Page 27 of Since You Came Along

Swayam nodded. ‘He didn’t just take advantage. He manipulated her, Raghav. The bastard made her believe she had no right to ask for anything in return and that her needs didn’t matter.’

Raghav clenched his fists, his heart aching for Meera.

Swayam continued, ‘Over time, she started internalising it. She stopped asking for help, stopped expecting anything from anyone. Rutvik had her convinced that relying on others made her a burden.’

Raghav gripped the edge of the table so tight that his knuckles turned white. He could feel the anger simmering, a protective rage that made him want to punch something or someone. ‘She didn’t deserve that,’ he said, thinking of all the ways Rutvik had hurt her.

‘Of course, she didn’t!’ Swayam snapped. ‘But now, she’s so used to handling everything alone, she doesn’t even let us know if she ever needs help.’

Swayam continued, his voice tinged with sorrow. ‘After Rutvik, she became this closed-off version of herself. Siyanoticed it the most. It’s like she locked away a part of her. That’s why I got so concerned when you told me she was unwell. If Meera asked you for help, it must’ve been serious. God knows what she’s been through in silence.’

Raghav could feel the weight of his words. He knew how Swayam felt. This was his first time witnessing her like this, and it had nearly driven him mad. What must it have been like for her friends, watching her withdraw and deal with everything alone?

He thought of her fragile state earlier, curled up in pain. The idea that she might have gone through similar episodes alone, with no one to care for her, made his blood boil.

‘This ends now,’ Raghav said, his voice hard with resolve. He vowed to show Meera that she wasn’t alone. She had people who would be there for her, no matter what.

Within an hour, three men stood in his kitchen, staring at him with confusion. Raghav had called Abhay and Luv over after checking on Meera again.

‘Gentlemen,’ he said, a determined spark lit his eyes. ‘We are going to bake brownies.’

Chapter 12

‘You’re joking, right?’ Abhay asked, glaring at him.

Raghav smirked. ‘Not even a little. Now, get to work.’

A while later, the kitchen looked like a war zone. The flour was strewn across the floor, and a sharp smell of burnt caramel lingered in the air. The men were scolding each other, screwing up even the simplest tasks like mixing butter and sugar.

When Raghav had shared his plan to bake, they’d protested, but after he explained everything, they’d calmed down. Their fury burned for her. No one even considered ordering the brownies. This was their way of showing her they cared.

Abhay had even scolded Raghav for not checking on her earlier. ‘You’re not the only one living here now. Stop acting like it. Be more attentive, Raghav,’ he had said.

Raghav had taken the scolding in stride, determined to be more observant. Swayam had suggested sneaky ways of taking care of her like he and Siya did, and Raghav was grateful for it.

As they tried to bake, the men discussed how to teach Rutvik a lesson. Abhay suggested using a cricket bat, Luv wanted to get handsy with scissors, and Raghav preferred using his bare hands. Swayam laughed at their ideas, encouraging them to be more creative.

As chaos reigned in the kitchen, Raghav smiled despite everything. This was just the first step. And he wouldn’t stop until Meera realised she didn’t have to face the world alone.

But soon, Raghav knew it was a losing battle. It seemed like a straightforward task; a quick YouTube video and he’d have delicious caramel brownies. Turns out, it wasn’t. Not at all. He knew he wasn’t a culinary genius. He could barely make Maggi without burning it.

Abhay and Luv were even worse. Swayam, for all his confidence, cracked two eggs into the batter with the shells intact and mixed them in without realising. That disaster meant tossing the entire batter and starting over.

They tasked Luv with making soup for Meera. When Abhay tried to swap duties, Luv had brandished a knife, proclaiming, ‘This soup is going to be my trump card to woo Meera, so back off, peasant.’ That earned him a swift punch in the stomach from Raghav.

Eventually, they found their rhythm. Raghav could see why Meera enjoyed baking. Once they got past the frustration, there was something relaxing about it.

Then came a soft, raspy voice from the doorway, startling them. ‘What’s going on here?’

Raghav turned to see Meera standing there, bundled in a blanket. Though she still looked weak, there was some colour back in her cheeks. At least she didn’t appear like she’d collapse any second.

‘I’m making soup for you!’ Luv declared with pride. ‘And these guys are trying to bake,’ he added with a dramatic eye roll at the mess.

Meera smiled at him. She noticed Swayam and asked, ‘When did you get here?’

‘A while ago,’ Swayam replied, his voice softening. ‘Why didn’t you call me when you were feeling sick?’ He already knew the answer, but asked anyway.

Meera shrugged, her expression unreadable. Her silence spoke volumes, and Swayam exchanged a knowing glance with Raghav. They both sighed in unison.

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