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“I’m fine, Tiya,” Myra said sounding tired.
Vihaan raked a hand through his hair. “We have to go.”
He faced Tiya. “Do you have a car?”
She nodded.
“Shaurya, you both go ahead. I’ll follow,” Vihaan instructed. “And be careful.”
Tiya kissed Myra’s cheek. “Meet me soon, please. We need to talk about many things.”
“Meet me tomorrow,” Myra said.
Tiya nodded.
Shaurya and Myra went in another direction while Vihaan walked Tiya to the common parking lot. She halted in front of her car.
“She’s not sick, is she? I’m worried about her,” Tiya expressed. “This was what she’s always wanted and yet she wasn’t herself. She ought to be over the moon. Something is off with her.”
“She’s not sick,” Vihaan reassured her. “I promise you that she’ll be fine, no matter what.”
His words sounded like a vow, intriguing her further.
He clasped her cheek in his big palm, distracting her. “About earlier…before we were interrupted. Are you okay?”
She knew what he was referring to. Just a few minutes ago, they’d been on the verge of crossing a line that ought never to be crossed. She knew where he stood with her yet she’d forgotten that the minute he’d taken her in his arms. Had they not been interrupted then Tiya would have broken the most cardinal rule in the history of fake dating, ofnot having sex with your fake boyfriend.
She let out a heavy sigh. “I’m fine. I’ll call you.”
“Okay,” he said.
Climbing into her car, she drove away. She stared at his reflection in the rearview mirror as it grew smaller and smaller the further she went. Vihaan stood with his hands in his pockets, looking like the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. For some strange reason a pang of sadness hit her chest, as if she was leaving something special behind. She gripped the steering wheel tighter.
Vihaan and she had no future, he’d told her so in clear words. Yet, she knew without a doubt that if she wasn’t careful, he would steal into her heart. She already spent way too much time thinking about him. She’d felt a spark for him the first time she’d met him. She’d tried to deny it for the longest. But now, after what they’d shared, after what he’d made her feel, she was afraid he’d further seep into her soul. God! What would she do then?
Brushing those disturbing thoughts away, she tapped the music button on her car console, hoping the melodious voice of Enrique Iglesias would change her suddenly dull mood.
10
Vihaan entered his twin’s home and was greeted by the sound of music and chatter. While the others were talking, seated on the sofas, Aaryan stood by his black grand piano, the center piece of his living room, his fingers brushing over the keys, playing nothing in particular—a sure sign of his worry. Most likely, Aaryan hadn’t even realized what he was doing.
Despite the worry etched on his twin’s face, Vihaan couldn’t help but be happy on seeing his brother fidget with the piano. The piano was Aaryan’s passion and he was bloody good at it too. There was a time long ago when they’d been on the run and Aaryan hadn’t played for a very long while. He hadn’t been the same then. Of course, they all hadn’t been the same after that incident that had drastically altered their life. But Aaryan had been lost without his music. At that time, Vihaan had promised himself that whenever they had money, the first thing he’d do was return music to his brother’s life. This piano had been a gift from Vihaan to him. Till date, Vihaan took pleasure in seeing his twin play. Aaryan deserved this after everything they had been through.
“Have you lost your bloody mind?” Vihaan spun in the direction of the agitated feminine voice.
A hush fell over the room. The owner of that voice walked up to him and pulled him in a hug. “I’ve been so worried since I heard what you did.”
Vihaan kissed the top of his sister, Avantika’s head. “Hey, I’m fine, Avi.”
Dressed in khaki trousers and a tan shirt, her long hair tied in a pony tail, his sister watched him carefully.
“Uncle Vihaan!”
Neil, Avantika’s eleven-year-old son, rushed to Vihaan and raised his hand for a high five.
“What’s up buddy?” Vihaan asked.
“You’re late,” Neil complained. “We finished dinner already. I was waiting for you.”
