Shuttles And Stars

Sia

As I chopped the chocolate, trying to focus, Netra began mixing the kokum sharbat, sneaking glances at me now and then. She finally broke the silence, her tone soft but teasing. “So… how’s it going with him?” She didn’t even need to say Neeraj’s name—I could tell exactly who she meant.

I rolled my eyes, but my attempt to sound casual felt forced. “Netra, stop imagining things. We’re just… working together. For Meera.”

“Right,” she said, pouring the kokum into a jug. “And you just happen to be blushing like you’ve been caught in the act.”

I let out a sigh, still trying to concentrate on the chocolate. “He’s just… around a lot lately, that’s all.”

Netra grinned, clearly unconvinced. “Uh-huh. You’re telling me, as he stood right here, close enough for you to hear his heartbeat, you felt nothing?”

I froze, realizing she’d seen right through me. I hated how easily she could read me, how even I wasn’t entirely sure of what I felt. “It’s complicated,” I finally admitted, lowering my voice. “He just… I don’t know. He has this way of getting under my skin.”

Netra placed a gentle hand on my arm, her voice softening. “Sia, maybe it’s okay to let someone in. Maybe it’s okay to feel something real, even if it’s scary.”

I glanced at her, my guard slipping just a little. “It’s not that simple, Netra. With Neeraj… everything feels like it’s on shaky ground.”

She gave me a sympathetic smile. “Maybe that’s just part of it, though. You’ve never backed down from a challenge before.”

Just then, Neeraj’s laughter echoed from the living room, followed by Abhimanyu’s excited exclamations. The sound stirred something in me, something I wasn’t ready to acknowledge but couldn’t entirely ignore. Netra handed me the kokum sharbat, squeezing my hand before stepping back.

As I took the sharbat out to the living room, I caught a glimpse of Neeraj kneeling on the floor, helping Abhimanyu tie a string of balloons. He looked up, his eyes meeting mine, a warm smile breaking across his face. And for a brief moment, I felt the world slip away, leaving only us in this strange, unexpected moment.

Maybe Netra was right. Maybe it was okay to let my guard down—just a little.