Karan wiped the sweat from his brow as he stood in front of the punching bag, fists throbbing from the impact. Each punch was an attempt to knock out the thoughts that plagued him, but they just kept coming back. Meera. Her unreadable expressions, the way her eyes flickered when he teased her, and that quiet resistance that only seemed to pull him in more.
His breath came fast and heavy as he threw another punch, this time harder, as if to push the memories and feelings away. The bag swung wildly, but Karan couldn’t escape the truth: he was getting obsessed. No matter how much he tried to focus on other things, she was there, lingering in his mind, more than he was willing to admit.
“You know, if you hit the bag like that, you’re going to break your hand, not the bag,” Sameer’s voice interrupted his thoughts.
Karan lowered his gloves and turned around, wiping his face with a towel. Sameer was leaning against the doorframe, watching him with that knowing smirk of his. Sameer had been his best friend since high school, and right now, he was the only one who seemed to notice Karan’s frustration.
“I don’t know why I’m doing this, man,” Karan muttered. “She’s everywhere. Every time I try to move on, there she is, in my head.”
Sameer didn’t respond immediately, his gaze steady on Karan. “You’re still hung up on Meera, huh?”
Karan didn’t answer right away. Instead, he threw another punch at the bag, a little softer this time, as if trying to measure out his frustration. Sameer always had a way of cutting to the point, which Karan both hated and appreciated.
“You need to get over it, bro,” Sameer continued. “She’s not interested. And I’m pretty sure the more you chase her, the less she’ll care.”
Karan’s jaw tightened. “It’s not like I’m chasing her.”
“Sure, sure,” Sameer said, rolling his eyes. “And I'm sure she’s just waiting for you to give up and move on.”
Karan sighed, leaning against the punching bag for a moment. Sameer was right. Meera had made it clear she wasn’t interested. And yet, there was something about her that still pulled at him. The way she was always so distant, so controlled, and yet... there was a softness underneath it all. Something about that intrigued him, even if it frustrated him to no end.
“Alright,” Karan finally said, pushing himself off the bag. “Maybe you’re right. But it doesn’t make it easier to forget her.”
“You’re trying to forget her,” Sameer said with a smirk. “That’s your problem. You’re not looking at the bigger picture here, bro.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Karan asked, raising an eyebrow.
Sameer shrugged nonchalantly. “I’m just saying, maybe you should try someone else. You know, move on. There’s no shortage of girls around.”
Karan hesitated, thinking about it. He wasn’t really looking for another girl. But the thought of distracting himself, of not thinking about Meera for even a moment, sounded appealing.
Before he could respond, Sameer added, “Speaking of which, I saw Anika earlier. She’s been trying to get your attention.”
Karan’s mind snapped back to reality. Anika. The girl who had been circling him like a hawk ever since their first encounter. Pretty, outgoing, and persistent. She’d made it clear she was interested, but Karan had never really given her a chance. Not while Meera was in the picture.
“I don’t know, man,” Karan muttered. “She’s nice, but I just can’t…”
Sameer raised an eyebrow. “You can’t what?”
“Move on,” Karan finished quietly, his gaze distant.
Sameer chuckled. “Well, if you ever decide to get out of that rut, Anika might be just the thing you need.”
Karan didn’t respond. Instead, he grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder, deciding he needed some air. Sameer’s words lingered in his mind as he stepped outside, the cool breeze hitting his face and momentarily easing his tension. But it didn’t take long before his thoughts returned to Meera.
---
Karan walked through the campus, trying to clear his head, but as he passed the courtyard, he caught sight of Anika sitting alone at a bench, her bright smile as she noticed him walking by.
“Hey, Karan!” she called out, waving energetically.
Karan paused, shifting uncomfortably as he tried to gather his thoughts. Anika was always so upbeat, always so... approachable. It was hard not to feel drawn in by her energy. Maybe it was time to stop running from the idea of moving on.
“Hey, Anika,” Karan said, trying to sound casual as he approached her. “What’s up?”
Anika patted the empty space next to her. “Nothing much. Just getting some fresh air. You should sit with me for a bit.”
Karan hesitated, glancing around. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but he knew Sameer’s words were still echoing in his head. Maybe it was time to stop being so stubborn.
He sat down next to her, careful not to get too comfortable. “So, how’s your day going?”
“Oh, it’s going great,” she replied, her eyes lighting up. “I was thinking about asking you to hang out this weekend. Maybe grab some dinner? I know this place that’s really nice, just a little outside campus.”
Karan nodded, though his mind wasn’t really focused on the dinner. His thoughts kept drifting back to the boxing session, the frustration, and the lingering presence of Meera in his life. The way she’d seemed so distant, so disinterested... and yet, he couldn’t shake her off.
“Yeah, sounds good,” Karan said absentmindedly.
Anika looked at him, her smile faltering just a bit, though she quickly recovered. “Great! I’ll text you the details.”
Karan gave her a small smile, nodding. “I’ll be there.”
As he stood up to leave, Anika’s voice stopped him. “Hey, Karan,” she said softly, her tone more serious. “Are you okay? You seem a little... off.”
Karan turned to face her, offering her a reassuring grin. “Yeah, just got a lot on my mind. But I’ll be good.”
Anika didn’t look entirely convinced, but she nodded. “Alright. I’m here if you want to talk.”
Karan smiled again, the weight in his chest feeling a little heavier now. He didn’t know why, but he couldn’t bring himself to lean on Anika. She was sweet, and maybe he could have made things work with her, but his thoughts kept circling back to someone else. Someone who seemed determined to stay just out of reach.
As he walked away, he didn’t feel any lighter. Instead, he felt a growing sense of frustration, as though something was slipping further away from him every time he tried to move forward.
And just like that, Meera’s face filled his thoughts once again.
YOU ARE READING
Silent Vows
RomansaKaran Kapoor has always lived life on his own terms-charming, confident, and a notorious playboy who never took anything too seriously. Relationships were just a game to him, and emotions were something he could easily brush aside. That is, until a...
