Loveless
The dawn was breaking, and the time was 6 AM. Preethi walked briskly—almost running—toward the parking lot. Her blouse like shirt and her pants accentuated her hourglass figure, her high heels hindered her pace. Her face was pale, her eyes red, and anyone could tell she hadn’t slept a wink the night before. Yet, even through her exhaustion, she looked radiant.
She reached into her handbag, retrieved her car keys, and quickly got into the vehicle, driving away from the towering residential complex. As she passed through the main gate, Keerthi stood on the fifth-floor balcony, watching her car disappear into the distance. Her face was heavy with guilt, her own eyes weary from a sleepless night.
Unlike Preethi, Keerthi wasn’t as attractive as she is — she had a good figure, dusky clear skin and wasn’t particularly tall. But her voice was like a nightingale’s. She had many friends who adored the way she sang, including Preethi. When Keerthi spoke, people listened; her words, her body language, and her confidence made her captivating in a way that went beyond physical beauty.
As Preethi drove through the cold morning streets, the city was slowly waking up. There wasn’t much traffic—only a few cars, motorbikes, and auto-rickshaws shared the road with joggers and cyclists on their morning routines. She reached a traffic signal, which turned red. Even though there weren’t many vehicles, the timer showed 90 seconds. She exhaled deeply, closed her eyes, and let her thoughts wander.
Flashes of last night flooded her mind.
Keerthi’s song.
Keerthi pulling Preethi onto the balcony.
Keerthi’s lips pressing softly against hers.
This wasn’t her first kiss. But it was, without a doubt, the softest, most tender kiss she had ever experienced. Every time she closed her eyes, she could still feel Keerthi’s lips, still hear her voice whispering, “I love you, Preethi. Please be mine.”
The traffic light turned green, but Preethi remained frozen in thought. Confused. Angry. Mortified. A horn from a distant vehicle snapped her back to reality. She pressed the accelerator and drove straight home. As she parked and stepped inside, she found her father sitting in the living room on a large wooden sofa, surrounded by family portraits and pictures of deities. She was about to head upstairs when her mother’s voice rang out from the kitchen.
“Aren’t you ashamed of what you did?” she spat, leaning her head out. “If my father were alive, he would have killed you for this disgrace.”
Preethi froze. A chill ran down her spine.
Her father interrupted. “Don’t worry, your father is dead. Women can go out at night safely these days,” he said sarcastically, then turned to his wife. “Stop giving her a hard time.”
Preethi felt a wave of relief. Her father had always been her pillar of support. All her academic and professional achievements wouldn’t have been possible without him. He always told her, “Be like your grandmother.” A former army officer, her late grandmother was a strong, self-made woman. Her father wanted Preethi to be the same.
And she was.
At just 27, she was already a team manager, leading a group of software engineers. She commanded respect in her workplace, both for her skills and her leadership. Unlike Keerthi’s melodic tone, Preethi’s voice was strong and authoritative. Her command over language allowed her to hold people’s attention effortlessly.
Keerthi, on the other hand, was only 21—one of the junior members of the team. She looked up to Preethi, idolized her. She wouldn’t stop talking about Preethi to her colleagues, obsessing over the way she walked through the office hallways. “There’s something wrong with you,” they would tease her.
Like most people, Preethi took immense pride in her work. She valued her reputation. She didn’t like being mocked or judged—especially after working so hard to get where she was. She had faced male chauvinists, gossiping aunties, and judgmental stares. She had always done what she wanted, yet she hated being scrutinized.
And that inner conflict—that fear of judgment—was the very thing that made her doubt Keerthi.
Keerthi, in contrast, didn’t care what people thought. All she wanted was to spread happiness.
Once Preethi got into her room, she undressed, letting the silk shirt fall to the floor. Standing in front of the mirror, she studied her reflection. Even in the dim morning light, she looked flawless. She crossed her arms over her shoulders, as if embracing herself, and felt the warmth of her own skin. Tears welled up in her eyes. So many thoughts swirled in her mind. She wiped her tears and leaned closer to the mirror. That’s when she noticed it—A faint red mark on her chest. She closed her eyes. And once again, the events of last night played before her.
It was 11 PM on a Friday night. The whole city was eager to have some fun. Young people were looking for a good party, uncles were searching for good booze, and aunties were pestering their husbands for a movie night. Fridays were always eventful. As for Preethi, she had just finished her work. Her colleague, Matthew, walked up to her and stood beside her chair while she was wrapping up her timesheet.
"Aren’t you going to Keerthi’s house for her birthday party?" he asked.
Preethi replied with a straight-faced "No."
"Alright," Matthew said. "At least can you drop me at her house? It’s not far from your place."
Preethi paused for a second before saying, "Yes."
They packed their things and headed toward the elevator. As they waited, Matthew glanced at her. "Is everything okay?"
Preethi looked a little restless. She hadn’t seen Keerthi in two days, not since her outburst at her. "I’m okay, it’s just getting late," Preethi said.
As they drove towards Keerthi’s house, Preethi asked, "Which turn should I take?"
"Which turn?" Matthew was clueless. "I thought you knew her house."
Preethi replied, "Why would you think I know her place?"
Matthew hesitated and then, shakingly, said, "Well… people always say you two are close."
As he spoke, Preethi’s face hardened with anger. Matthew immediately realized he had said something he shouldn’t have. "Don’t worry, I’ll call Keerthi and ask her for directions," he said quickly. He dialed Keerthi, got the location, and guided Preethi to the house.
As they entered the gate, Keerthi was already waiting for them, as if she knew Preethi was coming. The moment the car stopped, Keerthi’s face lit up, but she quickly composed herself. Still, her innocent expression betrayed her emotions. She was trembling with excitement, trying her best to control the urge to jump in joy.
Matthew leaned towards Preethi. "Just say hello and leave," he whispered.
Preethi got out of the car and saw Keerthi. Her heart melted. She was wearing a blue saree, with a contrasting colored blouse. She stood there gleefully like a goddess. She was trying to her calm yet the expressive face, and her half-teary eyes—it was all overwhelming.
"I thought you’d never come!" Keerthi exclaimed.
Preethi remained quiet and offered a half-smile.
Keerthi led them upstairs to her apartment.
It was the first time Preethi had been inside Keerthi’s home. As Keerthi opened the door, there were at least 15–20 people inside, most of them from their office. Even in the crowd, Preethi couldn’t help but admire the artworks hung in the wall and the neatly arranged things in the apartment.
"Nice place you have here, Keerthi!" she complimented.
Keerthi was elated.
Loud music was playing, and most of the guests were dancing. After an hour of eating and dancing, Preethi took a break and sat in the corner of the sofa. A guy walked up to her.
"How are you?" he asked.
"Good," she replied briefly.
He was expecting more conversation, but Preethi’s gaze was fixed elsewhere—on Keerthi. Keerthi was standing in the opposite corner of the room, holding a glass in her hand, stealing glances at Preethi.
Preethi couldn’t stop looking at her either. They kept exchanging glances, drawn to each other in silence. Suddenly, when their eyes locked, they both smiled and looked at the floor shyly. They glanced at each other again and the music felt like a distant murmur, and though people surrounded them, they only saw each other.
Preethi mouthed, You look beautiful!
Keerthi took both of her hands and playfully hid her face.
Preethi grinned and mouthed, Don’t be Cringe.
They both burst into laughter, standing in opposite corners of the room, stealing glances at each other like two kids lost in their own world oblivious to everything around them.
Before Preethi could process it, Keerthi walked straight toward her and grabbed her hand.
"Keerthi! What are you doing? People are watching!" Preethi whispered, startled.
"No one is watching," Keerthi replied.
She pulled Preethi inside a half-open room and urged her to shut the door. "Please lock it," she insisted.
Preethi hesitantly closed the door but forgot to latch it.
"I want to show you something," Keerthi said, opening her cupboard and pulling out a small box.
She handed it to Preethi.
Preethi opened it and gasped—shocked and surprised at the same time. Inside was the diamond ring her grandmother had gifted her when she graduated. It had been a part of her life ever since her grandmother’s passing.
Tears welled up in her eyes. "I thought I lost it… we searched for it everywhere in the office!"
"You left it in the cafeteria sink while washing your hands," Keerthi said.
"But we looked all over the place!" Preethi exclaimed.
"Not in the right place," Keerthi teased.
Preethi, now on the verge of tears, hugged Keerthi tightly. "Thank you… this ring means the world to me. It’s the only thing I have left of her."
Keerthi calmed her down. "Where’s my birthday gift?" she asked with a playful smile.
Preethi smiled, looked down, then leaned in and kissed Keerthi on the cheek. "This is your gift," she whispered. "And… thank you so much."
The night grew colder. The music outside played softly through the door. Time flew by as they talked, as if it were their last conversation.
Preethi glanced at her watch. "I should leave now."
"Just 10 more minutes," Keerthi pleaded.
The sun was about to rise. Keerthi took Preethi’s hand and led her to the balcony. They stood there, looking at the empty, dark streets below. In the distance, a few dogs barked.
"Do you like me?" Keerthi asked suddenly.
Preethi looked at her. "I really like you… so much."
"Why do you like me?" Keerthi asked again.
Preethi smiled. "Is there a reason to like someone?"
"My ex always said you can't like someone without a reason," Keerthi said. "If you like someone without a reason, that’s called love."
Preethi smiled but didn’t reply.
Keerthi pulled her closer. They could hear each other's breathing.
Preethi’s heartbeat raced. "What are you doing?" she whispered.
Keerthi lifted Preethi’s chin and kissed her.
Preethi didn’t resist.
She kissed her back—fully, deeply. Their lips intertwined, exploring each other.
They paused, looked into each other’s eyes, and smiled.
"It’s getting brighter," Keerthi said. "We should go inside."
"Yeah," Preethi murmured, still lost in the moment.
She walked into the room, standing in the center, still reeling from what had just happened. Keerthi hugged her from behind and kissed her neck. Turning Preethi around, she kissed her lips again.
They were having the moment of their lives.
Suddenly, a loud thud.
The door swung open, and one of Preethi’s colleagues barged in.
They froze.
The colleague gasped. "Oh, shit!" He laughed and ran out.
Keerthi smiled, unfazed.
But Preethi panicked. Thoughts raced through her mind—what would people say? Would they gossip? Would she become the talk of the office? She could still hear the colleague laughing outside. Without a word, she hastily buttoned her shirt, grabbed her things, and ran down the stairs in a panic without saying a word. All she could think about was - Whats gonna happen next and what would people think about her?
Preethi? A voice echoed from a distance. It was her mother, calling her downstairs for breakfast. She came down, trying to put on a normal face in front of her parents. As she started eating, she remembered the first time she met Keerthi.
They hadn't known each other for long, yet they shared a bond that only a few could understand or explain. A couple of months ago, Keerthi had joined as a Junior Analyst in the team. In the first few days, Preethi only saw her in passing. Her team members used to rave about how good she was at singing, but they had never spoken.
Until one evening at the office, when Preethi found Keerthi weeping terribly in the women’s restroom.
Preethi approached her. "What happened?"
Keerthi sniffled, her voice shaky. "I guess I'm really bad at my job. It’s been three weeks, and I haven't gone a single day without getting scolded."
Preethi grinned. "That always happens. You know, I wasn’t good at my work either. I used to cry like this when no one was around."
Keerthi stopped crying for a moment, then smiled. "You're lying. I’ve seen you at work. Everyone respects you because you’re good at what you do."
Preethi smirked playfully. "That’s true—I am too good at what I do. But that’s not the point. I’m here to make you feel better. Come, let’s get a coffee."
Keerthi hesitated. "I want to, but not with this ugly, teary face."
Preethi laughed. "Alright, when then?"
Keerthi’s face brightened. "After office hours?"
"Done. We’ll have coffee at the cafeteria after work."
And that’s how it all started—with a cup of coffee. One conversation led to another, and before they knew it, they had become inseparable.
Keerthi, raised by a single parent, found comfort in Preethi. And Preethi never said no to Keerthi, no matter what. The rest of the team was baffled by the special treatment Preethi gave her. It was unlike her. She was never this way with anyone else. Maybe it was because Keerthi never tried to impress Preethi with her work. Everyone else in the office had some kind of obligation to Preethi. But Keerthi? She was just herself.
While Preethi saw the world in shades of grey, Keerthi showed her just one color—truth.
Keerthi never hid her friendship with Preethi from anyone. But Preethi, on the other hand, chose to keep her private life to herself.
One evening over coffee, Keerthi asked, "Where is that office face of yours? I never see it outside work."
Preethi chuckled. "That’s only for the people at work."
Keerthi raised an eyebrow. "Am I not from the office?"
"You are," Preethi admitted. "But I don’t know why—I just can’t treat you like the others."
"But why?" Keerthi pressed.
Preethi thought for a moment. "No matter how hard your heart is, you should have one person in this world you can trust and confide in. It gives us hope and a purpose in life. That person could be a friend, a lover, a husband... anyone."
Keerthi leaned in. "And what am I?"
"A friend," Preethi said firmly, smiling. "A good friend."
Preethi never really understood why she liked Keerthi so much. She just did. She made her laugh, made her forget who she was for a while.
As Preethi finished her dinner that night, she walked to the sink to wash her hands. While washing, she noticed her ring and smiled, remembering the last time she saw Keerthi at the office.
Two days before that night, Preethi had finished lunch and returned to her desk. As she typed on her laptop, she suddenly realized her ring was missing. The whole office knew how important that ring was to her.
She immediately alerted Matthew, who sent a few team members to search the premises. They combed the entire office, but no one could find it.
Preethi was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. No one dared to go near her—especially Matthew, who warned everyone to stay away.
Then, out of nowhere, someone poked her shoulder.
"Hey!"
Furious, Preethi turned her red, tear-streaked face toward the voice—only to see Keerthi standing there, smiling, holding a small box.
"I have a surprise for you," Keerthi said cheerfully.
Preethi had had enough. "Get lost, Keerthi!" she snapped. "I’m not in the mood for your childish shenanigans. For God’s sake, grow up and think before you speak to someone!". Keerthi’s face fell. Tears welled up in her eyes. Before Preethi could realize how rude she had been, Keerthi turned and rushed to the restroom.
Preethi wanted to follow her, but the whole office was watching. She couldn’t move.
Sunday afternoon. The sun was at its peak, and no one dared to step outside into the scorching heat. Preethi lay on her bed in a T-shirt and shorts, staring at the ceiling fan, trying to count its rotations. Since yesterday, she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Keerthi. The tenderness of that night still lingered in her mind.
She suddenly jumped out of bed, grabbed her car keys, and drove straight to Keerthi’s place.
She reached the building, still in her T-shirt and shorts, and impatiently pressed the elevator’s close button as if willing it to move faster. When she finally reached Keerthi’s floor, she knocked.
Keerthi opened the door, surprised. "Preethi!" She pulled her into a tight hug. "I thought I’d never see you again."
Preethi hugged her back. They stood there for a while, holding each other.
Then, Preethi gently pushed Keerthi back, holding her by the shoulders. "Keerthi… do you have any idea what’s happening?"
Keerthi looked into her eyes. "I don’t want to know. I don’t want to explain. All I want right now is you."
Preethi sighed. "I don’t know if this can happen."
"Anything can happen," Keerthi whispered, stepping closer. She kissed Preethi, firm and full of longing.
Preethi hesitated for a second. "We can’t keep doing this."
But then, she kissed Keerthi back.
"I can do this all day," Keerthi murmured against her lips.
That moment, time stood still. Nothing was audible except their breaths. Nothing smelled but the perfume of their skin. The only thing they felt was each other’s warmth.
Keerthi pulled Preethi toward the bedroom.
That night, they made love. Again and again, until midnight.
It was past 2 a.m. As usual, the dogs were barking in the distance, and the lights were dim and pleasant. They were both lying naked, with Keerthi’s head resting on Preethi’s chest while she fiddled with Preethi’s belly button.
“You have a protruding navel,” Keerthi remarked.
Preethi smiled and said, “We have a navel fetisher.”
They both laughed and kept talking for a while.
Keerthi pointed toward the sky. “Look at the stars.”
Through the big balcony door, they gazed at the night sky from the bed. Keerthi continued, “I see these two stars when I think about you.”
Preethi looked up and spotted the two glimmers in the sky, chuckling softly.
Keerthi interrupted, “Don’t laugh. I’ve named them after us. The one on the left is you, and the one on the right is me.”
Preethi smiled and replied, “One of them is actually a planet. It’s Venus.”
“What?” Keerthi asked, surprised. Then she shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. One is you, and one is me.”
Preethi kept looking at the sky for a moment. “They both look the same and even seem to be in the same place. But in reality, they come from different worlds and have different roles to play.”
“Yeah!” Keerthi said innocently. “I’ll be the planet, and you’ll be the star.”
“Whatever you say,” Preethi smiled.
They hugged each other and lay together until sunrise.
Preethi woke up to find Keerthi still sleeping. She placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, and Keerthi smiled in her sleep. Preethi got dressed, grabbed her keys, and left the building.
Keerthi woke up and found Preethi is missing in the bed. She gave a thought about last night and smiled for a moment and walked around the aparment with the bedsheet wrapped around her. When she reached the kitchen, she found a note in the refridgerator,
“You are the star of my life!, - Preethi”
She smiled, picked up her phone, and called Preethi.
Busy.
She looked at the clock. She was running late.
At the office, she looked for Preethi. She wasn’t at her desk. The meeting started. Still no sign of her. When the meeting ended, Keerthi saw someone from the HR team talking to Matthew. His face turned pale. He placed a hand on his forehead. Curious, Keerthi walked over. Matthew turned to her. "When did you last see Preethi?".
"Saturday, like everyone else. Why?"
Matthew hesitated. Then, in a low voice, he said, "She resigned. Sent an email this morning." Keerthi’s heart dropped. She quickly dialed Preethi’s number.
Busy. Again.
Her hands trembled. Her face fell. She stood up, walked toward the restroom, hoping—just hoping—that Preethi would come to console her.
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