10th Class

It was a simple trending, the kind that made you smile for no reason. Sumanth and Geetha were in the same class when they were in 10th grade. Their friendship grew from shared notes, laughter during lunch breaks, and innocent talks after school. They never said it out loud, but there was a bond between them, a feeling that they would always remember each other.

But life has its own plans. After the 10th grade, their parents were transferred to different cities. They lost touch, and time slowly faded the memories of those school days. The bond they once shared was left in the past, a memory tucked away in the corners of their hearts.

As the years passed, both of them went on with their lives. They entered relationships, thinking they had found what they were looking for. But as time went on, those relationships turned toxic. Sumanth was with someone who controlled his every move, questioning his every decision. Geetha, on the other hand, found herself in a relationship where her feelings were never considered, and her dreams were crushed. They both felt trapped, but neither knew how to escape.

Sumanth's relationship was like a cage. His partner made every little decision for him. "Why are you talking to your friends?" "Why do you spend so much time on your hobbies?" The constant questions wore him down, and every time he tried to speak up, his partner turned the tables, making him feel guilty for having a life outside the relationship. He started losing his sense of self, thinking that maybe it was his fault.

Geetha, too, was stuck in a relationship that drained her. Her partner was emotionally distant, and whenever she tried to open up about her feelings, he would shut her down. "You're overthinking things," he'd say, dismissing her concerns. Slowly, Geetha became a shadow of herself, hiding her dreams and desires because they were never supported. Every attempt to change the situation felt like hitting a wall.

Then, one day, they both received an invitation to a 10th-grade classmate's wedding. It had been 15 long years since they last saw each other, and the thought of meeting everyone again brought back a rush of memories. Both Sumanth and Geetha were hesitant, not sure if they were ready to face the past. But something told them they needed to go.

At the wedding, amidst the laughter and dancing, they spotted each other from across the room. Their eyes locked, and for a moment, it felt like no time had passed. Sumanth couldn’t help but smile, and Geetha felt her heart skip a beat. It was the same innocence, the same feeling they once had, but now it was mixed with the weight of the years they had spent apart.

They caught up, laughing about old times, but both of them could sense something had changed. They weren’t the same people anymore. They had grown, but they had also suffered. As the night went on, they found a quiet corner to talk, away from the noise of the celebration.

Geetha opened up first, her voice soft but filled with pain. "Sumanth, I’ve been in a relationship for years now, but it feels like I’m suffocating. I don’t know how to get out of it."

Sumanth looked at her, his eyes filled with empathy. "I know exactly how you feel. I’ve been stuck in something toxic too. I feel like I’ve lost myself."

There was silence between them, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was a quiet understanding, a realization that they weren’t alone in their struggles.

"Every time I try to stand up for myself," Sumanth continued, "she makes me feel guilty. Like I’m the one at fault. It’s like I can’t breathe without her permission."

Geetha nodded, her heart heavy. "That’s exactly how I feel. My partner makes me feel invisible. Like my dreams and my feelings don’t matter. I’ve tried talking to him, but he just brushes me off, like I’m being too emotional."

They both sat in silence, the weight of their shared pain sinking in. The toxic relationships they had been living in had made them question their worth. But in this moment, they realized they had been holding on to the wrong things for far too long.

"You know," Geetha said, her voice trembling, "I feel like I’ve forgotten who I am. I used to have so many dreams, so many plans. But now, it’s like I’m just going through the motions."

Sumanth’s heart ached for her. "Geetha, you are so much more than what they’ve made you believe. You deserve to live your life on your own terms. You deserve someone who will support your dreams, not tear them down."

Geetha’s eyes filled with tears. "But what if I can’t get out of this? What if I’m too deep in it?"

Sumanth reached out and took her hand. "You’re not alone anymore. You have me. And I’ll help you find the strength to walk away. You can do this."

Geetha squeezed his hand, feeling a surge of hope. "And what about you? You deserve to be happy too, Sumanth. Don’t let her control you anymore."

Sumanth nodded, a fire igniting inside him. "I’ve been scared for so long, afraid of losing her. But I’ve lost myself in the process. It’s time I take back my life."

The next few months were not easy. They both faced the harsh reality of leaving their toxic relationships. Sumanth had to face the guilt of walking away, while Geetha had to confront the fear of being alone. But they were there for each other every step of the way. They talked late into the night, sharing their fears and their victories. Every time one of them faltered, the other was there to lift them up.

Sumanth finally found the courage to confront his partner. "I can’t do this anymore. I need to find myself again, and I can’t do that with you controlling every part of my life."

It was messy. There were tears, angry words, and long silences. But Sumanth stood firm, refusing to be manipulated any longer. Geetha did the same. She told her partner that she couldn’t stay in a relationship where she was always made to feel small. "I need to trending myself first," she said, and with those words, she took the first step toward freedom.

It wasn’t easy, but slowly, they began to heal. They rediscovered their passions, their dreams, and most importantly, themselves. The bond they shared, once innocent and pure, now felt stronger, built on the foundation of their struggles and growth. They had been through the worst, but together, they had found their way out.

Years later, when they looked back, they knew that their reunion wasn’t just a coincidence. It was fate. They had found each other again, not as the innocent kids they once were, but as two people who had survived the toughest battles and come out stronger together. And this time, they weren’t letting go.