The café was quieter than usual, soft music playing in the background.
Meera stirred her drink absentmindedly, watching Harsh from across the table.
"You've been staring for the past two minutes," he said without looking up.
"I'm observing," she replied.
"Observing what?"
"How someone can look busy without actually doing anything."
He looked up at that, unimpressed. "I am doing something."
"Oh yeah?" she leaned forward slightly. "What?"
"Trying to figure out why you ordered something you're clearly not going to finish."
She glanced at her untouched drink. "…That's not the point."
"It is the point."
She rolled her eyes. "You're annoying."
"You like it."
She paused for half a second.
"…Unfortunately."
That earned a small smile from him.
For a moment, everything felt easy again.
Familiar.
Safe.
But then—
Meera tilted her head slightly.
"Okay," she said slowly. "What's wrong?"
Harsh frowned. "Nothing."
She narrowed her eyes. "Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"That thing where you act normal but you're clearly not."
"I am normal."
"You're not sarcastic enough," she said flatly. "That's how I know."
He let out a small breath, looking away for a second.
"Meera—"
"Harsh."
Silence.
He knew he couldn't avoid it.
"…Rohan came to see me."
The air changed instantly.
Not shock.
Not confusion.
Just irritation.
"…Why?" she asked, already annoyed.
"He wanted to talk," Harsh said. "About you."
Meera let out a short, humorless laugh. "Of course he did."
"I didn't want to bring it up," Harsh continued calmly. "I didn't want you to worry."
"I'm not worried," she said immediately.
"I know," he said. "But you should be careful."
That was it.
That one line.
Meera reached for her phone without another word.
"Meera—" Harsh started.
"No," she said sharply. "I'm not letting this slide again."
📞 The Call
Rohan picked up after a few seconds.
"Hello—"
"What is your problem?" Meera snapped immediately.
There was a pause.
"…Meera?"
"Don't 'Meera' me," she shot back. "Why are you talking to Harsh?"
Rohan exhaled slowly. "Okay, first of all, calm down—"
"No," she cut him off. "You don't get to tell me to calm down."
"I was just trying to—"
"To what?" she raised her voice. "Interfere again? You don't get to do that anymore."
"I wasn't interfering," Rohan said, his tone tightening slightly. "I just talked to him."
"Why?" she demanded.
"Because you clearly don't think before reacting," he replied. "Someone has to."
That did it.
"Excuse me?" her voice went dangerously sharp.
"I'm just saying," Rohan continued, a bit colder now, "you're being childish about this."
Silence.
For one second.
Then—
"Childish?" Meera repeated, her voice rising. "You think this is childish?"
"I think you're overreacting—"
"I am not overreacting!" she snapped. "I am done with you showing up in my life whenever you feel like it!"
"I didn't even come to you—"
"Exactly!" she said. "You went behind my back!"
"I didn't go behind your back—"
"Oh my God," she let out a frustrated breath. "You are unbelievable."
"Meera—"
"No, you listen to me," she said, her voice sharp and final now."You don't get to talk to my boyfriend. You don't get to involve yourself in my life. And you definitely don't get to call me childish."
Rohan went quiet for a second.
Then, more quietly, "I was just trying to—"
"I don't care," she cut in.
That landed harder than anything else.
"I don't care what you were trying to do. Stay out of my life."
Silence.
Heavy.
Final.
Then—
She hung up.
Meera lowered her phone slowly, still breathing a little faster.
Across the table, Harsh was watching her.
Not surprised.
Not upset.
Just… steady.
"You okay?" he asked.
She exhaled, running a hand through her hair.
"Yeah," she said firmly. "I am now."
He nodded slightly.
Then, after a second—
"You yelled a lot."
She glared at him.
"You deserved that look," he added quickly.
A pause.
Then—
She huffed out a small laugh.
"Shut up."
"Make me."
She rolled her eyes—but her hand moved across the table anyway, brushing against his.
And just like that—
The tension faded.
Because this time—
She wasn't confused.
She wasn't pulled back.
She was just… done.