Silent Vows

Chapter 11

Karan paced around his room, glancing at his watch for what felt like the hundredth time. It was late afternoon, and the soft glow of the setting sun filtered through his window, casting long shadows on the floor. The quiet in his apartment felt too loud, his thoughts too chaotic. He was supposed to meet Anika for coffee in thirty minutes, but for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to leave.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt like he was caught in a never-ending loop. He tried to push it all out—his constant preoccupation with Meera, his awkward attempts with Anika, the frustration of never really getting anywhere.

Karan grabbed his jacket from the chair, running a hand through his hair. He hated this feeling—this constant pull in different directions. The sound of his phone buzzing interrupted his spiraling thoughts. It was a message from Sameer:

You alright, bro?

Karan stared at the screen for a moment before typing a quick response: Yeah, just… thinking too much.

He sighed, tossing his phone onto the bed. His head was still full of thoughts about Meera. The way she managed to remain so distant, so untouchable. She was different from the usual girls he flirted with, and for some reason, that made her more… intriguing. Or maybe it was more than that.

He wasn’t sure. All he knew was that it was hard to shake the feeling that something was pulling him in her direction—something he couldn’t quite understand yet.

As he reached for his keys, he noticed his reflection in the mirror. His face, usually the picture of confidence, seemed different today—stressed, maybe, or just… uncertain. He stared at himself for a few seconds longer, wondering how he had gotten here. Was he really falling for someone who barely even acknowledged his existence?

Another buzz from his phone broke his thoughts. Sameer had sent a follow-up: Not still thinking about Meera, are you?

Karan frowned and shoved the phone into his pocket. Yeah, he was. But he wasn’t ready to admit that out loud, even to his best friend.

With a deep breath, Karan walked out of his apartment. Time to meet Anika. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting from this meeting, but part of him hoped it would distract him, give him a break from the confusion.

As he stepped out into the warm evening air, he couldn’t help but feel like he was heading into yet another situation he wasn’t fully prepared for.

Karan walked briskly down the street, his hands in his pockets, but the usual confidence in his stride was missing. He glanced at his watch again. Anika was always punctual, and he didn’t want to keep her waiting. He had hoped that a coffee outing with her would help him forget about Meera for a little while, but as he approached the café, he found his mind wandering back to her.

The clinking of coffee cups and the soft murmur of conversation inside the café greeted him as he pushed the door open. Anika was already seated at a corner table, her long, dark hair flowing around her shoulders as she fiddled with her phone. Her smile lit up when she saw him, and she waved him over eagerly.

"Hey!" she greeted, her voice a bit too bright. Karan couldn’t help but feel that her enthusiasm was a little forced, as if she was trying too hard to mask something. He was used to her bold personality, but today, something about the way she smiled made him uneasy.

“Hey,” Karan replied, trying to shake off his distraction. He pulled out the chair and sat down across from her. “Sorry I’m a bit late.”

“It’s fine, I wasn’t waiting long,” Anika said, her eyes flickering briefly to his face before she quickly averted them. “I was just... checking a few things.”

“Busy day?” Karan asked, trying to keep the conversation light as he scanned the menu in front of him.

“Something like that,” she replied vaguely, but her attention was still on him, as if trying to gauge his mood. “So, how’s everything going with the project? You’re working with Meera, right?”

Karan’s stomach clenched at the mention of Meera's name, but he forced a casual smile. “Yeah, it’s going fine. She’s... really organized. You know, a little too organized sometimes.” He chuckled softly, trying to deflect.

Anika raised an eyebrow, her lips quirking into a knowing smile. “Sounds like you’re not really enjoying it. You don’t seem like the type who’s into that kind of thing.”

Karan gave a half-shrug. “I mean, it’s not that bad. Just different. She’s… intense, I guess.”

Anika leaned in slightly, her eyes narrowing. “Intense, huh? Is that all?” Her voice dropped, a hint of something else in her tone that Karan couldn’t quite place.

“What do you mean?” Karan asked, feeling a flicker of annoyance. He wasn’t sure what Anika was implying, but it felt like she was reading into something that wasn’t there.

She smiled, but there was something almost too sharp about it. “Just seems like you’ve been spending a lot of time with her lately. I know you, Karan. You don’t get this... distracted by anyone unless they’re important.”

Karan’s jaw tightened, but he kept his expression neutral. “She’s just a study partner,” he said, trying to sound nonchalant, but the words felt hollow even to him. Anika wasn’t buying it, and Karan wasn’t sure if he cared.

“Right. Just a study partner,” she repeated with a sly smile, leaning back in her chair. “And I suppose it has nothing to do with the fact that you’re... interested in her?”

Karan couldn’t suppress the uneasy shift in his chest at her words. “I’m not interested in her,” he replied quickly, perhaps a little too quickly.

Anika watched him closely, her eyes narrowing. “You know, Karan, I’ve been around you long enough to know when you’re lying. And you, my friend, are not telling the truth.” She leaned forward, her voice soft but insistent. “It’s okay, you know. It’s just... Meera, right?”

Karan was silent for a long moment, the tension building between them. Anika’s words hit him harder than he cared to admit. Was it really so obvious? Was he that transparent? His thoughts flickered to Meera—her guarded eyes, her calm demeanor. He had tried to stay focused on everything else, but she had wormed her way into his mind in a way he hadn’t expected.

“I’m not lying,” Karan finally said, his voice quiet. He wasn’t sure if he was trying to convince Anika or himself. “I just... don’t know what to make of it. Of her, I mean.”

Anika studied him for a long moment, her expression softening. “You know, Karan, it’s okay to admit when you like someone. No need to keep pretending. But if you do like her, just... be careful. She’s not like the others.”

Karan’s heart skipped a beat at her words, but he refused to let it show. “I’m not pretending anything,” he muttered, more to himself than to Anika. The last thing he wanted was for Anika to feel like she had some claim over him or his feelings, but it was hard to ignore the underlying tension between them.

Anika let out a sigh, her tone lightening. “Alright, alright. We don’t have to talk about this. Just... don’t let yourself get too tangled up, okay?” She smiled again, though it was a little more forced this time.

Karan didn’t respond immediately. His thoughts were too clouded, his mind too preoccupied with what Anika had just said. Did he like Meera? He had no idea. All he knew was that he couldn’t stop thinking about her, and it was starting to drive him crazy.

The server came by to take their order, and Karan made a half-hearted attempt to engage in the conversation, but the words felt disconnected. Anika was talking, but Karan wasn’t really listening. His mind was elsewhere, drifting back to the library, to Meera.

Was she really that different from everyone else? Was it just her resistance that kept him coming back for more? He had never had to work so hard to get someone’s attention, and maybe that was part of the reason he couldn’t let her go.
Got it! Here's the revised Chapter 12 with the inclusion of Raj and Natasha, and the change to Sameer's teasing about Karan's thoughts on Meera: