🌙 Chapter 2 – Between Calls and Confessions
The dinner had ended formally.
Families were satisfied.
Dates were being discussed.
But Aarohi and Meera?
They returned to their separate cities with something unsettled between them.
That night, Aarohi sat in her government quarters.
Her room was minimalistic.
Neatly arranged books.
Service revolver locked in drawer.
Ironed uniforms hanging perfectly aligned.
A single indoor plant near the window.
She removed her uniform jacket, loosened her collar, and sat on the edge of her bed.
Her phone lay on the table.
She stared at it.
Why was she waiting?
A notification buzzed.
Unknown number.
"Hi. This is Meera."
Aarohi's lips curved slightly.
She typed back:
"IPS Officer Aarohi Sharma speaking."
Three dots appeared instantly.
"Should I salute on text too?"
Aarohi exhaled softly.
"Dramatic."
She replied:
"Only if you're guilty of something."
Pause.
Then—
"Guilty of staring too much at dinner."
Aarohi's fingers froze.
She reread the message twice.
Was she teasing?
Her heartbeat shifted.
She typed carefully:
"I don't recall staring."
Reply came immediately.
"That's because you don't realize when you do."
And just like that…
The conversation didn't end that night.
It stretched.
From 10 PM…
To midnight.
To 1:30 AM.
🌸 The Difference Between Them
👮♀️ Aarohi
At work the next morning, Aarohi was unusually distracted.
Her junior officer asked:
"Ma'am, should we proceed with the operation?"
She blinked.
"Yes. Of course."
But her mind wasn't fully there.
It was replaying Meera's laugh over the phone.
Her voice had a warmth that lingered.
During lunch break, she checked her phone.
No message.
She felt something she didn't recognize.
Expectation.
Possessiveness?
Why wasn't she texting?
She shook her head.
Focus.
But she checked again five minutes later.
🎬 Meera
On the film set, Meera was in a pastel saree for a traditional scene.
Her hair loosely curled.
Light makeup.
She kept glancing at her phone between takes.
Sana noticed immediately.
"Okay. Who is it?"
Meera tried to act normal.
"No one."
Sana smirked.
"Is it the IPS officer?"
Meera didn't deny it.
She whispered:
"She's… different."
"Different how?"
"She doesn't flirt randomly. She observes. She listens."
Sana raised her eyebrow.
"And?"
Meera smiled softly.
"And when she says something… it feels serious."
💬 The First Real Call
That night, Meera called.
Not text.
Call.
Aarohi answered on second ring.
"Yes?"
"You sound disappointed it wasn't first ring."
"I was in the kitchen."
"Oh? IPS officer cooks?"
"Unlike actresses, we survive without staff."
Meera laughed.
The sound was soft and genuine.
There was a pause.
Then Meera asked quietly:
"Are you okay with this marriage?"
The question hung heavy.
Aarohi didn't answer immediately.
"I don't know you yet."
"Then know me."
The way she said it…
Confident.
Almost challenging.
Aarohi felt heat rise in her chest.
"You're bold."
"You're intimidating."
Silence.
Then Meera whispered:
"You didn't look intimidating that night."
Aarohi's voice dropped slightly.
"How did I look?"
"Like you were trying very hard not to look at me."
Her breath hitched slightly.
"You noticed?"
"I notice things too."
🌙 The First Private Meeting
Three days later.
They decided to meet without families.
Neutral city.
Private café.
Meera arrived first.
She wore:
Black fitted top.
High-waist beige trousers.
Minimal jewelry.
Hair open, softly falling on her shoulders.
She looked effortlessly confident.
Aarohi entered five minutes later.
No uniform.
Instead—
Crisp white shirt.
Black trousers.
Hair tied in a low neat bun.
A simple wristwatch.
She looked… dangerously attractive in simplicity.
Meera stood up slightly.
"You look different without uniform."
Aarohi replied calmly:
"You look less dramatic without camera."
Meera stepped closer.
"So you've been observing me too?"
Aarohi didn't step back.
"I observe everything."
Their distance was barely a foot now.
The air shifted.
Electric.
🌆 The Walk
After coffee, they walked outside.
Evening breeze.
Soft city lights.
They walked side by side.
Not touching.
But close enough to feel each other's presence.
Meera asked playfully:
"Are you always this controlled?"
"Yes."
"Even with me?"
Aarohi looked at her sideways.
"That depends."
"On what?"
"On how much trouble you cause."
Meera smirked.
"What if I want to cause trouble?"
Aarohi stopped walking.
Turned toward her fully.
"You won't like how I handle trouble."
Her tone wasn't angry.
It was low.
Intense.
Possessive.
Meera felt warmth rush to her cheeks.
"You sound very confident."
"I am."
"And if I don't listen?"
Aarohi leaned slightly closer.
"Then I'll make sure you do."
The tension snapped like a wire between them.
But neither crossed the line.
🍷 The Dinner
They went for dinner.
Private table.
Dim lighting.
Candle in center.
Meera ordered confidently.
Aarohi watched her speak to the waiter.
She liked how she carried herself.
She liked the way her hand moved when she talked.
She liked… everything she wasn't supposed to notice.
At one point, Meera's hand brushed against Aarohi's accidentally.
Neither pulled away immediately.
Meera whispered:
"Are you nervous?"
"No."
"Your fingers are cold."
Aarohi smirked.
"You're warm."
Their eyes locked again.
Longer.
Deeper.
More dangerous.
💍 The Engagement Announcement
Two days later.
Families finalized everything.
Engagement in one week.
When Aarohi's mother called to confirm—
She didn't argue.
She didn't resist.
She simply said:
"Okay."
~~
Meanwhile, Meera sat in her room staring at the engagement dress her mother showed her.
Red silk.
Elegant.
Traditional.
She touched the fabric slowly.
And for the first time…
The idea of this marriage didn't feel forced.
It felt…
Possible.
🌙 End of Chapter 2
They weren't in love yet.
But they were thinking about each other.
Checking phones.
Replaying conversations.
Noticing smiles.
Feeling slight jealousy when someone else stood too close.
And in just a few days—
They would officially belong to each other.
Even if neither admitted it yet