Page 20 of Since You Came Along (Ever Since #1)

Her voice cracked as she continued. ‘And they’re based on ancient cultural patterns, the same concept I was working on! Somehow, Dhruv found out and stole my idea!’

Kashvi shook her head, anger flashing across her face. ‘That Dhruv is such a snake. How does Dad not see it?’

‘Your dad may not see through him now, but you’re talented, Siya. Your work will shine through,’ Meera assured Siya.

Siya sniffled, but didn’t respond. Instead, she asked, ‘What are the guys up to tonight?’

‘They’re working from home,’ Meera replied. ‘Abhay was worried about you.’

Siya looked away, her tone dismissive. ‘Who cares?’

Meera gave her a knowing look. ‘One of these days, you’ll have to tell us what’s going on between you and Abhay.’

‘There’s nothing going on. I don’t even like him,’ Siya said, her expression sour.

‘I’ve got something for you,’ Meera said, fetching a small bar of dark chocolate and a folded piece of paper from her purse.

She handed them to Siya, observing her reaction. ‘Abhay gave me these for you.’

Siya blinked in surprise, not expecting it.

‘I didn’t read the note,’ Meera added with a teasing smile. ‘And you’re lucky I don’t like dark chocolate, or I’d have eaten it myself.’

Siya unfolded the note and gasped. ‘I can’t believe he remembered,’ she whispered to herself.

Meera couldn’t help but smile. Siya peeled the wrapper, took a bite, and Meera watched as a big smile spread across her face.

‘I still don’t like him,’ Siya mumbled with a mouth full of chocolate.

‘Mm-hmm, and I can walk on water,’ Kashvi chimed in with a smirk, earning a death glare from Siya.

‘Alright, alright.’ Meera held up her hands in mock surrender. ‘Anyway, I’m here now. Let’s have a girl’s night. Should we invite Kusha as well?’

Siya nodded. ‘I was thinking the same. I’ve been in touch with her. She seems fun. You want to call her?’

‘Oh, no. You should call her.’ Meera said, worried Kusha might say no if she called her.

Meanwhile, in her kitchen, Kusha was reaching for a frozen pizza when her phone buzzed. The name Siya flashed on the screen, surprising her.

She hesitated before answering. ‘Hello?’

‘Hey, what are you up to?’ Siya greeted her.

‘Planning to treat my teeth to a gourmet frozen pizza. Why?’

‘Change of plans. Come over. We’re having a girl’s night.’

In the background, Kusha heard Kashvi’s voice. ‘Yeah, because our stepbrother is a bastard who—’

Siya interrupted her and then yelled, ‘You cannot throw a donut in my hair! Now I’ll have to wash it!’

‘Kusha, will you bring shampoo and conditioner? Because I have hidden her shower items away,’ Kashvi called out into the phone.

‘That’s enough, both of you!’ Meera interjected, her voice cutting through the commotion. ‘Now, if you two haven’t scared Kusha off already, tell her to come over.’

Kusha recalled the memory of her last interaction with Meera, and guilt twisted in her gut. Maybe tonight could be her chance to set things right.

Siya came back on the line. ‘So, what do you say?’

Kusha hesitated, but agreed. ‘Alright. Text me the address.’

She ended the call, grabbed her keys, and headed out. As she got into her car, a flutter of anticipation filled her chest. Maybe tonight, she’d apologise to Meera and start fresh.

Kusha stepped out of the lift and pressed the doorbell. A moment later, the door swung open, revealing Kashvi, who greeted her with a wide, welcoming smile.

‘Hey, Kusha, right? Come in,’ Kashvi said, stepping aside to let her in.

Kusha nodded, stepping into the apartment as Kashvi added, ‘Siya is on the balcony. Meera had to step out to run an errand, but she’ll be back soon.’

‘Thanks,’ Kusha replied, glancing at Kashvi. It was impossible not to notice how much she resembled her elder sister.

They shared the same chocolate brown almond-shaped eyes, but Kashvi held a playful glint compared to Siya’s thoughtful gaze.

As Kusha slipped off her shoes and entered, she took a moment to absorb the surroundings. A soft beige couch dominated the living room, strewn with cushions in vibrant shades of blue and green. A tall bookshelf, crammed with novels and trinkets, stood by the corner.

‘Nice place,’ Kusha said, taking it all in.

‘Thanks. Balcony’s that way,’ she added, pointing toward the open sliding glass doors at the far end of the room.

The cool evening breeze greeted Kusha as she spotted Siya seated on a wicker chair. Siya turned at the sound of footsteps, her lips curling into a soft smile.

‘Hey, you made it,’ Siya said, gesturing to the empty chair beside her.

‘I couldn’t resist the free entertainment after I heard the bickering on the phone earlier. Do you two always fight like that?’ Kusha teased.

‘Always,’ Siya admitted, shaking her head with mock exasperation. ‘It’s been like this since forever. She’s lucky I haven’t thrown her out yet.’

Kusha chuckled, leaning back in her chair. ‘She seems like a handful.’

‘Kashu is, but she’s my handful,’ Siya said, her voice softening. She looked out at the view of the city lights twinkling in the distance. ‘After Mumma passed away, Dad was always away on business trips. I had to step in, you know? Be the elder sister and the guardian.’

‘Must’ve been tough,’ Kusha said, watching her.

‘It was,’ Siya admitted, her gaze fixed on the horizon. ‘She is nine years younger than me and I had no clue how to raise a kid. All I knew was I didn’t want her to feel Mumma’s absence as much as I did.’

Siya continued, ‘I wanted her to grow up strong, outspoken, independent. I suppose that also brought out her strong opinions on everything.’

Kusha smiled at that. ‘It couldn’t have been easy to juggle both roles,’ she said.

Siya exhaled, her hands resting on her lap. ‘It wasn’t, but Meera helped a lot. They both just know how to push my buttons. I swear, sometimes I think the two of them team up just to test my patience.’

Kusha laughed, imagining the dynamic. ‘I can relate. Luv and I still fight over the stupidest things. Last week, it was over whose turn it was to do the dishes.’

Siya grinned. ‘Siblings. We love them, but they drive us mad.’

Then, she turned serious and said, ‘Kusha, I don’t know what happened between you and Meera, but… give her a real chance, okay? You’ll like her.’

Kusha turned to face Siya, her brows knitting together. She asked, ‘Who said I don’t like Meera?’

‘Oh, please.’ Siya gave her a quick sideways glance. ‘It’s pretty obvious.’

Kusha stiffened. Was it? Or had Meera told her about their last conversation?

‘Did she say something to you?’ Kusha asked, trying to sound casual.

‘Who, Meera?’ Siya chuckled, the sound light and almost dismissive, as though the very idea was absurd. ‘That girl wouldn’t say a word, no matter what. She’s too good at keeping things to herself.’

‘And I’m guessing she’s kept your secrets too?’ The question slipped out of Kusha’s mouth before she could stop herself.

For a moment, Siya said nothing. Her fingers drummed on the table as she said, ‘Yes, she has. And I’ll always be grateful to her for that.’

The sincerity in her tone caught Kusha off guard. She nudged, ‘If she said nothing, why do you think we have a problem?’

Siya shrugged. ‘After dinner that night, Meera went to her room, and you followed her. When you came out, both of you looked upset. It wasn’t hard to figure out.’

Kusha bit the inside of her cheek, heat creeping up her neck. So it had been that obvious.

The silence that followed felt too heavy, so Kusha said the first thing that came to her mind. ‘Thanks for inviting me over tonight.’

Siya replied, ‘We did it because we want you to be a part of our group.’

A flicker of joy warmed her heart. A small smile broke across her face as Kusha replied, ‘I’d like that too.’

Siya grinned, leaning back in her seat. ‘Good. But it depends on one thing.’

Kusha raised an eyebrow. ‘What’s that?’

‘Did you bring me the shampoo and conditioner?’

Kusha blinked, then burst out laughing.

Just then, Meera stepped out onto the balcony, the soft glow of the evening casting a golden hue on her face. ‘Hey, Kusha,’ she greeted her.

‘Hey,’ Kusha replied, giving a small nod.

Siya picked up the shower supplies with a cheerful hum, giving a quick glance between the two before heading off to her bathroom.

Kusha gestured to the empty chair next to her. ‘Here,’ she offered.

Meera settled into the chair, smoothing her dress as she did. ‘I’m glad you came over. We’re ordering pizza,’ she said, handing over a menu with a friendly smile. ‘Take a look and let me know which one you’d like.’

Before Kusha could respond, raised voices from inside interrupted them.

‘I know you stole my body wash! Why don’t you just drown in the water?’ Kashvi banged at the bathroom door, her dramatic accusation echoing through the house.

‘How the hell can I drown under a shower?’ Siya said, her reply muffled but sharp.

‘Oh, just give me a chance, and I’ll push your head into a bucket full of water!’

‘Since when do you ask for permission, Kashu?’ Siya retorted, her laughter ringing out like a victory bell.

Kusha turned to Meera, who was smiling at the ordeal. ‘They’ll never grow up,’ Meera remarked.

Kusha let out a short laugh. ‘Siblings never do. You’ve seen Luv’s charming side, not the annoying big-brother version.’

Meera leaned back and sighed, ‘Kashvi doubles down on annoying Siya whenever she’s upset, so brace yourself for tonight. You’ll get used to it with time.’

There was something in the way Meera said that, so casual yet certain, that made her pause. It was as if Meera believed Kusha belonged here, that she was already part of the group. For the first time, Kusha realised maybe it wouldn’t hurt to try.

But first, she had to make things right with Meera.

Kusha shifted in her seat, her fingers brushing against the edge of her chair as she mustered the courage to speak. ‘I’m sorry, Meera,’ she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Meera looked up, surprised by the sudden apology. ‘For what?’ she asked, careful not to push too hard.

‘For the other night,’ she admitted. ‘I didn’t mean to upset you.’

‘It’s okay,’ Meera replied.

‘Siya told me to give you a chance,’ Kusha confessed.

‘Did she?’ Meera tilted her head. Siya wasn’t one to meddle in other people’s affairs, so this revelation caught her off guard.

Kusha nodded, fiddling with her bracelet. ‘It’s not about giving you a chance, though.’

Meera stayed quiet, letting her gather her thoughts.

She ran a hand through her hair and continued, ‘Veronica was my first friend. My only friend, for a long time. I’ve made peace with you being Raghav’s wife because I can see he’s happy, but.

.. I can’t be your friend. It feels like I’d be betraying her.

Like I’d be replacing her. And I can’t do that. ’

Her voice cracked on the last sentence, and for a moment, the only sound was the faint rustling of leaves in the breeze.

Meera tried to see it from her perspective. She couldn’t imagine losing Siya, let alone having to replace her. ‘I get it,’ Meera said, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder.

Kusha blinked, startled by the simple gesture of comfort.

‘We don’t have to figure everything out today. Let’s take it one step at a time. For now, how about you accept me as Raghav’s wife, and we’ll see where it goes from there?’

‘That sounds fair,’ Kusha said, nodding. Then she asked, ‘Why are you so nice to everyone, Meera?’

‘You say that as if it’s a bad thing,’ Meera chuckled.

Kusha shook her head and clarified, ‘I don’t mean it like that. I just want to know why.’

‘I suppose because that’s who I am and because that’s who I choose to be.

I’ve met and known some terrible people in my life who intentionally hurt others, as if it’s second nature to them.

But I’ve also met some incredible people.

I’m lucky enough to have many of them in my life right now.

Somewhere along the way, I realised I can’t control who I meet or who stays in my life.

But if you can’t find good people, or if life doesn’t hand them to you, you can choose to become one. ’

It struck Kusha, in that moment, why Raghav had chosen Meera to be his life partner. ‘I get it,’ she said.

Kusha stood up and gave her a nod. Meera watched her disappear into the house, but she stayed seated.

For the first time, Meera felt a pang of envy for Veronica. She’d had their love, friendship, and fierce loyalty. Even in her absence, Veronica’s presence loomed large, her mark on their lives indelible.

Meera wondered if she’d ever leave such a mark? Or would she always be in someone else’s shadow, a substitute for what they’d lost?

Sighing, she stood up, brushing off the melancholy thoughts. She decided to take her own advice and focus on the little steps forward.