Chapter 27 – Her Big Dream, His Big Support
Every artist has a dream—
But it takes just one person who truly believes in them
To make that dream feel possible.
—
Mehar had always drawn in quiet corners.
On napkins, in the margins of notebooks, on the backs of receipts.
Art was her comfort, her escape. But a career? That had always felt too far, too fragile.
Until the day the invitation came.
She stared at the email, mouth slightly open.
"We are pleased to inform you that your work has been selected for the upcoming National Art Residency in Goa."
Her fingers trembled. Her eyes filled with tears.
It was a month-long residency. All expenses paid. Prestigious. Rare. Competitive.
And far away.
—
When she told Aarav, she expected hesitation. Or worry.
Instead, he pulled her into his arms and whispered—
"You were meant for things like this."
She blinked. "Even if it means we'll be apart for a month?"
He nodded. "Even then. Especially then. You don't shrink for love, Mehar. You grow in it."
—
Still, the days leading up to her departure weren't easy.
They spent more time together than ever.
Late-night drives. Coffee shop dates. Long walks in silence, just holding hands.
"I'm scared," she admitted once, as they watched the stars from her terrace.
"Of what?"
"That I'll go and... something will change."
Aarav turned to her. "Things will change. But only for the better. You'll grow. You'll fly. And I'll be right here, waiting with open arms."
—
The night before her flight, he gave her a sketchbook.
On the first page, he wrote:
"Paint the world with your fire. But don't forget the boy who always believed in your spark."
She cried into his shirt that night.
And when she boarded the flight, she kept looking back—
Until she couldn't see him anymore.
—
Long-distance wasn't easy.
Their schedules clashed. Time zones felt cruel.
But every night, without fail, a goodnight message would wait in her inbox:
"I'm proud of you. Always."
And every morning, her phone would buzz with a selfie from him—
Some funny, some sleepy, all filled with love.
—
Meanwhile, Mehar flourished.
She painted like never before.
The sea, the skies, the people—everything around her found its way onto her canvas.
And at the residency's final showcase, her work was the highlight.
She stood there, surrounded by strangers clapping, but her heart wished for only one person.
That night, Aarav surprised her.
He had taken a flight. Without telling her.
She spotted him across the gallery, his eyes filled with awe.
"I didn't want to miss the moment you became everything you were meant to be," he whispered, hugging her tight.
—
Because true love doesn't hold you back.
It pushes you forward, celebrates you loudly, and never, ever lets go.
—