Breaking the silence
Author's pov-
Divya tried her best to ignore purv's presence outside the cafe. She forced herself to stay engaged in her conversation with Aditya, laughing at his jokes, nodding along to his stories. But the weight of purv's stare pressed against her, making it impossible to fully focus.
She hated how easily he could affect her.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Aditya leaned back in his chair, smirking. "You know, you're not really here, are you?"
Divya blinked. "What?"
He chuckled. "You've been distracted ever since you saw him." He tilted his head toward the window where purv still stood. "Why don't you just go and talk to him?"
Divya frowned. "Why should I? He's the one acting weird."
Aditya shrugged. "Yeah, but you clearly care. Otherwise, you wouldn't be so restless."
She sighed, stirring the straw in her iced coffee. "It's complicated."
"It always is," Aditya said, shaking his head. "But let me give you some advice-if someone keeps pulling you toward them, even when they push you away, it usually means they're scared of what they feel."
Divya stared at him for a long moment.
Was that what this was?
Was purv scared?
She turned her gaze toward the window again.
He was still there.
Waiting.
Something inside her snapped.
"I should go," she said abruptly, standing up.
Aditya smirked. "Finally."
She rolled her eyes but gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you."
He lifted his coffee cup in a mock toast. "Anytime."
Before going outside she said, "I won't be able to come tonight for movie night."
Aditya nodded.
The second she stepped out of the cafe, purv straightened. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes flickered with something she couldn't quite place.
"You didn't listen to me," he said, voice low.
Divya crossed her arms. "You didn't gave me a reason to."
Purv's jaw tightened. "You shouldn't have been here with him."
Her patience snapped. "And why not, purv? Give me one good reason."
His hands curled into fists. For a moment, she thought he wouldn't answer.
Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, he said, "Because I don't want to lose you too."
The words hit her like a punch to the chest.
She swallowed. "Lose me? Purv, you don't even have me."
His eyes darkened. "Don't I?"
Her breath caught.
For a second, neither of them moved. The tension between them was thick, suffocating.
Then, before she could think, before she could second-guess herself-
She reached up, grabbing his collar, pulling him down.
And she kissed him.
It wasn't soft. It wasn't hesitant.
It was fire and frustration, confusion and longing, a storm of emotions crashing into each other.
Purv didn't hesitate. The moment her lips met his, he responded with an intensity that stole her breath away. His hands found her waist, pulling her closer, deepening the kiss like he had been waiting for this moment for far too long.
Time blurred. The world around them faded.
And for the first time in a long time, everything made sense.
When they finally pulled apart, their breaths were ragged, their foreheads touching.
Divya searched his eyes, trying to find the answer to the one question burning inside her.
"What are we doing, purv?" She whispered.
His fingers traced the side of her face, his voice rough.
"I don't know," he admitted. "But I don't want to stop."
Neither did she.
And maybe-just maybe-that was enough.