Midnight Meetings
Meera wasn’t surprised when her car broke down in the middle of the night. If anything, she was half-expecting it. “Perfect timing,” she muttered, kicking the tire in frustration. “Should I just carry a mechanic around with me at all times?”
With nothing else to do, she walked slowly and tiredly along the deserted road, silently cursing the universe for making her walk in heels. After what felt like a lifetime, she spotted an old garage up ahead. Dim light spilled from a single, flickering bulb. *It’s either a serial killer’s lair, or my luck might just be turning.* She sighed and made her way toward it.
Pushing open the creaky door, she called out, “Hello? Is anyone here?”
Her voice echoed back to her, the only response. She was about to give up when she spotted a man lying on an ancient, beat-up sofa. His hair was a mess, and his eyes were half-closed, looking like he belonged in some 90s Bollywood tragic scene.
“Well, if this isn’t the beginning of a horror movie,” Meera said dryly, leaning against the doorframe.
Arjun didn’t even flinch. “You’d be the worst horror movie victim. Too much talking, not enough running.”
“Oh, I don’t run,” she shot back. “I’m more of a ‘stand there and critique the killer’s technique’ kind of person.”
The man finally opened one eye. It’s “Arjun,” he said, gesturing lazily toward himself.
“Meera,” she said, looking at the old garage. “Are you good at fixing things and understanding people’s problems?”
“Mostly at fixing things. Understanding people is just something I do on the side.” He sat up, stretching and groaning.“Your car?”
“Dead. I’ve accepted it. I assume you’re on the same team?”
Arjun chuckled and stood up, stretching as if he’d been waiting for an excuse to move. “Well, I guess it’s time for me to play mechanic.” He grabbed some keys from a nearby table and started toward the door.
Meera raised an eyebrow. “Wait—you’re going to go out there and bring the car back? In this weather? At this time?”
“I’ve done crazier things at midnight,” he said with a smirk. “Besides, my social calendar’s wide open.”
Meera followed him out, watching as he effortlessly started an old pickup truck that looked like it had seen better days. “Nice ride,” she teased.
“Don’t insult the truck. It’s sensitive,” Arjun replied, pulling up next to her broken car. He got out and inspected it for a moment. “Yup, this thing’s in worse shape than I am.”
Meera crossed her arms. “Great. Can you at least drag it back to the garage?”
“Oh, absolutely. I’ll even do it with flair.” He attached a tow cable to her car and within minutes had it hooked up to the truck. As they drove back, Meera watched the deserted road pass by, the silence between them punctuated only by the sound of the truck’s engine and the occasional hum of a distant cricket.
Once back at the garage, Arjun parked the truck, got out, and wiped his hands dramatically. “There you go. Delivered straight to our fine establishment.”
Meera laughed. “Wow, such service. Do I tip you, or is sarcasm an acceptable currency?”
“Actually, I prefer coffee as payment,” Arjun said, grinning. “But sarcasm will do in a pinch.”
—
Back inside the garage, as they sat down in their usual spots, the conversation flowed easily again, moving from sarcastic barbs to deeper confessions.
Hours passed, and they shared stories—his about losing his father, hers about the mess of a relationship that had turned her world upside down. But they kept it light, always ready with a joke or sarcastic remark to keep things from getting too heavy.
“I guess love is like this old car,” Meera mused, staring at a rusted vehicle in the corner. “It breaks down, you try to fix it, but in the end, it just sits there, gathering dust.”
Arjun smirked. “Nah, love’s worse. At least with a car, you can call a mechanic. With love? You’re stuck Googling ‘how to fix a broken heart’ at 3 AM, and all you get are depressing playlists.”
“Or motivational quotes,” Meera added. “I swear if I see one more ‘What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,’ I might actually lose it.”
“Yeah, I’d rather take ‘What doesn’t kill you makes you hungry.’ At least that’s honest.”
A sudden gust of wind rattled the garage door, and in the distance, a dog barked. The background was a mix of eerie quiet and random noises that only made the night feel stranger.
Arjun glanced at his phone and sighed. “It’s almost dawn. Time flies when you’re not having fun.”
Meera laughed softly. “I should go, too. Can’t believe we spent the night swapping insomnia war stories.”
“Hey, it’s cheaper than therapy,” Arjun shrugged. “Though, this sofa could use some professional help.”
As they stood to leave, there was an odd, comfortable silence between them—like two people who had shared something intimate without fully realizing it.
“Maybe I’ll see you around,” Meera said, trying to sound casual.
“Only if your car breaks down again,” Arjun teased, leaning against the doorframe.
Meera smirked. “Well, if that’s what it takes, I’ll make sure it happens.”
—
And so, it did. Every few nights, their paths would cross again at that same old garage, the flickering light and cricket orchestra always there to greet them. They never said it outright, but meeting at midnight became their strange, unspoken ritual.
On one such night, as they sat in their usual spots, the conversation took a light-hearted turn.
“You know, if we keep meeting like this, people might start thinking we’re having an affair with insomnia,” Meera said with a grin.
Arjun chuckled. “I’d say it’s a committed relationship at this point. We even have set dates and everything.”
“Right? And insomnia’s the kind of partner who just refuses to let go,” Meera quipped.
They shared a quiet laugh, and after a beat of silence, Meera leaned back, looking at the sky. “You know, if I ever do get to sleep again, I’m going to miss this.”
Arjun tilted his head. “What, the endless sarcasm? Or the broken garage?”
“Both,” she said with a small smile. “But mostly… this. Us. It’s weirdly nice.”
He smiled back, softer this time. “Yeah, it is.”
“Good thing I’m still hopelessly sleepless then,” she said, nudging him lightly.
Arjun grinned. “Lucky me.”
And for the first time in a long time, as the dawn began to break, neither of them dreaded the coming day. They had found something more than just sleepless nights. They had found each other.
“Same time tomorrow?” Meera asked as she stood.
“Only if you promise to bring better jokes,” Arjun teased.
“Deal. But don’t expect miracles,” she laughed.
“Hey, I’m a patient guy.”
And as they parted ways, the crickets chirped their familiar tune, the garage light flickered one last time, and the night, for once, felt just a little less lonely.