ke aa gayi hai laut ke sadaa..."

As the final notes fade, her voice carries one last plea, raw and unfiltered, before silence settles once more. For a single breath, the world seems to pause. Then, the café erupts into applause. Cheers and claps echo through the space, an acknowledgment of the beauty they had just witnessed.

Slowly, she opens her eyes. The blankness that once clouded them is gone, replaced by something deeper-an overwhelming mixture of emotions threatening to spill over. But she blinks back the tears, unwilling to let them fall. Her gaze wanders across the room, taking in the smiles and admiration of the crowd. Their appreciation filled her with warmth, reducing the self-doubt that always clouded her mind. Even if only for a moment, she feels seen.

She hesitates. Usually, she would leave immediately. She hated staying in the light for too long. But tonight, something tugs at her, urging her to stay for just a moment longer.

A second passes. Then another.

And then-fear wins.

Before the lights on the stage brighten, she hurriedly leaves. She wasn't ready to reveal her face. Not yet. The fear of being exposed, of people seeing beyond her music, made her anxious.

Unaware that amidst the crowd, a pair of eyes had been watching her intently.

???'s POV

The moment I stepped into the café, I froze.

A voice-soft yet hauntingly familiar-wrapped around me like an old memory I couldn't quite place.

I had never been here before.

And yet, I knew this voice.

"But how is it even possible?"

My eyes searched the stage, but the darkness hid her face.

Still, something inside me whispered-

I know her.

And for the first time in years, my heart skipped a beat.

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                            <<"In the silent whispers of fate, their hearts compose a melody only love can hear".>>