Chapter 20. Hurt

🎶 Let Me Down Slowly

Published on 27.06.2022

| AUTHOR'S POV |

It has been more than a week since Ayansh and Inaaya regularly meet in the morning; he teaches her how to ride the bike which she has adapted to very well except the taking a U turn part and never failingly they have tea at the stall with their usual little talks, bickering and teasing, topped by hearty smiles and laughs.

But not everyday is sunshine and unicorns.

Kartik threw a nasty glare towards Ayansh who helped Inaaya sit on the couch despite her repeatedly saying she's fine.

"Okay so- "

"So what happened?" Kartik cut Inaaya off, his voice as pointed as his glare and directed towards Ayansh.

"Bhai, don't overreact." Inaaya intervened and Ayansh sighed guiltily.

"I'm sorry- "

"Bhai, it's not his fault." She said desperately but Kartik ignored.

"Didn't I tell you that my sister shouldn't even get a scratch?" He took a step towards Ayansh who flinched at his tone. "How did this happen? I shouldn't have trusted you." He added regretfully.

Inaaya pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.

"I- I lost my focus while she was- "

"No, you didn't." Inaaya snapped at Ayansh. "Stop feeling guilty, will you?" She turned her face to look at her brother who was still very much worked up. "I was taking a U turn and lost my balance. The side of the bike hit me and hence my ankle is a little swollen. Before the entire weight of the bike could fall on my leg, Ayansh rushed and held me as well as the bike. I'm literally fine. Nothing has happened. And this," she pointed at her right ankle where an elastic bandage was tied, "is stupid. I told him that it's just a minor strain but he's stubborn and too concerned that he took me to a nearby clinic. My ankle will be perfectly fine in a few days. So, just stop." She exhaled a sharp breath, letting out all her frustration.

Kartik looked at Ayansh who had his eyes fixed on the floor below and then looked at Inaaya who stared back in disappointment.

"Leave." He said without any hint of emotion and Ayansh tipped his head up to look at Kartik.

"Just leave." He repeated.

Ayansh stared for a few seconds and contemplated it was better to leave without saying anything more. He averted his gaze at Inaaya. "I'm- "

"I'll fucking kill you if you say sorry one more time." She barked before he could complete his sentence.

Ayansh flinched. The siblings were scary. "Take care." He murmured and the expression on her face softened and she gave him a little nod.

After Ayansh was out of their sight, Inaaya stood up from the couch and winced slightly when her right heel touched the floor. Kartik was quick to be on her side and hold her by her shoulders.

"Careful."

Inaaya swatted his hands away, albeit gently but that didn't prevent the hurt his brother felt at that small action. "I'm fine." She said in a small voice, not meeting his eyes. "I can take care of myself. You don't have to babysit me." With that, she walked away from him, limping so she doesn't put much weight on her right foot.

Inaaya was about to step on the stairs when a shrill voice stopped her.

"What are you doing with Ayansh Mehra?"

She gripped the railing tightly and took a deep breath to keep her emotions in check. "None of your business." She replied, without turning around.

Sensing the need to ease the tension rising, Kartik meddled. "He's her friend, Dad. He had even helped them during their intercollegiate competition."

"Don't hang out with him."

Inaaya spun around listening to that and arched a challenging brow at her father.

Durvesh, her Dad, let out a sigh. "You might get into trouble if you associate with him. I'm just looking out for you."

"Kindly enlighten me how would I get into trouble." She retorted sarcastically.

He clenched and unclenched his jaw. Then, glared at Inaaya who didn't as much as flinched. "He's our business rival. To be friends with someone like that is dangerous."

Inaaya chuckled bitterly and shook her head in disbelief. "He might be your business rival, not mine. So, I really don't care. Not everyone is money minded like you."

Kartik stayed silent because he knew there was nothing he could do. He just prayed this conversation would be over soon.

"I'm just asking you to be careful." Durvesh yelled in frustration. He hated how his daughter always kept defying him.

"No," she opposed and her voice went a pitch higher, "you're asking, or better commanding me to cut all ties with him because you think he can do some harm to your so called empire. But newsflash, Mr Durvesh Rai, you can't control me or my life. I know with whom I hang out with and I damn well know what's right and what's not. I'm going to do what makes me happy irrespective of all your scepticism because not everything is business. I know all you care about is your business and fame so let me assure you that Ayansh is a nice guy and you don't have to worry about him, so just stay away."

She strode towards her room with slight pain in her foot, without waiting for his response or sparing another glance at her Dad.

Inaaya slammed the door behind her and got seated on her desk chair, her breath coming out in pants. Before she even got time to dwell on her thoughts or emotions, her phone rang.

"Hello." She answered, picking up the call.

"Oh hello?" Alisha said on the other side. "We're waiting for you since last half an hour. Where the hell are you?"

Inaaya squeezed her eyes shut and clicked her tongue when the realisation hits. Alisha, Nikita and Inaaya had decided to meet at a cafe around 9 am. "Sorry, I couldn't make it."

"And you couldn't even inform us?" Alisha said, clearly agitated. "Why you couldn't make it?"

Inaaya thinks for an excuse but it seems her brain has stopped functioning. "I was in a bad mood."

"I know you're rich and all but you aren't any Princess and we aren't your subjects to buy and oblige to whatever you say. You can't ditch us just because you weren't in the mood. Are you okay?" Her voice softens as she says the last part.

Inaaya feels bad for keeping her friends waiting but she isn't in the frame of mind to have a conversation. "I'm Pmsing. I didn't want to come so I didn't. And I'm sorry for that."

"You don't exactly sound sorry." Alisha points out.

Inaaya grits her teeth. "I. Just. Need. Some. Space." She enunciates each word, her voice on the verge of breaking. "I want to be alone."

Alisha figures out that something is wrong but she also knows there's no use of pushing her because she won't ever tell as always. "Okay, I get you." She responds in understanding. "Let's meet in the evening at the new Chinese restaurant that has opened on S. K. street."

"Which part of 'I want to be alone' don't you not understand Alisha?" She whines, trying hard to not snap at her friend and cut the call.

"So stay alone the whole day and meet us at 7. You'll feel better. And it will just be us three. We won't even talk if that's what you want. We'll just sit silently and eat."

Inaaya doesn't say anything. She hates to be alone because her thoughts just pull her into a more miserable place but she doesn't want to be around people when there's every chance that she'll lose her marbles and take out her frustration on them.

"Hello? You still there?" Alisha speaks again when there's no response.

"Yeah. I mean.... ," it feels wrong to refuse and it also doesn't feel right to agree. But her friends are requesting so much and the least she could do is makeup for ghosting them in the morning. "Fine, I'll come." She mutters reluctantly.

"Yes!" Alisha squeals. "That's like my girl. So 7 pm it is."

There's a knock on the door and Inaaya tosses her head back groaning. The day doesn't seem to be giving her a rest.

"It's me." Kartik says softly.

"The door's open." Inaays shouts at him before going back to the call. "I need to go. Will meet you later."

"Sure." Alisha replies happily.

Kartik pushes the door and enters with a tray which has two plates of poha on it. "Breakfast."

He's relieved a little when Inaaya walks towards the couch and doesn't put up a fight or turn him down.

"I'm sorry." He apologizes, picking up a plate and handing it to her.

"For what exactly?" She takes a spoonful of poha and shoves in her mouth.

"I shouldn't have talked to Ayansh like that. I overreacted." He confesses.

"And you shouldn't have asked him to leave so coldly. That was pretty rude."

Kartik huffs. "I know, I shouldn't have done that. If you want, I'll apologize to him. I just- i just- "

Inaaya pushes the other plate which is untouched towards him, finally looking up at him as he struggles to find the right words. "I get you're protective and maybe a little overbearing," she chuckles. It's weird how she finds in herself to laugh when the conversation with her Dad is still clawing at her insides. "I don't mind that honestly but we can't stop things from unfolding the way they want to. You can take all the precautions and care in the world and still there's possibility that things won't happen as your will. You almost broke your wrist when you were learning scooty. And then while learning bike, you teared your ligament. In comparison, I just have a swollen ankle which is literally nothing. It might have been something serious if Ayansh wouldn't have reached me on time. He didn't deserve to be blamed or feel guilty." She explains gently. "And if you want to apologise to him then you can or else I'll anyways talk to him. I don't hold anything against you as well because I know it just happened in the heat of the moment and you realise you went wrong."

Kartik manages to give her a small smile. "I'll talk to Ayansh." He sighs. "Can I ask you something?"

Inaaya nods in response as her mouth was busy chewing on the rice flakes.

"Don't go with Ayansh to learn bike."

Inaaya whips her head to find a hint of playfulness or amusement on her brother's face but he seems to be serious. A sense of betrayal suddenly tugs at her heart and before she knows, her eyes have already welled up. "Out of all people, I didn't expect you to be on Dad's side knowing well that his reasoning is shallow and stupid." Her voice comes out as a whisper as if she's scared that a little louder and she wouldn't be able to control her voice from crumbling.

"Inu," Kartik quickly grabs her shoulders and looks at her desperately. "I didn't mean that. I just- I just want you to stop learning bike from him. Anyways, the major part is done. I will teach you bike."

"Because you're scared I'll end up hurting myself again with him?" She accuses and he immediately shakes his head. "No need of making excuses. Just tell me you've the same fears as Dad. I'll do it, you know? I'll agree to whatever you'll say even if that upsets me. You don't have to lie." She sniffles and pushes his hands away.

"Inu, bacha," he runs a hand over his face. "I'm not asking you to break friendship with him." She frowns at him with confusion. "I just feel guilty." His shoulders slump and he looks vulnerable. "I- I remember you asked me to teach you two-wheeler and I couldn't because I didn't have time and now, you've to ask someone who's your friend to do the same. I know it's wrong of me to ask you to give that chance when I've already lost it but I miss you." He clenches his jaw and blinks to keep the tears at bay. "We both are so busy in our lives that we hardly have time to even talk. You'll be gone next year to Cambridge for your MBA and then I won't get to see you for two years. I just want to spend time with you as much as I can. I want to be there for you as a brother and I think I've failed somewhere."

"Bhai, yaar." She doesn't even try to stop the lone tear that escapes her eyes, followed by others and intertwines her arm with his, laying her head on his shoulder. "You're the best brother anyone could ask for and I mean it truly. You want to teach me bike, fine do it. You want to teach me cooking, you can do that as well. I'll simply pretend that I don't know how to cook. Heck! You can even teach me how to paint even though I hate it." She mumbles adorably and a laugh vibrates through his body. "Don't doubt yourself ever."

"This is getting too sappy, don't you think?"

Inaaya hums in reply, her mind going back to what he said. Regret, guilt, anguish, grief and similiar emotions wrap around her. Her brother thinks she'll be gone for two years and that itself makes him so sad; what if he came to know she never plans on coming back to India? She loves his brother unconditionally but it isn't enough to make her want to stay at a place which suffocates her. To come across a face daily which is a reminder of something she fiercely wishes she could erase from her memory. It's too much to bear and all she wants is an escape.

When Kartik leaves, Inaaya lies down on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Her mind is blank or maybe there's just too many different thoughts and she couldn't decide on which one should she focus first so she let's them swirl in her head aimlessly. She straightens up after a while and her eyes fall on the bandage wrapped around her ankle. A small smile touches her lips as she reminisces the memory where Ayansh panicked for her, forcefully took her to the clinic and couldn't stop asking the doctor questions as if she was getting her leg amputated.

The injury should've been a hint, a clue that all that guy ever going to do was hurt her but maybe she was more focused on the part where he held her, protected her as if he would always save her before she hit the rock bottom.

-

Inaaya had a resigned look on her face when she reached the restaurant and saw the people in front of her. Neha mirrored her look unsurprisingly.

"I thought it was just three people." She stated, looking at Alisha.

Before Alisha could respond, Nikita beat to her. "The more the merrier." She said with a grin.

"I thought, I said I needed space." She said as a matter of fact.

"How's your foot?" Ayansh questioned, ignoring everything when she took her place beside Alisha.

Inaaya stared at him blankly. She appreciated his concern, she really did but there were things more interesting than her foot and it was borderline frustrating. "It's fine. Now, stop asking me about my foot." She hisses.

"I thought we all should bond and here we are." Alisha says enthusiastically. "We'll cheer you up." She pats Inaaya's back who kicks her shin below the table making her wince in pain.

"Myself, Kabir." Kabir forwards his hand, a warm, friendly smile adorning his face.

Inaaya grimaces. "Do we really need to go through this?" She asks, looking at Alisha but still shakes Kabir's hand.

"Actually fuck it!" Neha intervenes. "My patience is running out. We all need to bond right?" Except Inaaya, everyone nods their head. "So we need to be honest and to be very honest, I really don't like you." She admits, staring at Inaaya. It was a simple, straightforward truth with no malice or animosity.

Inaaya's eyes twinkle in slight amusement. "Since we're being honest then let me tell y'all that I'm not fond of any of you." She points at Neha, Kabir and Dhruv.

Neha looks unsurprised, Kabir pouts and Dhruv looks offended.

"That's not a great start." Nikita grumbles.

"I guess we should order something." Ayansh attracts everyone's attention when the waiter approaches them.

Everyone places their order, wanting something Indo-Chinese except Inaaya who orders a choco lava cake for herself.

"Since we're being honest," Dhruv starts, "I really would appreciate Inaaya putting some efforts like everyone."

"I'm not putting any efforts." Neha points out and leans back in her chair. "And I don't intend to."

"Mutual feelings." Inaaya too leans back in her chair opposite Neha.

Nikita glares at Alisha. Ayansha gives a look that says "I told you it isn't a good idea." Alisha sinks into her chair, wanting to disappear completely.

"Anyways, it's good that you aren't fake." Neha says begrudgingly and it makes Inaaya to raise an amused eyebrow.

"Well, thank you." She answers with smugness. She found herself enjoying this uncanny conversation or bonding or whatever it was with Neha. "I appreciate that you're honest about your feelings."

Kabir and Dhruv exchange looks amongst them. Neha and Inaaya strangely were quite similar to each other.

"Anyways, let's eat and leave." Neha puts an end to the conversation when their order arrives.

While having their food, Ayansh had managed to text Inaaya, telling her to wait when everyone is gone since he needed to talk to her. Fortunately, both had drove their own cars to the place so they didn't have to make some silly excuse and just wait till everyone pulled their cars out of the driveway.

Ayansh knocks on Inaaya's car window, after making sure everyone has left. She ushers him to come inside the car and opens the passenger door. He asks if it's okay to step inside, just to be on a safer side and she shoots him lazy glare and he takes the hint.

Inaaya eyes the huge box in Ayansh's hands when he pushes it towards her. "What's it?" Her eyebrows bunch together.

"Take it." He says simply, his hazel eyes gleaming against the darkness of the night.

"Okay." She takes it and looks at him as if waiting for further instructions.

"Open it." He says as if it's obvious.

She eyes him warily but opens the box nonetheless. There were choclates, plenty of them. Different kinds of choclates, ranging from bars to toffees, all looking so sinfully tempting. Her mouth literally falls open at the sight.

Ayansh pushes her chin up to close her mouth and chuckles when she snaps out of her daze.

"Is this for me?" She asks in disbelief.

"Of course." He rolls her eyes playfully. "Do you . . . like it?" He questions cautiously.

"Like?" She whsiper yells. "I loved it." Her dark eyes twinkling like stars.

A sigh of relief leaves him. "Alisha told you were in a bad mood and apparently that was because of pmsing so I thought this would make you happy and feel better." He says so softly that Inaaya feels her heart melting like a slab of dark chocolate due to heat.

The night cloaks the crimson hue that creeps on her cheek and she's grateful for it. "Thank you." She mumbles, looking at the choclates, feeling too overwhelmed to say anything more.

As if a bulb just got switched on in her brain, she grabs her purse and removes something. "It's stupid," she says, removing the three evening glory flowers she had plucked from her garden, "but I don't have anything else to give. I mean the flowers aren't even in their best condition considering they were lying in my purse but... "

"They're beautiful." Ayansh cuts her rambling as he takes the deep pink and yellow flowers from her. Maybe it was really stupid to give flowers but it didn't matter to him. The look on her face, kind and sincere and affectionate, the way she really wanted to give something in return, the anticipation and eagerness, the childlike innocence in her actions and voice would even make him cherish the stones given by her. These were still flowers. Flowers that signified love and life.

Inaaya had just absentmindedly picked those flowers when she was strolling the garden at her house before leaving. She didn't know why she did it but she does know now.

"Your brother had called me." Ayansh tells her.

"He's sorry for what he did." She says gently, her gaze watching the way Ayansh adored the flowers.

"It's fine. He wasn't wrong entirely."

Inaaya shakes her head. "He was but anyways, I wanted to tell you something more." Ayansh turns his head towards her. "Bhai wants to teach me how to take a U turn and everything. I mean there's nothing much left but whatever it is, he insists to teach me." She says rather casually.

It's like a sudden, unexpected jolt for Ayansh. "And what do you say?"

"It's okay if he wants to." She shrugs.

Ayansh didn't know why he asked that question, he doesn't know what answer he was expecting but that didn't mean her reply didn't hurt. It shouldn't hurt but it did unfortunately. Did she not trust him enough? She said her injury wasn't his fault. Did she lie? "Is it because you got hurt today?" His voice is hesitant and scared as the words fall from his lips.

"No, not at all." There's firmness in her reply and that should be enough to erase his doubts but it isn't. "Bhai just wants to spend time with me. That's it." She explains him in short.

"Oh." He feels too stunned to form a coherent response. What he feels is close to betrayal and unrelenting hurt. So, she agreed simply because her brother asked her to? Didn't she hesitate? Didn't she think about his feelings? Was it so easy for her to neglect and discard him? Because right now, he feels helpless and desolated. "Would you do anything your brother asks you to?" There's curiosity masking the bitterness underneath his tone.

Inaaya narrows her eyes at him. "You had asked me this question before." She laughs. "And yes, I would. I love him and I can lay down my life for him if I've to." She smiles sincerely and it unsettles Ayansh.

He forces himself to smile back. "I should leave. Thanks for the flowers." He lifts his hand to emphasize.

"Thanks for the choclates." She says back as he gets out of the car.

When Inaaya enters her house, her mother asks her about the choclates and she answers with a goofy grin that she bought them for herself because everyone needs to shower themselves with occasional self-love.

Unaware that while she couldn't stop admiring, staring and feeling giddy with happiness and butterflies at the sight of the choclates, at the memory of them being a thoughtful gesture by a certain someone, her flowers didn't have the same fate as they lie lifelessly on the driveway getting stamped by people walking over them or vehicles running over them.

***

Unedited so let me know if there are any mistakes. Hope everyone is doing good :)

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