Karan lay awake that night, his mind restless and his thoughts a tangled mess. The city lights glowed softly through his window, casting faint shadows on the walls. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Meera’s face—her guarded expression, the quiet finality in her tone, and the way she had walked away without looking back.
He’d hoped for anything but the reality of that night, and now he was left with more questions than answers. He picked up his phone out of habit, scrolling through old messages and photos, lingering on one where she was laughing, her guard completely down. That memory stirred something bittersweet in him, a reminder of what he wished they could still be.
But there was no undoing her words. She didn’t want him that way, and he had to respect that. Sighing, he set his phone aside, forcing himself to focus on anything else. He turned onto his side, staring at the ceiling, trying to breathe through the ache in his chest.
The silence in his apartment felt heavy, like it was swallowing him whole. He knew he had to let her go, but each passing minute made that truth feel harder to accept. What if I’m wrong? The thought lingered in his mind like an unanswered prayer. What if she changes her mind?
But even as he wondered, he knew he couldn’t wait forever. He couldn’t keep hoping for something that wasn’t going to happen. With a frustrated sigh, he pushed the covers off and climbed out of bed, heading for the kitchen to make himself a late-night coffee.
The familiar act didn’t bring the comfort he expected. His thoughts kept drifting back to Meera—the way she had looked at him with something that almost resembled regret before she turned away. But what was it? Regret for not choosing me? Or regret for even letting herself feel something in the first place?
The questions were endless, and as much as he wanted answers, he knew he couldn’t force them out of her. He couldn’t force her to open up. Not when she wasn’t ready.
The next morning, Karan went for an early run, hoping that some movement might help clear his head. As he jogged through the park, he tried to push away thoughts of Meera, to just be in the moment. But no matter how fast he ran, her words kept catching up with him.
Around a familiar bend, he spotted Arav on a bench, headphones on, seemingly lost in his own world. Karan considered leaving him to his music, but the need to talk to someone who understood won out.
Arav looked up as Karan approached, pulling off his headphones with a smirk. “You look like you barely slept.”
Karan let out a short laugh, taking a seat next to him. “Didn’t realize it showed.”
“Pretty much.” Arav gave him a knowing look, his expression softening. “I heard you and Meera talked last night.”
Karan nodded, trying to keep his voice even. “Yeah. She… she’s not ready. Or maybe she never will be.”
Arav nodded, glancing off into the distance. “That’s Meera. She’s been through a lot, and trusting someone enough to let them in isn’t easy for her.”
“I know,” Karan murmured, staring at the path ahead. He felt the weight of the situation settling deeper, and the reality of Meera’s words lingered in his mind.
Arav looked over, studying him for a moment. “You’re serious about her, aren’t you?”
Karan didn’t respond immediately, feeling the weight of the question. Finally, he spoke. “Yeah. I am.”
Arav gave his shoulder a supportive pat. “Then give it time. Maybe she’ll come around. And if not, you’ll know you tried.”
Karan nodded, grateful for Arav’s steady presence. For now, he’d take things day by day, letting his feelings settle on their own. The park felt quieter than usual today, and Karan couldn’t help but let his thoughts wander again to the brief encounter with Meera, replaying her words, the softness in her eyes. He hated that she didn’t believe in love. It was hard to reconcile the woman he knew—the one who laughed so easily, who shared moments of deep understanding—with someone who closed herself off completely from any chance of happiness.
After the run, Karan went through the motions of his day, but each task felt like it required more energy than it usually did. He buried himself in work, trying to drown out the noise in his head with deadlines and meetings. The hours passed quickly, but the thought of Meera remained constant in the back of his mind, refusing to leave him. He had made the effort to reach out, to show her that he understood, but every time he checked his phone, his heart gave a small jolt of disappointment at seeing nothing from her.
That night, Karan sat at his desk, staring at his laptop with a blank expression. His work was open, but he hadn’t actually looked at it in hours. His thoughts kept pulling him away, back to the same place: Meera.
He had to stop this. Let it go, Karan. You can’t keep waiting around for someone who doesn’t want this. He gripped the edges of his desk, willing himself to focus. But his mind was already elsewhere, drifting back to the moments they’d shared—the way she had looked at him so seriously, the vulnerability she’d shown in the silence between them, and the brief flicker of something unspoken in her eyes.
He sighed, giving in to the impulse to check his phone. He knew he shouldn’t, but it was almost instinctive now. Scrolling through his contacts, he hesitated when he saw Meera’s name. He had no idea why he still held onto this hope. She’d made herself clear, hadn’t she? She wasn’t ready, and perhaps she never would be. Still, his fingers hovered over her name, and before he could stop himself, he tapped it.
Should I text her? Should I just let her be? The indecision gnawed at him.
His thumb hovered over the message box for a long moment before he finally began typing:
> “Hey, Meera. Just wanted to check in. I hope you’re doing well. No pressure to respond—I just wanted you to know I’m here if you ever need anything.”
It felt like an eternity before he hit send, and even after he did, a strange sense of relief mixed with doubt washed over him. She might not reply at all, or worse—she might reply with something distant. But he had to take the risk. She deserved to know that, even though things had changed between them, he wasn’t going anywhere. He would always be there.
He put his phone down and leaned back in his chair, staring at the city lights beyond the window. The minutes ticked by, and the silence seemed to stretch on forever. His mind wandered again—this time, to the idea of her actually answering. The hope felt foolish, even to him. But that’s what hope was, wasn’t it? It was irrational. A dangerous thing, but Karan couldn’t shake it.
And then, his phone buzzed.
His heart skipped a beat, and he grabbed it quickly. Please, let it be her.
The message was simple:
> “Thanks, Karan. I appreciate it.”
It wasn’t much, but it was something. And for now, he’d take that.
---
The next day, Karan met up with a few friends at a café, hoping the company would be a good distraction. His friend Rohan was telling a story about a disastrous date he’d been on recently, and the group erupted into laughter as he mimicked the expressions of his date.
Karan glanced over at Arjun, Sameer, and Raj, who were waiting for him at a nearby table. They were joking around, probably discussing something completely mundane, and for a moment, Karan felt a pang of envy. They didn’t have the weight of unanswered questions hanging over them. They didn’t know what it felt like to be caught between letting go and holding on.
Raj noticed Karan and called out, “Hey, finally decided to show up?” he teased, oblivious to the turmoil in Karan’s mind.
Karan forced a smile, shoving his hands into his pockets as he walked over.
Sameer nudged him as soon as he sat down. “What happened, Romeo? Didn’t go as planned?”
Karan shook his head. “Not really.”
Arjun raised an eyebrow. “She let you down easy, huh?”
“More like she just… shut me out,” Karan said, frustration lacing his voice. “She’s got her reasons, I get it. But it feels like she’s locked a part of herself away, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
The group fell silent, each of them casting Karan sympathetic looks. For the first time, Karan let himself feel the weight of Meera’s departure fully. He wanted her to feel safe enough to open up, to trust him. But for now, that meant letting her go, and hoping she’d come back.
YOU ARE READING
Silent Vows
RomanceKaran 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...
