The next morning, Dishita woke up feeling unsettled. Her message to Rohan from the night before weighed heavily on her mind. She had asked him to meet today, and though she was clear about wanting to end things, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease. Would he understand? Would he fight for their relationship? Or worse, would he be indifferent, confirming her growing fears that they were drifting apart?
Her phone buzzed. It was Rohan’s reply.
“I agree. We should talk. Let’s meet at the café at 4 PM.”
Dishita exhaled sharply. This was it. She had to confront her emotions head-on and be prepared for whatever would follow. She could feel her heart pounding, her mind racing through what she would say, how he might react. As the hours ticked by, the unease turned into a low hum of dread.
That afternoon, Dishita arrived at the café early again, finding the same table by the window. The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the floor, and the familiar scent of coffee filled the air. She tapped her fingers nervously against the wooden table, rehearsing the conversation in her head.
At 4:10 PM, Rohan still hadn’t arrived. She checked her phone, expecting a message or a call, but nothing.
*Maybe he’s running late,* she thought. But something about the silence felt different today.
Twenty minutes passed. Then thirty. Each second stretching out like an eternity. A knot formed in her stomach. What if Rohan wasn’t coming at all? What if he had decided that he didn’t want to talk—that maybe, he didn’t care enough anymore?
Her phone buzzed again, and this time, it wasn’t Rohan. It was Abhinav.
The sight of his name on her screen jolted her, as if the universe was toying with her heart once again. She hesitated for a moment before opening the message.
“Hey Dishita, I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately. I know it’s been a while since we’ve spoken, but I wanted to check in. Can we talk sometime soon?”
Her pulse quickened. Why now? Why was Abhinav reaching out, right when everything felt like it was unraveling? Dishita stared at her phone, torn between the two men who had been occupying her thoughts for weeks.
Just then, the door to the café swung open, and Dishita looked up, expecting to see Rohan.
But it wasn’t him.
Standing there, with an almost uncertain expression on his face, was **Abhinav**.
For a moment, Dishita froze, her mind struggling to process what was happening. Abhinav wasn’t supposed to be here. He had moved away—he wasn’t part of this chaotic chapter of her life anymore. And yet, here he was, as if summoned by some strange twist of fate.
Abhinav’s eyes met hers, and in that split second, it was as though the weight of years of unspoken feelings crashed down between them. There was no need for words. Dishita could see it all in his gaze—the longing, the hesitation, and the vulnerability he had never shown before.
He slowly walked toward her, breaking the silence that had settled over the café. “Dishita...” he began, his voice soft but filled with emotion. “I didn’t plan this. I just... I couldn’t stay away any longer.”
Before she could respond, her phone buzzed again. This time, it was Rohan.
“I’m outside. Sorry for being late. I’ll be in soon.”
Dishita’s heart dropped. Everything was happening at once. The conversation she had dreaded with Rohan, the unexpected arrival of Abhinav—two worlds colliding, each demanding her attention.
She looked at Abhinav, then at her phone, and then back at the door. Her mind was racing, her emotions a whirlwind of confusion. She had been so certain earlier about what she wanted to say to Rohan, but now... with Abhinav standing before her, the lines between her choices were blurring.
“Abhinav,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “What are you doing here?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted, his voice raw. “I thought leaving would help me move on. But I was wrong. I needed to see you, Dishita. I needed to know if there’s still a chance... for us.”
The weight of his words hung in the air, thick with tension. Dishita felt as though the walls were closing in around her. She was about to respond, to say something—anything—when the door to the café opened once again.
This time, it was Rohan.
Dishita’s breath caught in her throat as the two men—Rohan and Abhinav—locked eyes for the first time. The air between them crackled with unspoken questions, suspicions, and the tension of two worlds colliding in the most unexpected way.
Neither of them spoke, but the silence said more than words ever could. Dishita was caught in the middle of something she hadn’t anticipated, and now, the moment of reckoning had arrived.
The café, once a quiet place of contemplation, now felt like the stage for a confrontation that Dishita wasn’t ready for. And in the pit of her stomach, she knew that whatever happened next would change everything.
---
**End of Part 13**
YOU ARE READING
Shattered Silences
RomanceAbhinav has spent the last five-six years silently loving his best friend, Dishita. Despite being her closest confidant, he has never confessed his feelings, fearing that it would ruin their friendship. As time passes, Dishita remains oblivious to t...
