A Shift in the Dynamic

A week after the dinner with Virat, things between Abhishek and Meera had settled into a comfortable rhythm. The tension of hiding their relationship was gone, and for the first time, Abhishek felt like he truly belonged—not just to the team, but to Meera’s life.

But that feeling didn’t last long.

It started with something small.

They were at a café near the stadium, Meera sipping her iced coffee while Abhishek scrolled through his phone. She was talking about her day when her phone buzzed on the table.

A name flashed on the screen. Aarav Malhotra.

Abhishek had never heard of him before. But the way Meera’s face lit up as she saw the name? Yeah, that didn’t sit right.

"Who’s Aarav?" he asked, trying to keep his voice neutral.

Meera glanced up as she unlocked her phone. "Oh, just an old friend."

Old friend.

Right.

She typed out a quick reply, smiling slightly before putting the phone down. Abhishek forced himself to take another sip of his coffee, but the curiosity—and annoyance—lingered.

The real problem started later that week.

Abhishek was at the practice nets when Virat walked past him, laughing into his phone. Normally, Abhishek wouldn’t have paid attention, but then he heard a familiar name.

"Aarav, yaar, just come to the party. It’s been years since we’ve all hung out."

Abhishek frowned. Years?

Virat noticed him looking and smirked. "What?"

"Who’s Aarav?" Abhishek asked, trying to sound casual.

Virat raised an eyebrow. "Aarav Malhotra? He used to be part of the U-19 squad. Played with me before he left for England. Why?"

Abhishek’s stomach twisted. A former cricketer? Someone who had played with Virat? Someone Meera was still in touch with?

That unease only grew when he picked Meera up for dinner later that night.

She was dressed up—more than usual. A fitted dress, hair styled just right, a hint of perfume he hadn’t smelled on her before.

"You look… nice," he said carefully.

Meera grinned. "Thanks! Aarav’s in town, and we’re all meeting up after dinner. You should come!"

We’re all meeting up.

That meant Virat. That meant Aarav. That meant Abhishek walking into a room where this other guy already knew everyone. Where he’d probably have stories about playing with Virat, memories with Meera.

And suddenly, Abhishek felt small.

"I—uh, I have an early morning practice," he lied.

Meera pouted. "Are you sure? It’ll be fun."

"I’ll pass," he said, forcing a smile.

But as Meera scrolled through her phone again, fingers tapping away—probably texting Aarav—Abhishek couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t as secure in this relationship as he thought.

Abhishek tried to push the thought aside. He trusted Meera. He really did. But that didn’t mean the idea of her meeting Aarav didn’t gnaw at him like an itch he couldn’t scratch.

After dropping Meera off at the party, he drove home but couldn’t relax. His mind kept replaying the way her eyes had lit up at the mention of Aarav, the way she had been so excited to see him.

Finally, against his better judgment, he grabbed his phone and opened Instagram.

Meera’s story was the first thing that popped up.

A picture of a large group—Virat, some of his old teammates, and right in the middle, smiling like he belonged there, was Aarav Malhotra. He was tall, effortlessly charismatic, his arm draped casually over the back of Meera’s chair.

Abhishek stared at the screen, his jaw tightening.

Who the hell is this guy to her?

He scrolled down, finding Aarav’s profile. The guy had a solid following, most of his pictures from his time playing in England, a few with cricketers Abhishek recognized. But it was the comment section of one particular photo—a throwback of Aarav and Meera—that made his stomach twist.

"Some friendships never change. ❤️ @Meerakohli"

And worse?

Meera had commented back.

"Forever my favorite troublemaker. Missed you!"

Abhishek put his phone down and exhaled sharply. Favorite?

So this wasn’t just some random old friend.

This was someone important.

His thoughts spiraled before he could stop them. Had Meera and Aarav ever been more than friends? Had she ever looked at him the way she looked at Abhishek? Did Virat prefer this guy over him?

Before he knew it, he was back in his car.

He wasn’t proud of it, but ten minutes later, he was parked outside the party venue. From his spot, he could see the terrace where Meera and the others were gathered.

And there she was—laughing at something Aarav had said, nudging him playfully. Aarav leaned in, saying something only she could hear, and Meera shook her head with a smile.

Abhishek clenched his fists.

Maybe he was overreacting. Maybe this was just an old friend.

But standing there, watching Meera with someone who had clearly been a big part of her past, he couldn’t ignore the insecurity tightening in his chest.

Because for the first time since they started dating, he wasn’t sure if he was the one who had truly won Meera’s heart.

Abhishek gripped the steering wheel tighter than necessary as he drove home. The silence in the car felt heavier than it should. He hated feeling this way—jealous, insecure, small.

It wasn’t like him.

He had always been confident, on and off the field. But watching Meera laugh with Aarav, seeing the easy familiarity between them, had stirred something deep inside him.

He pulled into his driveway, turned off the car, and just sat there, running a hand through his hair. What’s wrong with me? Meera wasn’t just his girlfriend—she was her own person. She had a past. Friends. People who mattered to her.

Still, the thought of Aarav being one of those people made Abhishek feel like he was standing on shaky ground.

Just as he let out a heavy sigh, his phone buzzed.

Meera: You okay?

He stared at the screen for a second before typing back.

Abhishek: Yeah. Just tired.

A lie. But she didn’t need to know he had driven all the way to the party just to psych himself out.

He was about to put his phone away when it buzzed again.

Meera: I’m outside.

Abhishek’s head snapped up.

Sure enough, when he stepped out, Meera was leaning against her scooter, arms crossed, her expression unreadable.

"I figured you’d pull the 'I’m tired' excuse," she said, tilting her head. "So I came to check for myself."

Abhishek exhaled. "Meera, you didn’t have to—"

"Come inside," she interrupted. "We need to talk."

Abhishek leaned against the counter in his kitchen while Meera stood in front of him, arms still crossed.

"You left me on read for hours," she started, raising an eyebrow. "And then I find out you were at the party but didn’t come in? Abhi, what’s going on?"

He hesitated, running a hand through his hair. "It’s nothing."

Meera narrowed her eyes. "You suck at lying."

Abhishek let out a humorless laugh. "Yeah, well… guess I’m not as smooth as I thought."

Meera softened. "Talk to me, Abhi. Please."

He hesitated again, but one look at her—genuinely concerned, waiting for him to let her in—made him cave.

"I saw you with Aarav," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "And I—" He sighed, shaking his head. "I know I’m being stupid, okay? But watching you two together, the way you smiled at him, how easy it was… It just made me feel like—like maybe I’m not enough."

Meera’s eyes widened slightly, and for a moment, she just stared at him. Then, without saying a word, she took a step closer and cupped his face in her hands.

"Abhishek Sharma," she said softly but firmly, "you are enough. You are more than enough."

His throat felt tight. "But Aarav—"

"Aarav is my friend," she interrupted, her thumbs brushing over his jaw. "Yes, we’ve known each other for a long time, and yes, I care about him. But not the way I care about you."

Abhishek swallowed hard. "I just… I don’t want to lose you."

"You’re not losing me," Meera said instantly. "You won’t lose me. You want to know the difference between Aarav and you?"

He nodded slightly.

"Aarav is my past," she said simply. "You? You’re my present and my future."

Abhishek blinked, caught off guard by how easily she erased every doubt that had been eating at him.

Meera smiled a little, leaning up to press a kiss to his forehead. "Next time, instead of driving around overthinking, talk to me, okay?"

Abhishek let out a small chuckle, his grip on her waist tightening. "I’ll try."

Meera smirked. "Good. Because you’re stuck with me, Sharma. No overthinking, no insecurity—just us."

And for the first time that night, Abhishek felt like maybe, just maybe, he really had nothing to worry about after all.

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That's all for today,

Hope you like this update,

Bubyeee  ✧⁠*⁠。