Silent Vows

Chapter 12

Karan sat on a bench in the campus courtyard, his phone in hand but his mind elsewhere. The usual hum of student chatter filled the air, but his thoughts kept circling back to the conversation he had with Anika earlier.

She had asked him to dinner. Just the two of us, she'd said, a little too casually. The more he thought about it, the more the offer felt like an attempt to distract him from something. And he knew exactly what that was—Meera. No matter how hard he tried, his mind kept returning to her.

Karan had played it cool, telling Anika he’d think about it. He wasn’t sure what to make of her invitation, but there was something about it that felt off. Maybe it was the way she’d leaned in a little too close when she’d said it, or the way her smile hadn’t quite reached her eyes. Whatever it was, Karan didn’t want to deal with it. He had enough on his plate already, trying to figure out Meera. The more he tried to push her out of his head, the more he found himself thinking about her.

“Maybe I need a distraction,” he muttered under his breath, glancing down at his phone to avoid looking at the crowd around him. Anika was definitely someone who could keep him entertained, but was he really interested in that? Or was it just a way to avoid dealing with what was brewing inside him? He didn’t know anymore.

Before he could dwell on it any further, he saw her—Meera—across the courtyard, walking toward the library with that same focused, determined look on her face. She didn’t see him at first, but Karan couldn’t tear his eyes away. There was something magnetic about her, something that made everything else fade into the background whenever she was near.

He stood up, instinctively wanting to close the distance between them. As if sensing his gaze, Meera looked up, her eyes meeting his for the briefest moment before she quickly averted her attention. Karan couldn’t help but smirk at the way she tried to act unaffected, as though she hadn’t noticed him staring.

“Hey, Meera!” he called out, more out of impulse than anything else.

Meera slowed down but didn’t stop, her expression giving nothing away. “Yes?” she replied, her voice polite but distant. She gave him a quick once-over, like she was measuring whether it was worth engaging.

Karan took a step forward, keeping his tone casual. “I was heading to the library, too. Thought maybe we could walk together?”

For a moment, Meera didn’t respond, just stared at him, as if weighing her options. Karan felt the familiar frustration rise in his chest. She always did this—kept him on the edge, unsure of what she was thinking. It was driving him mad, but also, strangely enough, pulling him in further.

“I’m fine,” Meera said finally, her voice even more distant than before. “I’ve got my own things to do.”

Karan’s brow furrowed, and he stepped in her way before she could leave. “Come on, you’re always in a hurry. Don’t you ever just... take a break?”

Meera looked at him, a flicker of something unreadable passing through her eyes before she shrugged. “I don’t need breaks,” she replied coolly, her gaze shifting to the library doors. “I have a schedule.”

It was as if she was trying to shut him down with every word. But Karan wasn’t about to let her off that easily.

“You really can’t take a minute?” he asked, his voice taking on a more teasing note. “We’ve been in the same class for weeks, Meera. You can at least pretend to be friendly.”

She stopped in her tracks and met his gaze fully, her eyes sharp. “I’m being friendly,” she said, her tone flat. “I just don’t see the need for unnecessary conversation. Not everything has to be... social.”

Karan opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, Meera had already turned and started walking again, leaving him standing there, feeling more irritated than ever.

---

Karan ran a hand through his hair, trying to shake off the tension in his shoulders. He couldn’t quite place it, but something in Meera’s response struck a chord with him. It was more than just resistance—it was almost as if she was guarding herself against him. He hated that he couldn’t get through to her.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, pulling him from his thoughts. He checked it—Anika had sent a message.

So, about that dinner? Let me know if you change your mind.

Karan stared at the message, then locked his phone and shoved it back in his pocket. He was about to head out when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned, finding Sameer strolling up with his usual lazy grin.

“Lost in thought again, huh?” Sameer said, clapping Karan on the back. “What’s going on in that brain of yours?”

Karan’s lips twitched. “Nothing much. Just thinking about... stuff.”

Sameer raised an eyebrow. “Stuff? That’s vague. You sure it’s not about her?”

Karan shot him a look. “Meera, huh? No, not really. I was just... caught up in some other things.”

Sameer grinned. “Uh-huh. I see. And when you say ‘other things,’ you mean Anika, right? Because, you know, it’s not like you’re constantly thinking about Meera or anything.” He chuckled at his own joke, clearly enjoying Karan’s discomfort.

Karan glared at him, trying to keep his voice steady. “Shut up, man. I’m not thinking about Meera.”

“Sure you’re not,” Sameer replied, his grin widening. “You know, it’s funny. You’re always acting like you’re over her, but every time you see her, you get this look on your face like you’re trying to decode a puzzle.”

Karan didn’t respond, instead, he shoved his hands into his pockets, trying to ignore Sameer’s teasing.

At that moment, Raj and Natasha walked by, their laughter drawing Karan’s attention. Raj gave him a knowing look, followed by a lazy wave.

“You’re in deep, bro,” Raj said with a smirk. “Meera’s all you ever talk about these days.”

Natasha rolled her eyes playfully. “Please. Karan’s just trying to keep up the ‘cool playboy’ act. But we all know it’s Meera that’s been keeping him up at night.”

Karan felt his face flush, though he tried to laugh it off. “Shut up, all of you,” he muttered, his embarrassment turning into frustration. He couldn’t deny it—they were right, in some ways. Meera had been on his mind more than he cared to admit.

Sameer nudged him with his elbow. “Don’t worry, Karan. One of these days, you’ll figure it out. Either you move on, or you make a move.”

Karan didn’t reply, just shoved past them and walked toward the campus exit. The teasing and the jokes were starting to wear on him. But it wasn’t just his friends he was trying to avoid thinking about—it was Meera. He couldn’t shake her from his thoughts, no matter how hard he tried.