Coffee @ Ayodhya

Ep3: Fragile Beginnings

The next few days felt like the sweetest dream Ananya had dared to dream in a long while. Every evening at precisely 6 PM, she found herself eagerly looking forward to the familiar click of the coffee shop door swinging open. Somehow, Vikram, who usually appeared sporadically, started showing up at the same time every day too. It was as if he knew she'd be there, waiting. Ananya didn't overthink it-she just savored the moments, those few extra minutes they could share a space, breathe the same air, exchange fleeting glances.

Every time she saw him, the rest of the world blurred out. Her heart swelled, and a radiant smile spread across her face, one she couldn't hold back even if she tried. Most people would caution themselves against showing too much, against laying bare every emotion on their face. But not Ananya. Calculating her responses or hiding her excitement had never been her style. She lived life all in, and with Vikram, that trait only seemed to magnify. Anyone could see how happy she was whenever he was near-there was no hiding it.

The routine unfolded like a well-choreographed dance. Ananya would walk in with her friend, the smell of roasted beans enveloping them as they settled at their usual corner. And just a few minutes later, Vikram would stroll in, his presence like a magnet pulling her gaze toward him. Their eyes would lock. He would give her that signature smile of his-a smile that carried warmth, a silent greeting that said, *I see you*. She'd smile back, brighter than the lights in the shop, her heart doing somersaults.

But the first time she actually spoke to him was etched in her mind with vivid clarity. Ananya had been absent from the café for a couple of days, sick with a stubborn cold that drained her energy but not her spirit. That evening, she showed up despite still looking a little pale. She wasn't even sure if he'd notice her absence. But as soon as she stepped in, she saw him.

Vikram walked in shortly after, his stride confident and relaxed. He got his coffee and was about to sit somewhere else when their eyes met. Ananya, without a second thought, raised her hand in a playful gesture, beckoning him to join her. He paused, a question in his gaze. *Are you sure?* She smiled, nodding her head with more assurance than she felt.

He walked over, taking a seat beside her and her friend. The reality of what she'd done hit her-inviting a man she barely knew to join her like it was the most natural thing in the world. But that's exactly what it felt like to her: natural. It wasn't until she saw him up close that a wave of anxiety washed over her. The words she had prepared seemed to flutter away like birds at the sound of an approaching storm. She introduced him to her friend with a soft, almost shy voice.

"So, you're from North Kantara?" her friend asked, breaking the initial silence.

Vikram raised an eyebrow, glancing at Ananya with a mix of surprise and curiosity. "You told her about me?" he asked, his voice carrying a teasing note, but his eyes searching hers.

Ananya's cheeks warmed under his gaze. *Oh God, he thinks I've been talking about him... which I have, but-* She glanced at her friend, and the two of them burst into laughter.

"Yeah, well," Ananya finally managed, still giggling. "We've been seeing you around for a while now. It's hard *not* to talk about you when you're... you know, a regular presence." She shrugged lightly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

He chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. "I see... so I'm a topic of discussion now?" His tone was playful, but there was something deeper in his eyes-curiosity, perhaps?

They chatted for a few more minutes, the conversation flowing a bit more easily now. He asked how her day had been, she told him about her work, and they fell into an easy rhythm. But soon enough, he glanced at his watch and sighed softly.

"I should get going now," he said, standing up. Ananya's heart dipped slightly, but she nodded, schooling her face into a polite smile.

"Okay, then. Take care," she said, her voice softer than she intended.

He hesitated, looking down at her with that gentle, serious expression he sometimes wore. "You too, alright?" he said, his voice lingering on the words like a promise. "Take care, Ananya."

She watched him walk away, her heart fluttering wildly in her chest. It was such a simple thing to say-*take care*-but coming from him, it felt like something more, something deeper. As he disappeared through the door, a sudden fear gripped her heart. What if things changed between them? What if he saw the real her-the side of her that wasn't always bright and happy?

The fear of letting you into my broken, chaotic world
Outweighs my desire to become a part of yours.
What if my fragmented pieces shatter you too?
Or could you-
Piece by piece-
Rebuild me and my world anew?

The words echoed in her mind, a poem she had scribbled in her journal late one night when sleep had eluded her. She'd never meant for anyone to read it, but now, they seemed to hang in the air, as real as the unspoken question between them. Was she ready to let him in? Or would she keep him at a distance, too afraid that her chaos might seep into his carefully constructed calm?

Ananya shook off the thought and smiled, tucking the lingering worries away. For now, she'd take these moments-these simple exchanges-and hold them close. Because sometimes, it's the small things that leave the deepest imprints on the heart.