Shuttles And Stars

Sia

I woke up feeling lighter, like a burden had finally lifted. The whole thing with Neeraj had been swirling in my head since yesterday, but today, I was clear about it. That almost kiss… yeah, it happened. But it wasn’t anything to obsess over. Two adults caught in the moment, a romantic movie playing in the background—it was just the environment. That’s it. Neeraj had been caring, and I’d been longing for some comfort.

We were both pulled in, but it didn’t mean anything. I was sure of that now. There was no need to complicate things. I’ve always known I’m enough on my own, and nothing’s changed. If anything, this reminded me that attachments—especially ones that could get messy—aren’t what I want or need. I have Meera, Netra, and Vikram. That’s my circle, and that’s more than enough.

I shuffled to the kitchen, where Meera was already sitting with her coffee, scrolling through her phone. I grabbed my own cup and sat next to her, deciding to share my thoughts.

“You know,” I started, feeling calm about it all now, “I’ve been thinking about what happened with Neeraj yesterday.”

Meera looked up, curiosity in her eyes but not pushing me to say anything.

“I think it was just… a moment. The setting, the movie, the fact that I’ve been feeling a bit vulnerable after everything. And Neeraj, well, he’s kind. But that’s all it was. Two friends, caught up in a mood. I’ve realized there’s nothing more to it.”

She sipped her coffee, nodding slowly as she processed what I said. “That makes sense. It’s easy to get pulled in by those kinds of moments, especially with everything you’ve been through. It doesn’t have to mean anything more.”

“Exactly,” I said, feeling even more assured now that I’d voiced it. “Neeraj and I are good friends, and that’s where it ends. Besides, I don’t need that kind of attachment right now. I have you, Netra, Vikram… I’m good with that.”

She smiled at me, relieved I wasn’t spiraling over it. “You’re right. You’ve got everything you need. Sometimes it’s nice to just let moments be moments.”

We lapsed into a comfortable silence, both of us lost in our thoughts as we sipped our coffee. After a while, Meera glanced at me, a playful smile on her lips. “So… are you going to watch Neeraj’s interview tonight on Aaj Tak? After all that’s happened?”

I paused for a second, considering. Did I want to watch him after yesterday? Then I shrugged. “Yeah, I think I will. It’s just an interview, after all. Nothing to worry about.”

“Good,” she said, laughing softly. “Just don’t overthink it. It’s not that deep.”

“I won’t,” I promised, smiling.

The afternoon passed by, and later, Meera helped me get dressed. The stitches on my core still made it tough to do even simple things, and as much as I hated asking for help, I appreciated her being there. After the attack, recovery had been slow, but today I felt lighter—like I’d finally started moving forward.

By the time the evening rolled around, the room was cleaned up, and we were settled on the couch, waiting for Neeraj’s interview. I wasn’t feeling as anxious as I thought I might. It was 8:45 PM, and I watched the clock as the show started. Despite everything, I was curious to see what he had to say. Aaj Tak interviews are no joke, after all.

As the interview played, I felt my phone buzz beside me. I glanced at the screen and saw Neeraj’s name flash. For some reason, that brought a small smile to my face.

Neeraj: “Are you watching the interview?”

I debated teasing him but decided to be kind.

Sia: “Yeah, I’m watching. You’re doing well.”

A few seconds passed, and I wondered if he was too busy to respond. But then my phone buzzed again.

Neeraj: “Thanks. I was nervous at first, but I think it’s going okay. What do you think?”

I smirked a little at his need for reassurance, but I typed quickly.

Sia: “You seem comfortable now. You’re handling it well.”

I put the phone down, focusing back on the interview. He was doing a solid job—calm, composed. But soon, another message came in.

Neeraj: “Hey, I was wondering… would you be up for meeting tomorrow? Coffee?”

I stared at the message for a moment. My mind briefly flashed back to yesterday, to that almost kiss. But I pushed the thought aside. We were friends, nothing more, and meeting for coffee didn’t mean anything had changed.

Sia: “Sure. Coffee sounds good.”

We exchanged a few more messages, figuring out the time at my place. As I put my phone down for the last time, I felt settled. Whatever had happened between us before didn’t matter. Tomorrow, we’d meet as friends, and that was that. There was no need to overthink it.

The interview ended, and I leaned back into the couch, feeling more at ease than I had in days. Tomorrow, I’d meet Neeraj, and we’d clear the air. It was just coffee between two friends.

And that, I reminded myself, was more than enough.
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