Unraveling the past, tying the future
Author's pov-
Kaashi leaned against the counter of her favorite café, stirring her coffee absentmindedly. Across from her, Rudra was scrolling through his phone, pretending he wasn’t watching her.
"You’re staring," she said, raising an eyebrow.
Rudra smirked. "You love the attention."
She rolled her eyes, but the corners of her lips twitched. "I just don’t understand how you can be so calm when our best friends are practically destroying each other with their emotions."
Rudra sighed, setting his phone down. "Because I know Purv. He’s stubborn, but he’s not blind. He’ll fight until she breaks. And she will."
Kaashi frowned. "That sounds… cruel."
Rudra shook his head. "Not like that. He’s not trying to hurt her. He’s trying to remind her that she’s not alone in this."
Kaashi exhaled, tapping her fingers against her cup. "I just want her to be happy."
"You care about her a lot," Rudra noted.
Kaashi shot him a pointed look. "Of course, I do. She’s my person."
Something flickered in Rudra’s eyes, something unreadable. He took a sip of his coffee before speaking again. "You know… I get why Purv is scared to lose Divya. Because if I lost you, I don’t think I’d take it very well either."
Kaashi’s fingers froze mid-tap.
There was something about the way he said it—casual, but heavy with meaning.
"Rudra…" she began, but he cut her off.
"Relax," he chuckled. "I’m not proposing or anything."
She rolled her eyes again, but this time, she didn’t try to fight the warmth spreading through her chest.
—
Meanwhile, at Divya’s apartment
Days has passed since Purv and Divya last met.
She stared at her phone screen, her thumb hovering over Purv’s name.
She had no idea what she wanted to say.
Maybe she wanted to yell at him for showing up, for forcing her to confront things she wasn’t ready to face.
Or maybe she just wanted to hear his voice.
But before she could make a decision, a knock at her door startled her.
When she opened it, she didn’t expect to see Purv standing there, looking both determined and exhausted.
"I’m done waiting, Divya."
Her breath caught. "Purv—"
"No," he interrupted. "You don’t get to run this time. We talk. Now."