Page 36 of Since You Came Along

His voice dropped to a whisper as he answered, ‘She was visiting her parents here, and I tagged along for my exam. It was our five-year anniversary, so we’d planned to meet early in the morning.’

The air between them grew heavier as his words slowed. ‘She was running late, but I wasn’t worried. She was always late. When forty-five minutes passed, I called her mom. They hadn’t heard from her either. Five minutes later, they got the news.’

His hands were clenched on his knees, his knuckles white. ‘A truck hit her car at an intersection. It went up in flames. She… she died instantly.’

Her breath hitched, and tears blurred her vision when he added, ‘As much as I wanted to say goodbye, I’m glad she didn’t suffer. And it was comforting to know that our last words to each other had been, I love you.’

His voice cracked with pain and Meera couldn’t hold back anymore. She leaned closer and wrapped her arms around him.He held on to her and she rested her head on his shoulder. They sat there, engulfed in the silence of the present and whispers of the past.

‘After she died, I was a mess. I called Abhay, and he rushed here along with my parents. After the funeral, I was drowning myself in alcohol so much that I almost missed my final exam. I was numb, lost. One morning, Abhay found me drinking and punched me in the face.’ Raghav winced, remembering the impact.

Meera could feel her heart breaking for the man beside her. She squeezed his hand, her silent way of saying she was there, that she understood.

‘I got so angry, I hit him back,’ Raghav confessed. ‘We made each other bleed. And when we were done, I broke down. Abhay just hugged me as I cried. That was the first time the reality sunk in. Nica was gone.’

Meera reached out and held his hand. He let out a shaky breath and continued, ‘Losing her took a toll on us. It changed us. Abhay became more serious, more grounded. Luv started taking life as it came. Kusha became cynical about love, about people.’

His gaze drifted to the window. ‘That day, I didn’t just lose Nica, I lost an entire life I had dreamed of with her.’

Her throat tightened with emotions at his words. She whispered, ‘I’m so sorry, Raghav.’

Raghav relaxed a fraction as he glanced at her. There was no pity in her eyes, only genuine understanding. He realised then how easy it was to talk to her. She wasn’t trying to diminish his pain or compare it. She was there, listening. For the first time in years, sharing his pain felt like healing.

When Raghav looked expectantly at Meera, she knew he was waiting for her to talk, to share her pain. She didn’t know how, after listening to the story of a beautiful love, she could taint the moment by telling a tale of betrayal. But, after knowing his past, she felt closer to him.

She took a deep breath and said, ‘I do understand. I lost a future too, but it was never mine to begin with.’

Raghav turned to her, his dark eyes steady and patient. His hand closed over hers now, offering silent encouragement. ‘I’m listening,’ he said, his voice a balm to her frayed nerves.

‘I met Rutvik when we got partnered up in my painting class. We hit it off. Soon we became good friends, and when he asked me out, I was over the moon. But eventually, things changed,’ she said with a bitter smile.

‘He hated my music, my love for baking… pretty much anything that wasn’t part of his “perfect lifestyle.” And he never liked my friends.’

Raghav arched a brow. ‘Swayam and Siya, I’m guessing?’

Meera chuckled, the sound tinged with irony. ‘Swayam couldn’t stand Rutvik. He always said I was giving too much and getting nothing in return.’

Raghav tilted his head, studying her. ‘Why did Swayam think that?’ From what Swayam had told him about Rutvik, he already knew why, but he wanted to know what Meera thought.

Her gaze dropped to her lap, and she admitted, ‘Because I was making all the sacrifices. I’d skip meals and walk to college to save money so I could recharge my phone and call Rutvik. He… did nothing like that for me.’

The room fell quiet, except for the distant honking of a car on the street below. Raghav said nothing, but his jaw clenched.

‘And then there was Ahana, his best friend,’ Meera continued, anger creeping into her tone. ‘She’d criticise everything about me, from the way I dressed to the way I talked, even how I never quite fit into their group. Her nick name for me was… a charity case.’

‘A charity case?’ he echoed, his tone laced with disbelief and rage.

Meera nodded, her laugh devoid of humour. ‘She told Rutvik he was doing me a favour by being with me and that he deserved someone better. And maybe, deep down, he believed her. Because he never defended me. Not once.’

‘And you didn’t become best friends with this girl?’ Raghav asked, his voice tinged with mock horror.

Meera managed a faint smile, but the memory preoccupied her. The moment Rutvik had laughed at what Ahana said about her still stung. She looked down at her hands, twisting her ring.

Raghav frowned, sensing her discomfort. ‘How did you find out what she said about you?’

Meera hesitated. ‘Rutvik told me himself. And all the while, he was laughing, as if someone calling his girlfriend a charity case was the funniest thing he’d ever heard.’

‘Instead of standing up for you, he laughed about it?’ His tone was sharp.

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