Love in the Late-Night Chai Stall Short Stories
The First Meeting
(A small tea stall on a quiet street at 2 AM. A dim yellow light flickers. The smell of chai fills the air.)
Tara, wrapped in an yellow oversized hoodie, sits at a wooden table, tapping her pen on her notebook. She looks frustrated.
Tara (muttering):
“Wanted to be a writer, but can’t even write one good line. Maybe I should just write a grocery list instead.”
The tea stall owner, Chotu, a skinny teenager in a loose t-shirt, shakes his head.
Chotu(with charming smiles)
“Didi, just drink tea. No need for poetry.”
Just then, a tall guy walks in, looking exhausted. Karan, a doctor, just finished a long shift. He orders tea like it’s medicine.
Karan (to Chotu):
“One strong chai. No extra love, please.”
Tara smirks.
Tara:
“Tea without love is just hot water, my friend.”
Karan looks at her dead look and sighs.
Karan:
“I’m a doctor. People survive without love.”
Tara (grinning):
“But with love, people learn to live.”
Chotu rolls his eyes.
Chotu:
“You both are weird. One crazy writer, one tired doctor.”
Midnight Talks & Bad Jokes
A week passes. Every night, Tara and Karan meet at the tea stall. They don’t plan it—it just happens.
One night, as they sip tea, Tara watches Karan scrolling through his phone. He looks exhausted.
Tara:
“You’re a doctor. You save lives. Why do you look half-dead yourself?”
Karan:
“If I had a doctor for myself, I’d ask them the same thing.”
Tara laughs.
Tara:
“Wanna hear a joke?”
Karan (deadpan):
“Are you trying to kill me?”
Tara:
“If I stop breathing, will you give me CPR?”
Karan (sipping tea):
“No, I’ll write your death certificate first.”
Tara gasps dramatically.
Tara:
“Wow. So romantic. No wonder you’re single.”
Chotu shakes his head.
Chotu: (with mischievous smile )
“You both need help.”
The Friendship Grows
Karan and Tara start opening up to each other.
One night, it rains. Tara looks lost in thought.
Tara:
“Maybe becoming a writer was a mistake. No money, no job security, just stress.”
Karan:
“Then quit.”
Tara glares at him.
Tara:
“Wow, such great advice. Then you should quit being a doctor too.”
Karan chuckles but then gets serious.
Karan:
“I wish I could. But every patient I treat becomes part of my life.”
Tara looks at him.
Tara:
“You’re a deep guy. On the outside, you look boring, but inside, you’re a poet.”
Karan smirks.
Scene 4: The Twist – Karan’s Transfer
One night, Karan doesn’t show up. Tara keeps checking her watch.
Finally, he arrives, looking unsure.
Tara:
“You’re late. What happened? Someone swallowed a toothbrush?”
Karan doesn’t laugh. He sighs.
Karan:
“I got transferred. I’m moving to Pune.”
Tara blinks.
Tara:
“Oh. That’s… good. You were drinking free tea here anyway.”
Silence. They both stare at their cups.
Tara (softly):
“I’ll miss you, doctor.”
Karan smirks, hiding his sadness.
Karan:
“What will you do when you can’t sleep at night?”
Tara (grinning):
“I’ll write a book about you. Title—‘The Doctor Who Ran Away.’”
They laugh, but their hearts feel heavy.
Scene 5: A New Beginning
A month later, Tara still visits the tea stall. One night, she finds a note under her tea cup.
“If you still can’t sleep, find a late-night tea stall in Pune. You might see a tired doctor there.”
Tara smirks and looks at Chotu.
Chotu:
“Bhaiya didn’t come back. But he left this for you.”
Tara takes a sip of her tea, feeling a little lighter. Maybe fate had a different plan for them after all.
Singing off
Love message for this story : Sometimes, unexpected connections heal the deepest wounds. Love finds a way, even when fate seems to have other plans. ❤️