The Words That Almost EscapedRain has a way of making truths impatient.That evening, the city smelled of wet earth and fading sunlight. The sky still carried leftover clouds from the afternoon storm, hanging low like secrets waiting to fall.Aarushi reached the bus stop later than usual.Her day had been chaotic—files piling up, phone calls she barely remembered answering, colleagues asking questions she hadn’t heard properly. But none of that was the reason her chest felt tight.She had been replaying Mira’s promise all day.“I choose you.”The words had stayed with her like a quiet echo she couldn’t silence.Mira was already there,