31 Diyas Birthday #2
Instinctively, Niyati locked her legs tightly around his waist to stay grounded. He carried her across the short distance to the wide vanity table by the cupboard, gently settling her onto the polished surface without breaking the feverish momentum of their lips.
When he finally broke the kiss for air, he immediately trailed his lips down her jawline, resting his warm mouth against the sensitive skin of her neck. Niyati threw her head back, her fingers tangling deep into his styled hair as a soft, muffled moan escaped her lips.
"Ansh..." she breathed out, her pulse hammering under his touch. "Someone might come... Diya might come up here..."
"No one's coming," Ansh murmured against her skin, his breath burning hot against her collarbone. "Diya is down there enjoying herself, dancing her heart out."
He nipped gently at the curve near her shoulder, making Niyati gasp, her back arching slightly into him.
"Let's make this quick, baby," he whispered, his dark eyes brimming with absolute desire as he looked up at her. "I couldn't hold myself back after seeing you look so beautiful tonight."
Before she could respond, his lips claimed hers once more in a deep, consuming kiss. Lost completely in the intoxicating rhythm of the moment, neither of them heard the soft click of the bedroom door unlocking.
Ansh's hand slid down the fabric of her knee-length dress, his fingers reaching to slide her undergarment down her thighs, when suddenly-
The bedroom door swung wide open.
"Niyati! Are you still in-"
The loud voice cut off instantly. Niyati and Ansh froze mid-movement, the world around them screeching to a sudden, terrifying halt.
Slowly, breathlessly, they turned their heads toward the open doorway.
Diya stood at the entrance, her jaw dropped, her eyes wide as saucers as she stared at the scene before her-at Niyati seated on the cupboard vanity, legs wrapped securely around Ansh, and Ansh's hand hidden beneath the hem of her dress.
A suffocating, agonizing silence filled the room for one dreadful second before Diya's bewildered scream shattered the air.
"What the fuckkkkkkkk!"
The words dropped like an anvil into the suffocating silence, leaving Niyati and Ansh completely paralyzed.
Panic surged through Niyati like a jolt of pure electricity. She scrambled off the vanity table, practically throwing herself onto her feet as she yanked her dress down, her hands shaking so violently she could barely smooth out the fabric.
Ansh stepped forward immediately, shielding Niyati with his body as he faced his sister. Even with his usual composed demeanor, his chest was heaving, his collar was slightly rumpled, and his dark eyes were wide with rare, uncharacteristic shock.
Diya stood frozen in the doorway, her hands clutching her handbag so tightly her knuckles were white. "What... what was that? What were you doing?!"
"Diya, just breathe for a second and let us explain," Ansh said, his voice dropping into a steady, controlled register as he held his hands up placatingly.
"Let you explain?!" Diya's voice cracked, spiraling into sheer, hysterical disbelief. "Explain what, Ansh bhai?! I walk into my own bedroom and find my best friend lifted up on my vanity with her legs around my brother!" She turned her furious, tear-bright eyes onto Niyati. "Niyuu... you? With him?"
"Diya, I am so, so sorry," Niyati whispered, tears pricking the back of her eyes as the crushing weight of her guilt finally exploded. "We were going to tell you tonight. I swear to you, we were going to sit you down right after the party-"
"It's not on her, Diya," Ansh intervened firmly, taking a step closer to his sister. "It's on me. We got back together after the Freshers' Ball. It's been a few weeks."
Diya blinked, her jaw dropping further as her head snapped toward her brother. "Got back together? Wait... you two dated before? Broke up and got back together again? How did I not know this?!"
Niyati took a trembling step out from behind Ansh. "Diya, let me explain-"
"What do you want to explain to me, Niyu? That too now?" Diya cut in, letting out a harsh, disbelieving laugh. "After apparently making out with my brother?! You and my brother? I was kept in the dark for how long?!"
"Diya..." Ansh tried again, stepping in front.
"No, Bhai!" Diya snapped, throwing a hand up to cut him off. "I'm talking to my best friend right now. Not you."
"I'm sorry, Diyuu," Niyati sobbed softly, holding her trembling hands together in a quiet plea. "I really wanted to tell you. We wanted to tell you together right after the party..."
"And what do you expect me to do after learning about it like this?" Diya asked, tears finally spilling down her cheeks as she stared at Niyati with profound betrayal.
"Diyuu..."
"Stop. Don't," Diya said, backing away slightly as she shook her head. "I really can't brain this right now. I don't know how I became so untrustworthy that my own best friend hid such a huge thing from me all these days... or months..."
"Diyuu... it's nothing like that, please!" Niyati begged, her chest heaving with choked sobs.
"It's okay, Niyati. I understood one thing today," Diya said, her voice dropping into a quiet, painful tone that hurt far worse than her screaming. "I'm not that important to you in your life."
Niyati felt as though her heart had been physically torn from her chest. "Diyuu, why are you talking like this?"
"Enough. I don't want to talk anymore," Diya said coldly, wiping her wet cheeks with the back of her hand.
She cast one last, lingering look at both of them before turning toward the open doorway.
"I'm going down. If you guys are finished with your makeout, please come down. Uncle and Aunty want to leave, Miss Niyati Sharma."
Without waiting another second, Diya walked out, leaving the bedroom door standing wide open in her wake.