Karan stood outside the café, his hands stuffed in his pockets, staring at the entrance. The early evening air was crisp, and the sounds of the city rushed by him, but inside, everything felt silent. He had no idea what to expect.
Meera had asked to meet here—her favorite spot in the city. The one place where they had spent hours talking and laughing before everything had fallen apart.
The thought made Karan’s heart race. He wasn’t sure if this was going to be a goodbye, or if this was the beginning of something else.
After what felt like an eternity, the door to the café swung open. Meera stepped out, her dark hair falling around her shoulders, her eyes as guarded as ever. She paused for a moment when she saw him, her expression unreadable.
For a second, neither of them spoke. The air between them was thick with unspoken words, both afraid to break the silence.
Meera was the first to move, walking toward him, her steps slow and deliberate. She stopped just a few feet away, looking at him with that quiet, steady gaze he’d come to know so well. Her arms were crossed tightly over her chest, like she was trying to keep her thoughts contained, hidden from him.
Karan’s throat went dry as he took in the sight of her. She looked just as beautiful as always, but something was different—like she was somehow farther away, a version of her he’d never quite seen. It left him feeling more uncertain than ever.
“Meera…” Karan started, his voice low and careful. He wanted to say so much, but the words were tangled in his mind.
She didn’t respond immediately, her gaze fixed on the ground as if sifting through her own thoughts. After a pause, she looked up, her expression unreadable.
“I don’t know what to say, Karan,” she began, her voice barely a whisper, almost reluctant. “I don’t even know why I’m here.”
Karan’s chest tightened at her words, but he forced himself to keep calm. “You asked to meet,” he said, his voice barely a whisper. “I thought… I thought we could talk.”
Meera nodded, her gaze still averted. “I’m not good at this,” she said after a moment. “Talking about… what this is.” Her eyes lifted to meet his, holding an expression he couldn’t quite read. “I never thought you saw me like that, you know?”
Karan swallowed hard, not sure how to respond, afraid of shattering whatever chance was left between them.
“I didn’t expect this either, Meera,” he said finally. “I just know I don’t want to lose you.”
Her lips twisted into a faint, almost bitter smile. “Maybe you don’t really know me, then.”
Karan blinked, caught off guard. “What do you mean?”
She sighed, looking past him, her gaze distant. “People like to assume things about others,” she said softly, almost to herself. “I thought… I thought you were a friend. That’s all I’ve ever seen you as, Karan.” Her eyes flickered with something unreadable, and he felt her words like a blow, yet he couldn’t look away.
“I didn’t mean to put you in this position,” Karan said, his voice rough. “I just… I had to be honest with you. I thought maybe, if I tried—if we tried—”
She shook her head, cutting him off. “It’s not about trying, Karan. It’s just that I’m… not meant for this. Not in the way you want me to be.”
Karan frowned, trying to understand, to break through the mystery she held so tightly. “You mean… you’re not ready for a relationship?”
Meera exhaled, a hint of impatience in her eyes. “It’s more than that. I don’t want one. Not now, not ever, if I’m honest.” She met his gaze with a level stare, one that held no room for misinterpretation.
Karan’s heart sank. He’d hoped so desperately that there was something deeper, that maybe she was just afraid. But now, he felt like he was facing a wall he couldn’t climb.
“I don’t know what to say,” he murmured, feeling the weight of her words. “I just… I wish you’d see things differently. I wish you’d understand how much I care.”
Meera’s gaze softened slightly, but only for a moment. “Karan… caring doesn’t change things. It doesn’t change who I am, and it doesn’t change who you are. Some things aren’t meant to be forced.” Her eyes held his, as if willing him to understand without her saying more.
He stared back, struggling to find the words, to tell her everything he felt. But he knew there was nothing he could say that would change her mind.
After a long silence, she took a step back, a finality in her posture that made his heart ache.
“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice low, a slight tremor in it. “I’m just… not what you’re looking for, Karan. And you’re not what I need.”
He opened his mouth, desperate to argue, to reach out to her. But he knew it was pointless.
“Meera…” he started, but his voice broke.
She looked at him, her expression unreadable, and for the briefest moment, he thought he saw a flicker of something else in her eyes—regret, maybe, or something more.
“I’m sorry,” she repeated softly, then turned away, leaving him standing there in the fading light.
He watched her go, the weight of her words pressing down on him. And as she disappeared into the night, he felt the painful certainty that she was gone for good.
But as her figure grew smaller in the distance, something inside him resisted letting her leave like that, the thought of her slipping away unbearable. Before he could stop himself, he called out, his voice breaking through the quiet of the street.
“Meera!”
She stopped, her back to him, her posture tense but unmoving. She didn’t turn around, didn’t give him the reassurance he was aching for, but she waited, listening.
Karan took a deep breath, steadying himself. “If you want me to be just your friend,” he said, his voice trembling slightly, “then I will be. I won’t expect anything from you—no promises, no answers.”
He paused, his heart pounding in his chest as he let the weight of his next words settle in his mind before he spoke them aloud. “But, Meera… whether it’s ten years from now, twenty years from now… I will make you fall in love with me. I’ll wait, and I’ll be here. Not to push, not to force, but just… to be there.”
A silence stretched between them, the streetlights casting long shadows as she stood frozen, her back still to him.
“That’s a vow, Meera,” he added, his voice quiet but unwavering. “I’ll wait for you. However long it takes.”
For a moment, she seemed to waver, as if she might turn back to him, but she didn’t. Instead, she shook her head slowly, almost to herself, as if he had said something foolish, something impossible. Then, without a word, she walked away, her steps steady and resolute, disappearing into the night.
Karan stayed there, watching until she was out of sight, the echo of her footsteps fading away. He didn’t know if he’d ever see her in the same way again, or if she’d ever believe him. But in that moment, he knew he would keep his promise, whether she accepted it or not.
YOU ARE READING
Silent Vows
RomantikKaran 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...
