𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐞𝐬

Chapter 9: He's Worth It

Meera let out an exasperated sigh. Ishani was one stubborn cookie.

"There's nothing to tell," Meera insisted. "I was on edge over the whole Dev thing and Logan said something which tipped me over and I snapped. In front of the whole class. It was mortifying."

Meera groaned shuddering at the thought of going back to school again.

The rumours would be flying everywhere by tomorrow. The side glances. The stink eyes. And the blatant anger towards her for snapping at the golden boy or because the teacher did not reprimand her. Maybe she should skip school altogether? Maybe for the whole term until everyone forgot about the incident.

"How did you find out anyways?"

"Sameer told me."

Meera shook her head. That boy couldn't keep anything to himself.

"What Dev Bhai did-" Ishani paused, not able to find the right words.

What Dev did? Broke her heart? Shattered her hopes? Showed her the reality?

"Yeah."

To all of the above.

Meera hugged her pillow, slouching under Ishani's empathetic eyes.

"How are you holding up?"

A dry laugh escaped her.

A year ago it had been her asking this question. "You've been in my position. How do you think I am?"

"Heartbroken? Sad? Feeling as if your world has ended?" Ishani pinpointed.

Meera sighed. "Dramatic right? All this over a boy."

"That's love."

"It wasn't supposed to hurt so bad." Her lips quivered.

Love wasn't supposed to be so dark and gloomy before it even blossomed.

It was supposed to be warm, light, beautiful. Like she read in those cliched romance novels. Like the ones she'd witnessed in real life. Between her parents. Between Dhruv Chachu and Vedika Chachi or her Masi and Uncle Atharva. Even her grandparents.

All around her she had seen happy couples, basking in the glory of love and romance. Why was it wrong for her to wish to have those same things with Dev?

Ishani patted her back sympathetically. "Oh, it does. Terribly. But that's how you know it was a love worth having."

Those words sinked in deep.

"I should have just kept quiet. We wouldn't be in this predicament if I had."

She would've gone on being blissfully unaware of the consequences and Dev would've still been there.

"Then it would've killed you from within to hold everything in."

"But I lost either way," Meera whispered. "In search for a lover, I lost a friend."

Ishani squeezed her hand.

She understood Meera's plight the more than anybody else.