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Silence was the only reply she got from him. It irked her no end. She hated his reticence. She hated that he never let her in. It was plain obvious he was concerned about someone or something, yet he refused to communicate with her. She despised it.
They reached a side exit and he handed her a helmet from the shelf.
What in the world was going on?
“Are you dropping me home on a bike?” she queried.
Silence again.
“Vihaan, this is crazy. Can you please tell me what is going on?”
A worried frown formed on his forehead. “I never wanted to tell you all this. I never wanted you to be a part of it… Now, I’m left with no choice.”
His words stung. Rubbed salt on the wounds he’d already inflicted.
“Look, just go where you have to, okay?” she said tightly. “I can take a cab back home. You don’t need to confide in me at all.”
“I can’t put you in a taxi because it’s too late in the night and…and you’re being followed,” he said, his voice tortured. “I can’t risk you like that. I have no choice but to trust you now.”
“Wait…what? I’m being followed?! Why? I’m nobody. Is it because of my dad? Oh God, is my dad in trouble?”
Fear for her dad caused her stomach to twist.
“No, this is not about him. This is about me. You’re being followed because of me...because they want to know where I live and work, and so far, since they haven’t been able to find out, they’ve put a tail on you instead.”
Her hand flew to her chest. “How long have you known this? Why haven’t you told me?”
“I figured it out when I met you last week, but then you were going away for a few days and I didn’t want to scare you. I should have told you earlier tonight, but I didn’t.”
She tossed the helmet at his chest. “I’m leaving.”
He held her arm. “I can’t let you go like this, Tiya.”
Anger threatened to burst out of her. How dare he not tell her?
She hauled her arm away. “I’m going to grab a cab and go home. If they’re after you then I’m not who they want. I suppose this is why you do all the deception and subterfuge. It’s to avoid people following you, right?”
“Yes.”
“I’m leaving. I don’t want to be around you. You’ve been nothing but selfish when it concerns me and I’m tired of it.”
He caught hold of her hand, but she twisted it free.
“Tiya, please, now is not the time,” he begged. “I have to get to some place urgently, and you have to believe me when I say that I have your best interests at heart.”
“And I’m sick of hearing that as an excuse for all your bad behavior with regards to me. You only speak in circles and riddles. This whole time that we’ve been together you’ve thought only of yourself and not of me. I’m done with you.” When he made a move to touch her again, she yelled, “Don’t fucking touch me!”
His face contorted with sadness and worry. “Someone I care for is unwell and I’m the only one who can help. You must know by now that Shaurya and Myra aren’t in town. My brother Aaryan is travelling too. If I promise to answer your questions, will you come with me? I cannot worry about you being alone in a cab at this time of the night. So, please.”
The concern on his face gave her pause. Could she trust him to be honest with her? Would he give her the answers she sought? Until now, she’d refrained from asking questions because it concerned him and his life. But now, someone was following her. A chill ran through her bones as she wondered how long a car had trailed her and she’d not even noticed. And Vihaan had known, yet he hadn’t deemed it fit to tell her.
“Tiya, please, come with me,” he pleaded.
She sighed. She’d go with him but only if she had her way too.
“Give me your word that you will answer any question I pose,” she said.
“I promise I will, but first I need to get there.”
