Bhargav's POV
The clang of barbells echoed like morning thunder through the gym, sharp against the echoing walls and the thud of sneakers on rubber matting. My muscles ached, but it wasn't from lifting. I was sore from the lack of sleep, the emotional whirlwind, the impossible softness of her saying, "I'm ready."
Still, I couldn't stop smiling. It was stupid, almost embarrassing—this unwilling curve of my mouth that kept sneaking in between sets.
"Hey hey hey! Look who finally decided to grace us with his heartbreak body!" someone yelled from the squat rack.
A few guys turned, laughter bubbling around the weights and sweat. Rakesh, in his usual oversized hoodie and headband, lifted both arms like he was hosting an awards show. "Ladies and gentlemen, the man of the hour! Our emotionally reformed, romantically blessed Bhargav has arrived!"
I rolled my eyes. "Keep the mic, Rakesh. You're way too dramatic for this early in the morning."
He smirked, handing me a towel like he was crowning me royalty. "Tell that to Siri. I bet she likes drama now."
"Bro," another chimed in, "we were just talking about you two. Full couple vibes yesterday. What's the tea?"
"Let him warm up first," Rakesh added, slapping my back. "He looks like he's still floating in post-confession fog."
I didn't reply. Just nodded slightly, popped in my earbuds, and hopped on the treadmill. Ten minutes of light jogging. Then stretching. A few sets on the shoulder press. All the while, that stupid smile kept coming back.
But Rakesh wouldn't let me off the hook. Not today.
Once I'd finished a set of dumbbell rows, he motioned for me to come over. We sat near the rack, the sweat on our brows and shirts like badges of proof that we'd earned this break.
"Okay," he said, adjusting his grip on the towel. "Spill. And don't skip the juicy bits."
I laughed. "Where do I even begin?"
"How about—why did you look like your heart was doing cartwheels while holding Siri's hand last night? That's a pretty solid opener."
I took a sip from my bottle, the cold water grounding me. "It didn't happen overnight."
"I know that," he said. "You two used to fight like you were paid for it."
I nodded. "Remember the day everything blew up? When I stopped coming to class for a few days? The day Abhi returned from USA."
Rakesh tilted his head, thinking. "Yeah, after that whole mess with Varsha. Siri. Abhi. You went radio silent. I figured you needed space."
"Well... that night, the one I disappeared," I exhaled.
His face snapped toward me. "Wait—same night?"
I nodded. "Same damn day."
"You're kidding."
"Nope. I walked in on Varsha with Rahul. Shirt half-off. She didn't even flinch. Just looked at me like I'd interrupted a meeting."
He grimaced. "Damn."
"Meanwhile, Siri caught Abhi trying to sleep with his boss at a work party."
Rakesh's jaw clenched. "I still regret calling him my brother."
"We both ended up meeting each other. She was drunk on the road. Sitting on the side. We just... stood there. Didn't even talk much. But the silence was loud. Real."
"Holy crap."
"I dropped her home. She didn't say thank you. I didn't ask if she was okay. But from that day... we weren't the same."
"No more snapping?"
I shook my head. "We were still sarcastic. But it was warmer. Like we were shielding each other behind those jabs. Like we knew the hurt underneath."
He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "So you started talking?"
"Short walks on the terrace. Coffee in the evening when no one was watching. I knew she likes lemon in her tea and hates it when people open chips from the bottom of the packet."
He smiled. "And?"
"And I fell. Hard. But I was scared. She was finally letting me in. I didn't want to break that."
"So what happened yesterday?"
I let the silence stretch. "We were walking. Like usual. She teased me. Then suddenly, she stopped. Looked straight at me and said... 'I'm ready.'"
His eyebrows lifted. "Just like that?"
"No dramatic monologue. No build-up. Just her. Calm. Sure."
"And you?"
I gave him a sheepish look. "I cried."
He choked on his water. "Seriously?"
"Sat down right there on the road. Hugged her around the waist and bawled like a toddler. Couldn't stop."
He didn't laugh. Not fully. Just smiled slowly. "You really love her."
"She said she loves me too."
For a moment, the gym noise faded. All I could hear was Rakesh breathing, and the way my heart felt like it had taken off without asking.
Then he bumped my shoulder. "You lucky bastard."
I grinned. "Took me long enough."
He stood and stretched. "So? What now? Gonna tell the parents? Or are you waiting until you two end up eloping in pajamas?"
I rolled my eyes. "We're taking it slow. There's no rush. We still have time to screw it up in fifty different ways."
He snorted. "Please. You skipped the whole enemies-to-lovers arc. You're deep in the 'domestic couple banter' phase now. I'm expecting a montage by next week."
"Right after your own love story gets picked up by Netflix."
He chuckled. "Also, I need a full retelling later. With timestamps. I'm archiving this for future blackmail."
"Gym's over," I said, walking away.
But he threw an arm around my shoulder, pulling me back. "Not for you. You owe me three extra sets—for holding out on me this long."
We laughed, shoulders brushing, steps in sync. My legs ached. My arms burned. But I felt light. Like I wasn't carrying a secret anymore. Like the weight of the past had finally lifted, replaced with something better.
Not a story I was hiding.
I can't tell him the truth. The next thing that happened between Siri and me that night.
And the truth about when I loved her even before all this in the past.
Especially Siri. She can't know why I started fighting with her in the first place. I guess she'll laugh if she knows.
To be continued...