Chapter 20
Reyansh
Aditi is at my workplace for a surprise visit, and I genuinely feel happy to have her here.
I took her on an office tour, showing her the major places I usually visit.
We strolled around the seventh floor, shared a brief conversation at my cubicle, and then went together to meet my father and Harsha Uncle, but my dad was nowhere to be found.
Now that it’s lunchtime, she suggested going out for a lunch date, and I agree.
Though there was an urge at the back of my mind to invite Amyra, I kept my mouth shut, not wanting to step back into the pool of overwhelming emotions I am still trying to label.
What surprised me the most was how Aditi herself came up with the idea of inviting her sister to join us for lunch.
My heart swelled with joy at the thought of seeing her through the entire meal, and that realization instantly excited me.
So Aditi left to talk to Amyra, and I am left alone in my cubicle.
Even though Amyra and I are on good terms, we have avoided meeting outside of group hangouts.
The last time we met privately was at the B&T Green Horizon Drive event, so the thought of having her near me for a long time fills me with a quiet thrill.
Yet, I cannot erase the memory of the incident from this morning.
The incident with my father and Harsha Uncle, when they called me in to meet them in Harsha Uncle’s cabin.
“Good morning, Dad. Good morning, Uncle,” I wished the moment I stepped inside the cabin.
“Morning, Reyansh. Have a seat,” Harsha Uncle said, gesturing to the chair opposite them while both of them sat on the large sofa in the corner.
“Thank you,” I uttered, keeping my gaze on them.
“We’ve heard positive reviews about you from your mentor, and we’re pleased,” Dad said in a firm tone, though there was no trace of happiness on his face.
It had been months since I had started my relationship with Aditi, yet my parents still seemed unable to accept it. They spoke to me, yes, but the warmth they once showered on me was missing. Sometimes, I even wondered if I had truly been wrong about that forgotten promise.
“Thanks, Dad,” I replied meekly.
“But we called you here for a different purpose,” Harsha Uncle added. My brows knit together at his unexpected words as I waited for him to continue.
“Did you know Karan Mahajan before joining here?” The sudden question left me speechless. Their need to bring up Karan felt odd and completely absurd.
“Yes, but why bring him up now?” I asked.
“Just tell us about him. His personality, character, behavior,” Dad prompted, and an uneasy suspicion settled in my chest.
“He studied at the same university as Amyra and me, but we never really crossed paths with him.” I cooked up a lie, unwilling to reveal how he had once chased Amyra, desperate for a chance to date her.
“Oh? Then why did his father say Karan was interested in Amyra during university, but she turned him down?”
Another shock, perhaps the biggest of the day. I couldn’t believe which was worse: whether they had gone digging into Karan’s past, or that his father shamelessly shared something so personal.
Wait. Why would Karan even tell his dad about it? Was he that serious about Amyra? Was he here for her?
“That might have happened. I don’t remember, Uncle,” I replied, forcing an indifferent tone.
“What do you mean you don’t remember? Weren’t you two inseparable almost your entire lives? You sound like you were deliberately hiding things from us,” Dad snapped, his disbelief evident.
“So what if I was?” I grunted harshly, my jaw clenching as both of them stared at me, baffled.
“Look how reckless he’s become, Harsha,” Dad complained, while Harsha Uncle let out a tired sigh.
“What’s your problem with revealing Karan’s confession?” Uncle asked.
“Because it wasn’t my place,” I snapped. “It was Amyra’s personal choice to share it or not, but you both turned it into a news story.”
Anger burned through me. I hated the way they had found out and used that information to cross-examine me. I still didn’t understand their real motive.
“You’re right, Reyansh. What we did may have been wrong, but it was only for her good?” Uncle said.
“What?” I whispered.
“We’ve noticed how Amyra and Karan not only completed the campaign successfully, but also seemed quite close. Knowing he once liked her gave us a new hope.”
“Hope?” I interrupted, panic seeping into my voice.
“Yes. What if they can turn out to be a perfect match?
What if he can be a potential groom for her in the future?
She may not be ready for marriage now, but she can begin a new journey in a relationship, can't she?” My insides crumbled.
I wanted to scream no, but no sound escaped.
I had always feared Karan still having feelings for her, and now our parents even seemed ready to push them together.
I should have been happy for her, but why did it feel like the worst idea ever?
“You can’t force her into a relationship when she’s not even interested, Uncle,” I mumbled, my voice tight.
“So parents shouldn’t look out for their children now? Not everyone is like you, making choices without thinking of responsibilities,” Dad hissed, and I knew exactly what he meant.
“We will never force Amyra into anything, Reyansh. We just wanted to see if they could be compatible. That’s why we called you, to hear your opinion,” Uncle explained calmly. There was no logical reason to reject their thinking, yet I hated it with every cell in my body.
“Do whatever you think is right, Uncle,” I said flatly before walking out of the cabin, unwilling to prolong the conversation.
It felt like the entire universe was conspiring to make Karan and Amyra a couple.
“Hey, Reyansh! I invited Amyra Di, and she accepted.” Aditi’s voice breaks my chain of thoughts, and I wonder when she entered the cubicle.
“Alright.”
“We’ll be leaving in thirty minutes.” I nod in response.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you. I also invited Karan along with her.”
“What the hell!” I exclaim in disgust, jerking to my feet.
“Why would you invite him to our private lunch meeting?” I shriek, my voice rising in pure annoyance.
“What’s wrong with you? You’re acting as if I did something forbidden,” she says, frowning. “I’ve been hearing about him from Amyra Di a lot lately, so I thought I’d include him and see how he is. I don’t think it’s wrong to check my sister’s choice in men.”
“For God’s sake, Amyra doesn’t fucking love him.” My voice comes out louder than I intended, and she flinches, clearly startled by the fury on my face.
“This is the first time I’m seeing you this angry and scary, when you could’ve said it normally.”
“I’m sorry,” I apologized in a low whisper, realizing it wasn’t fair to scare her like that.
“It’s okay. But remember, we too started dating without love, so they can as well.
Just relax and let’s see if he can be a good match for my Di.
” She chuckles with excitement, while it feels like my heart is bleeding in pain, as if cold needles are piercing it, dragging me into endless suffering.
I grow angry at myself for acting like a fool, for overreacting and overthinking everything about Amyra and Karan.
*****
“That’s interesting, you chose B&T Corp for an internship just because you knew Amyra Di,” Aditi cackles with a bright smile, directing it at Karan, who sits beside Amyra on the opposite side of the table.
“I mean, don’t you think it’s better to join a company where you know people rather than one full of strangers? That’s the reason I’m here,” Karan explains in a smooth tone, while I know he joined B&T Corp only to be closer to Amyra.
“That’s amazing. I’m glad you’re here so that Amyra Di has a good friend in you,” Aditi says, unusually talkative today. There’s a glint of happiness in her eyes that I can’t comprehend.
“Well, I’m the fortunate one to have her as my friend,” he replies, sending Amyra a dreamy look. I roll my eyes in envy as I catch them locking eyes.
“Come on, Karan. You’re exaggerating,” Amyra laughs, swatting his arm playfully. How did I end up here, forced to witness this shit?
“Aren’t they so cute together?” Aditi suddenly whispers in my ear, and my voice escapes on instinct.
“What!” My shriek draws attention from those around us, and I turn to Aditi with a look of pure dislike. I can’t believe it. Even Aditi has started shipping them as a couple.
What the fuck?
“Can you keep your voice down?” she mumbles, tugging at my sleeve to pull me back to my senses, but it already feels like too much.
“What happened?” Amyra asks, concern flashing across her face, while I keep a poker face, unable to utter a word.
“Nothing, Di. Please continue,” Aditi says, gesturing for her to go on eating, while my body stiffens. Suddenly, the silence breaks with Karan’s harsh, gagging cough as he chokes on his food.
“Karan!” Amyra’s face turns panicked as she grabs the water bottle, pours a glass, and immediately hands it to him, her other hand rubbing his back in support.
The worry on her face for him leaves me breathless.
I hate watching her care for another man, someone who isn’t me.
It’s wrong, and maybe I’m insane for thinking this way, but the jealousy is uncontrollable, burning through me.
Karan finally steadies, his coughs dying down. He takes her hand in his palms and looks at her with a fond smile, murmuring a soft ‘thank you’. Amyra seems satisfied, smiling back as they return to their food.
At this point, even I can sense how easily they could become the perfect couple. And that thought scares me more than anything I’ve ever faced.
Lunch ends with me feeling lost, silent, and withdrawn as it’s time to head back to work. We walk toward the entrance, and I notice Amyra slowing her pace, moving closer to me.
My heart skips a beat, tight with sudden nervousness.
“What’s wrong, Rey? You were unusually silent today. Are you okay?” she asks, instantly reaching out to touch my forehead. I close my eyes as the warmth of her palm seeps in, calming my restless mind almost immediately.
“He complained of a headache in the morning, Di,” Aditi says. My eyes fly open at her voice. Amyra nods and retracts her hand, but I immediately catch it, interlocking our fingers tightly.
“I’m okay now. You don’t need to worry about me,” I say, keeping my gaze fixed on Amyra. She looks down at our joined hands and nods once, trying to pull away, but I’m not ready to let her go so soon. I’ve been craving her presence, yearning for her touch, and this feels like a much-needed moment.
“Take care, Rey,” she says, attempting once again to withdraw her hand, but I tighten my grip.
“Okay, Di. I’ll leave now. Bye, Karan,” Aditi says, stopping near the entrance. Karan waves back at her.
“Okay, Adi. Be safe.”
“Alright, Aditi. See you soon. Go safe,” I add hastily, eager to keep moving alongside Amyra.
“One minute, Reyansh.” She signals me to stop.
My fingers loosen instinctively, and I feel Amyra’s hand slip out of mine.
She gives me a long look before turning around and jogging to catch up with Karan.
They walk together, talking and smiling.
My heart feels heavy as the warmth leaves my hand, my eyes glued to it, unable to look away.
“I just wanted to say that my application got accepted to a university abroad.” I snap out of my thoughts, genuinely happy for her news.
“Congratulations, Aditi.”
“But I want to wait a few more months. It’s not one of my most desired universities.”
“That’s a good idea. You’ll have more options if you wait for some time.”
“Exactly, Reyansh. I’m just hoping for better days.”
“Don’t worry. You’ll be rewarded for your dedication and hard work,” I say, gently caressing her head with a smile. She suddenly hugs me, wrapping her arms around my waist.
“Thank you, Reyansh.” She rests her head against my chest, but I stand frozen, unable to return the gesture. There’s no rush of warmth, no excitement, nothing close to what I felt when Amyra touched my face.
This is wrong.
I’m supposed to feel something for Aditi. I’m fucking dating her, right?
“Also, don’t you think Amyra Di and Karan would make a good couple?” she says, stepping back with a bright smile. “Maybe Di sees him only as a friend, but she does care for him. And Karan, he literally has stars in his eyes for her.” Anxiety and despair coil inside me at her words.
The fear of losing Amyra is no longer an illusion. It’s real. It is near. I can feel it.
“Hope I can see the same in your eyes for me very soon,” she adds softly, a flicker of sadness crossing her smile. Guilt crashes into me, and I avoid her gaze, unable to offer my heart to her.
“Anyway, I’ll leave now. Bye,” she says, and then she’s gone, disappearing from my sight. I can’t fight my feelings anymore. I have to admit it. I’ve developed feelings for Amyra, my best friend. But when did this happen?
Because this isn’t a mere crush. It’s intense, consuming, and possessive enough to want her only for myself.
How did I manage to mess up my life without even realizing it?