When Walls Fall
Jodha Sharma stared at herself in the full-length mirror. Her reflection was the same as always: dark hair pulled into a messy knot, a white silk blouse that complimented her tan skin, jeans that were probably too casual for the evening, but she didn’t care. What mattered wasn’t the outfit. It was the feeling gnawing at her chest - the uncertainty, the unease.
She was supposed to be getting ready for dinner with Jalal, but the closer the time drew, the harder it became to calm the storm inside her.
Jodha wasn’t sure when things had shifted. She hadn’t meant to fall for him. It wasn’t part of the plan. She didn’t need someone like him in her life. He was everything she wasn’t. He was charismatic, bold, someone who wore his emotions like armor. He owned every room he walked into.
Jodha, on the other hand, liked to stay in the background, always careful, always observing. She built walls around herself, and even when she let people in, there was always a safe distance. She never needed anyone. She didn’t believe in vulnerability.
Then came Jalal Mohammad.
There was something magnetic about him, something that disarmed her. They had met at work - she was the no-nonsense lawyer, the one who always kept a level head. He was a business man - smart, but also charming in a way that was almost dangerous. They started working together on a project related issue, and she hadn’t expected how quickly he could get under her skin.
It had started with small things: a casual touch on her back as he passed her in the hallway, a laugh shared during a meeting, the way his eyes lingered on her just a bit too long. She didn’t know what it was, but soon, those fleeting moments became something more, and Jodha felt like she was losing control of herself. She didn’t want to need him. She didn’t need him, but the truth was, she was terrified of how much she cared.
Now, as she stood there, trying to prepare herself for yet another dinner with him, she was once again caught between two feelings: the desire to pull him closer, and the urge to push him away.
"Jodha, you in there?"
His voice was soft but firm, cutting through her thoughts. She closed her eyes for a moment, her heart racing.
She opened the door to find him standing there, leaning casually against the frame. Jalal looked effortlessly handsome in a black shirt and dark jeans, his hair slightly tousled as if he had run his hands through it out of frustration. He was looking at her with that same intensity, his deep brown eyes studying her face as if trying to read her soul.
"Hey," he said with a slight smile. "You ready to go?"
"Yeah," Jodha managed, though her heart felt like it was a few beats behind. She stepped aside to let him in, but as he walked past her, she couldn’t ignore the electric current that always seemed to buzz between them.
"You okay?" he asked after a moment, turning to face her. The concern in his voice was unmistakable, and Jodha felt a pang of guilt. She wasn’t good at this. At letting someone see her, truly see her. She was good at pretending, at keeping her emotions in check.
"I’m fine," she said, forcing a smile. "Just... you know. Busy day."
Jalal’s gaze didn’t soften, though. He knew her too well for that.
"You don’t have to lie to me, Jodha," he said quietly. "I can tell when something’s off."
Her eyes flickered to his, and for a split second, she felt vulnerable in a way she hadn’t in a long time. It wasn’t like she hadn’t been in relationships before - she had - but this was different. This was real.
"Jalal," she sighed, rubbing her temples. "I don’t know what’s happening between us, and it’s driving me crazy."
He stepped forward, closing the gap between them. His eyes were soft now, but intense in a way that made her heart skip. "What do you mean?"
Jodha hesitated. "I don’t know if I’m ready for... whatever this is." She gestured between them, frustrated with herself for not being able to say it properly.
"You don’t have to be ready," Jalal said, his voice low but steady. He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face, his fingers lingering on her skin in a way that made her pulse quicken. "Just be with me."
Her breath caught. Those words. She had heard them before, but now they held so much weight. He wasn’t asking for anything more than her presence, and yet, that felt like everything.
"But what if I screw it up?" she whispered, her voice small. "What if I can’t do this? I don’t know how to be... how to be what you need."
Jalal smiled gently, his thumb grazing the edge of her cheek. "Jodha, it’s not about being perfect. It’s about being real. With me. With yourself. I just want you to be with me, in this moment. No pressure. No expectations. Just... us."
Jodha closed her eyes, feeling the sincerity in his words seep into her. It was true, he had never asked for perfection. He had never demanded more than she was willing to give. He had always been patient with her, even when she pulled away, even when she pushed him to the edges of her life.
But she wasn’t sure if she could do the same for herself. She wasn’t sure she could trust herself enough to let go.
A heavy silence filled the room. Jodha was aware of the closeness between them, the heat radiating off his body, the way his breath mingled with hers in the quiet space. His hand was still resting against her cheek, his thumb tracing soft circles. For a moment, she let herself lean into it, just feeling the steady rhythm of his touch, allowing herself to feel instead of overthinking.
Her heart was still racing, but the anxiety was slowly beginning to ease, like the tension in the air was dissipating. For the first time in a long time, she realized that maybe she didn’t have to have it all figured out.
Maybe it was okay to let someone in.
"You don’t have to be afraid," Jalal said softly, reading her thoughts, as he always seemed to do. "I’m not going anywhere."
Jodha finally opened her eyes, meeting his gaze with a mix of vulnerability and something deeper, something that made her feel exposed but also more alive than she had in ages. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had made her feel so seen, so present.
"I’m scared," she admitted quietly, her voice breaking for a moment. "Scared of what this might mean, scared of how much I feel, how much I care."
Jalal stepped closer, his arms gently pulling her toward him. She felt his warmth surround her as he held her, his hands strong and comforting on her back. She closed her eyes again, letting herself relax into him, finally allowing herself to breathe.
"You don’t have to have all the answers," he murmured into her hair. "I’m not asking you to figure it out right now. Just trust me. Just trust us."
For the first time, Jodha allowed herself to trust. To let go of her fears. To stop running.
And for the first time, she realized that maybe this - what they were building - was something worth the risk. Something real.
When they pulled apart, Jalal’s gaze was soft, but there was a knowing smile on his lips. "Dinner still sounds good?" he asked with a playful glint in his eyes, and for the first time that night, Jodha smiled back, a genuine smile, not weighed down by the burden of uncertainty.
"Yeah," she said, feeling a strange sense of peace. "Dinner sounds perfect."
Jodha smiled, but the unease that had settled in her chest earlier hadn’t completely disappeared. It was there, lingering at the edges, like a shadow that wouldn’t quite leave her side. But as Jalal took her hand and led her out the door, she allowed herself to push it away, just for a while. Maybe tonight, she could just be in the moment.
---
The drive to the restaurant was quiet, the soft hum of the engine and the occasional streetlight flickering by the only sounds. Jodha found herself stealing glances at him as he focused on the road. The way he moved, the way he carried himself so effortlessly, it all seemed to make everything around them fall into place. The last thing she wanted to do was complicate things with her own doubts.
But Jalal was always aware of her thoughts, even when she tried to hide them. His hand, warm and steady, rested on the gear shift, but every now and then, his fingers brushed against hers. Each touch, brief as it was, sent a pulse of electricity through her skin. She couldn’t deny it. The chemistry between them was undeniable. But that same chemistry made her second-guess everything.
"Jodha," he said softly, breaking the silence between them, "You don’t have to pretend with me. If you’re still unsure, we can slow down. I just... I don’t want you to feel pressured."
She turned to look at him then, really look at him. His jaw was tight, and there was an intensity in his eyes she hadn’t noticed before, a vulnerability she hadn’t expected. She saw it now, clearer than ever before - he was giving her space, but he was also afraid of pushing too hard, of losing her.
"Maybe I don’t know what I’m doing," she admitted, her voice low. "But I know I don’t want to walk away from this, not without trying."
Jalal glanced over at her, his expression softening, but the smile that followed was knowing, as though he’d been waiting for her to say those words. He didn’t press further, just gave her a quiet nod. The rest of the drive was filled with a strange peace, as if both of them were settling into a moment of quiet understanding.
When they arrived at the restaurant, a dimly lit Italian bistro tucked away in a side street, Jodha felt a sudden wave of nerves hit her. They hadn’t discussed what this dinner was supposed to mean. Was it just dinner between two colleagues, or was it something more? Was she ready for more? She wasn’t sure, but as she followed him inside, all her uncertainties seemed to fade away in the face of his quiet confidence.
The restaurant was intimate, with wooden tables and soft music playing in the background. Jalal led her to a corner booth, far enough from the other patrons to feel private but close enough to still hear the low murmur of conversation. The waiter greeted them with a smile, and Jodha felt herself relaxing a little as she glanced at the menu, trying to focus on something other than the man sitting across from her.
Jalal studied her for a moment, his fingers tapping lightly against his glass of wine, before he spoke again.
"Jodha, you’re quiet tonight," he said, his voice gentle. "You don’t have to keep things bottled up, you know. You can talk to me."
She looked at him, caught off guard by how well he saw through her.
"I’m just thinking," she said, shrugging. "About everything. About what I’m doing here... with you."
"Do you want to be here with me?" he asked, his voice steady, his eyes never leaving hers.
She paused, her heart thudding in her chest as she considered his question. The answer came to her easily, without hesitation.
"Yes," she said, her voice firm, even though she wasn’t sure of everything else. "I do. I want to be here with you."
Jalal smiled, the warmth in his gaze making her pulse quicken. "Then that’s all that matters, Jodha. The rest will come in time. No rush."
Jodha looked down at her menu, but her mind wasn’t on the food. She could feel his eyes on her, like a constant weight, pulling her back into the moment. She had spent so much of her life trying to control everything, trying to stay detached, to keep her emotions in check. But tonight, with him, she was realizing that maybe she didn’t have to do it all alone. Maybe, just maybe, it was okay to lean on someone else. To let someone else in.
The waiter returned to take their orders, but Jodha barely noticed. She was too caught up in the realization that this - what they had, what they were slowly building - was worth the vulnerability. Jalal wasn’t asking for perfection. He was asking for her, flaws and all.
"Tell me something," Jalal said, breaking her reverie as he leaned forward slightly. "What’s something about you that I don’t know yet?"
Jodha smiled, surprised by the question. She liked that he wanted to know more, wanted to understand her on a deeper level. But she wasn’t sure where to start.
"I don’t know," she said, her voice thoughtful. "I guess... I’ve always been more focused on other people’s problems than my own. I guess it’s easier that way."
Jalal raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "What do you mean?"
She shrugged. "I’ve spent most of my life being the one people come to for advice, the one who always has the answers, you know? But I’ve never been great at asking for help. Or even... figuring out what I want."
He smiled at her, a knowing smile. "I think you’re more than capable of figuring things out, Jodha. But maybe it’s time you started putting yourself first for a change."
She met his gaze, her chest tightening. He wasn’t just talking about her career, or her life. He was talking about them, about this.
Jodha felt a deep sense of gratitude wash over her, mixed with a sudden wave of clarity. She wasn’t sure where this would lead, or how it would play out, but for the first time in a long time, she didn’t feel the need to have all the answers.
Maybe, just maybe, trusting this - trusting him - was the answer she had been searching for all along.
And for the first time that night, she allowed herself to relax, to just be in the moment, right there across from him, feeling something real.
"So," she said, her smile returning as she finally let go of the tight grip around her heart, "I guess that’s my answer."
Jalal’s eyes lit up with something she couldn’t quite read, but it made her feel more certain, more alive than she had in ages.
"And what’s your answer?" he asked softly.
Jodha met his gaze and, with a quiet, steady confidence, answered the only way she could.
"My answer is... I’m ready to see where this goes."
Jalal’s eyes softened, and for a moment, Jodha felt like he was holding his breath. The smile that spread across his face wasn’t just about relief, though - it was something deeper, something far more intimate. As if she had given him a permission he’d been waiting for, a quiet understanding that this was a step forward for both of them, one they would take together.
"Good," he said simply, his voice full of warmth. "That's all I needed to hear."
She felt the weight of his words settle in her chest, a sense of calm washing over her that she hadn't expected. For the first time in a long time, she felt seen, and it was both terrifying and comforting. She didn’t have to be perfect. She didn’t have to have it all figured out. And that thought, though unfamiliar, felt liberating in a way she hadn’t anticipated.
Their food arrived, and the conversation shifted to lighter topics - work, travel, even the absurdities of office gossip. Jalal made her laugh in the way he always did, effortlessly pulling her out of her thoughts and into the present. For the first time that evening, the nervousness began to fade completely. She had stopped second-guessing every word, every move, and for the first time in a long while, she allowed herself to enjoy the company of someone without overanalyzing it.
Over dessert, as the evening wound down and the low murmur of the other diners filled the space around them, Jodha felt a sense of quiet satisfaction settle over her. The tension that had clouded her mind before was gone, replaced by something lighter. It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough.
Jalal, his gaze fixed on her with a knowing smile, pushed his plate aside and leaned back slightly, the air between them thickening with a new unspoken understanding.
"So," he said, his voice playful, "what’s next for us?"
Jodha raised an eyebrow, sensing the shift in tone. Her heart skipped a beat as she caught the implication in his question.
"Next?" she asked, letting her curiosity show. "Are you already planning our future, Jalal?"
He chuckled, but the amusement in his eyes didn’t completely hide the sincerity underneath. "No," he said softly, leaning forward again, "but I’m hoping there is a next. Something... more."
Jodha felt the familiar flutter of nerves in her stomach, but it was different this time. It wasn’t the usual fear or doubt, but something else - something more like anticipation. She wasn’t sure what he meant by “more,” but she was starting to understand that it didn’t need to be defined. Not yet, anyway.
"I’m not going anywhere, Jodha," he added, his tone quieter now. "I’m not in a rush, but I just wanted you to know that. Whatever happens next... I’m here."
For a moment, she just looked at him, the words settling in her chest like a warm glow. There was no pressure in his voice, no urgency. Just honesty. The kind of honesty she had been running from for so long, but now, with him, it didn’t feel as daunting as it once had.
Jodha took a deep breath and let it out slowly, the weight on her shoulders lighter than it had been in weeks, maybe months.
"I’m not sure what’s next either," she replied, her voice steady, though there was a vulnerability there she had never shown before. "But I’m willing to find out. With you."
The quiet moment stretched between them, and for the first time that night, Jodha didn’t feel afraid of the silence. Instead, she found comfort in it, the space between them filled with a quiet connection that she had never thought possible.
---
Later, as they stepped out of the restaurant into the cool night air, the city lights twinkling around them, Jodha found herself walking a little closer to him than usual. The evening was winding down, but it felt like the beginning of something new - a shift in her life, in her perspective. It wasn’t a sudden, dramatic change, but more like a soft unraveling of the walls she had built so carefully around her heart.
Jalal turned to her as they walked, his expression thoughtful. "I’ll take you home," he said, his voice quiet, but there was something tender in it. Something unspoken that made her heart flutter again.
She glanced at him, meeting his gaze for a brief moment before nodding. "Thank you. You don’t have to - "
"I want to," he interrupted gently, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Let me. Tonight feels... important, you know?"
Jodha nodded, feeling a warm sense of recognition. It did feel important, more than she could put into words. She wasn’t sure where this would go, but she was finally starting to feel like she could let it go wherever it was meant to.
The drive back to her apartment was quiet, but this time, there was no tension. Just a comfortable silence, as if both of them were savoring the calm before whatever came next. When they reached her building, Jalal parked, but didn’t immediately get out of the car. He turned to her, his expression softer now, almost as if he were considering something.
"Jodha," he said, his voice low, "I don’t expect anything from you right now, but I just want you to know something."
She met his gaze, her heart skipping a beat, and waited.
"You don’t have to be afraid of how you feel," he said, his voice steady, but the intensity behind it almost caught her off guard. "Whatever this is, whatever it turns into, I’m not going anywhere. I’m in this with you."
Jodha’s breath caught in her throat. She hadn’t expected the words to hit her like they did, but they did. Deeply. Her heart pounded in her chest as she looked at him, finally seeing the depth of his sincerity.
"I’m not afraid," she whispered, her voice barely audible, but the words felt right. "Not anymore."
Jalal smiled then, a small, private smile, before reaching over and brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. His touch was light but electric, and Jodha felt herself lean into it instinctively.
"I’ll see you tomorrow?" he asked quietly, his eyes searching hers, like he needed her answer more than he let on.
She smiled, a real, unguarded smile. "Tomorrow," she confirmed, her voice steady now, with none of the uncertainty that had plagued her earlier.
As she opened the car door and stepped out, she turned back to him one last time, her heart full but still tentative, still learning to trust.
Jalal’s gaze followed her, and for the first time, Jodha realized that the real journey between them had just begun.
She walked toward her building with the weight of the night still fresh in her chest - but it was a weight she was finally ready to carry.
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