Breaking the distance
Author's pov-
Divya spent the rest of the day trying to shake off the feeling in her chest, but it refused to leave.
Purv had left. Again.
She wasn't stupid-she had seen the way he looked at her. But everytime they got close, he pulled away like he was afraid to hold on.
And it was starting to frustrate her.
"Earth to divya?"
She blinked, snapping out of her thoughts to see kaashi waving a hand infront of her face.
"You've been zoned out since we got here," kaashi said, tilting her head. "Let me guess-Purv?"
Divya sighed. "It's just... Complicated."
Kaashi gave her a knowing look. "Oh please, everything with that guy is complicated. But what's new?"
Divya hesitated before speaking. "I don't understand him, kaashi. He acts like he cares, then pushes me away. And today, I saw him watching me and Aditya, and he looked..."
Kaashi smirked. "Jealous?"
Divya frowned. "That's the thing. He shouldn't be. If he doesn't want anything to do with me, why does it bother him?"
Kaashi shrugged. "Maybe because he does want something with you but doesn't know how to handle it."
Divya sighed. "That's not my problem, is it?"
Kaashi grinned. "Not really. But it would be fun to mess with him a little, don't you think?"
Divya rolled her eyes. "I'm not playing games."
Kaashi wiggled her eyebrows. "Maybe you should. Just a little. See how he reacts."
Divya bit her lip, thinking. Maybe kaashi had a point.
Because if purv wasn't going to admit how he felt, then she needed to make him face it.
The next day, Divya found herself standing near the college entrance, scrolling through her phone when she heard a familiar voice.
"Divya."
She turned, her heart skipping a beat as she saw purv standing there.
He looked... different.
There was something almost hesitant in the way he looked at her, like he was debating whether he should even be there.
"Hey," she said cautiously.
Purv ran a hand through his hair. "Walk with me?"
She hesitated but nodded, following him as he led her towards the quieter side of campus.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The purv stopped and turned to face her. "I need to say something."
Divya crossed her arms. "Okay."
He exhaled. "About yesterday."
She waited.
"I didn't like seeing you with Aditya," he admitted, his jaw tightening.
Divya's eyes widened slightly, not expecting him to be so blunt.
"Why?" She asked, challenging him.
Purv look frustrated, like he didn't even have the words himself. "Because I just didn't."
Divya let out a small laugh, but there was no humor in it. "That's not an answer, purv."
He took a step closer. "Because I don't want you to be with him."
Her breath hitched at the intensity in his voice.
"Then what do you want?" She whispered.
Purv's gaze darkened. "You."
Silence.
A different kind of silence.
The kind that made her heart race.
Purv took another step, closing the space between them. His fingers brushed against her hand, hesitant yet firm.
"I don't know how to do this," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know how to be what you deserve."
Divya felt her heart break and swell at the same time.
"You don't have to be perfect, purv," she said softly. "You just have to try."
Something in his eyes shifted.
And then, before she could process what was happening, he leaned in.
His lips met hers.
It wasn't rushed. It wasn't desperate.
It was slow, intense, filled with everything he hadn't been able to say in words.
Divya felt herself melt into him, her hands gripping his shirt as he deepend the kiss. It wasn't just a kiss-it was a confession. A promise.
When they finally pulled apart, purv rested his forehead against hers, his breathing unsteady.
"I'm scared," he admitted.
Divya smiled softly. "Me too."
But for the first time, neither of them ran from it.