Page 13 of Since You Came Along

Meera glanced between them, confused by the lingering tension.

‘Do you guys know each other?’ Raghav asked.

A dangerous glint flashed in her eyes and she shot Abhay a warning look. ‘Apparently not,’ Abhay shrugged.

Siya rolled her eyes, irritated by Abhay’s response. She huffed and moved to sit beside Meera, taking the seat farthest from Abhay.

Raghav, sitting on Meera’s other side, raised an eyebrow, hoping for some sort of explanation. But when Meera just shrugged, he understood she did not know about the tension between Abhay and Siya.

Siya sat quietly, her earlier cheerfulness replaced by a quiet anger. Abhay, however, seemed unfazed, as if the brief exchange had been nothing more than a harmless distraction.

‘Are you both done playing the war of silence now?’ Swayam teased. ‘We’d like to talk too, you know,’ he added, his tone breaking the tension that had settled over the group.

Everyone chuckled, but the atmosphere remained a little off-kilter. Meera looked between Siya and Abhay, sensing there was more to their interaction than met the eye.

Luv noticed the charged air in the room and leaned towards Siya with a playful smirk. ‘You know, Siya, I’ve been thinking... If we ever get stuck in a zombie apocalypse, I’m sticking with you.’

Siya raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. ‘Oh really? Why’s that?’

He tapped his chin as if he were deep in thought and continued, ‘Because you’ve got the best survival instinct. You’re already avoiding Abhay.’

Siya stared at him for a moment, then burst out laughing. Everyone joined in, and just like that, the tension in the room evaporated. Abhay’s eyebrow twitched, but he couldn’t suppress a small laugh.

Siya replied, ‘I’ll tell you what, you can be my sidekick.’

Raghav glanced at Meera and when she caught his gaze, she smiled. The look in her eyes made him think of a Christmas tree lit up with sparkling lights, full of warmth and life. He realised just how much he enjoyed hearing her laugh.

‘You have an interesting pair of friends,’ Meera whispered.

Raghav nodded, his lips curving into a soft smile. ‘They can be a handful and annoyingly persistent, but they’re bearable—at least when they try to be.’

‘So, what do you think is going on between those two?’ he asked, nodding towards Abhay and Siya, who were still at odds.

‘I don’t know. Do you?’

‘No,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘But it’s entertaining to watch.’

Meera shrugged, deciding to leave it at that. She’ll ask Siya about it later, she decided.

‘You look beautiful, by the way,’ Raghav said, his eyes meeting hers with a quiet intensity that it felt like the world had paused. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks, and she fought to keep her composure.

‘I’m glad I got the chance to meet both of your friends,’ he said sincerely.

‘These spontaneous planners woke me up at five in the morning, but I’m glad they came too. They seem to get along well with your friends,’ she commented, watching them all laugh.

‘So they are,’ Raghav agreed, his gaze lingering on his friends. ‘My friends mean a lot to me, Meera,’ he added.

Before she could respond, the waiter arrived. When he presented appetisers with bits of boiled mushrooms in the sauce, Meera noticed and pulled the plate away from Siya because she was allergic.

‘Mushrooms. Check before eating,’ she said to Siya, earning a grateful smile from her.

Raghav noticed how this wasn’t just casual concern; it was an unspoken bond and a kind of fierce loyalty that revealed how deeply her friends mattered to Meera. He realised Meera didn’t just cherish her friends; she safeguarded them like family. That small yet significant act told him more about her heart than words ever could.

The conversation flowed easily. Drinks were poured, food arrived, and laughter filled the air. A grin stretched acrossRaghav’s face as he learned Meera shared his taste for whiskey. As the group chatted about work, their lives, and shared stories, the simple rhythm of the evening made him feel more relaxed than he had expected.

Abhay, who had been observing the interactions closely, smiled to himself, noting how comfortable Raghav and Meera seemed with each other. It had taken Raghav a long time to open up about Veronica after her passing, so the fact that he had told Meera spoke volumes.

When the girls went to the restroom, Abhay turned to Raghav and said, ‘I like her, Raag.’

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