"Just So You Know"
Meera stirred her coffee slowly, watching the steam rise in tight spirals. The café was quiet for once — a rare blessing in the middle of a chaotic semester. Across the table, Arjun was fidgeting with his phone, not looking at her. She knew this moment was coming. They’d been seeing each other for four months. Dinners, late-night walks, shared playlists. Not in a “date every Friday” kind of way — more like two people who kept slipping back into each other’s orbits. There had been feelings, sure. But never promises. That had always been the rule. He finally looked up. “So… can I ask you something?” he said, a little hesitant. Meera nodded. “Of course.” “How many people have you… like, been with? This past year?” There it was. She leaned back, still holding her cup. “Twelve,” she said, evenly. No shame. No pause. Arjun blinked. “Twelve?” “Yeah,” she said. “All of them were meaningful in their own ways. No random hookups, if that’s what you’re wondering.” He looked away again, ...