Vows of Misfortune

44.

A/N: unedited.

***

I needed to stop him from leaving. A desperation clawed at my chest.

"We were getting to know each other, weren't we? I thought...I thought we were friends." He stared at me like he couldn't tell if I was messing around with him or not. He was about to continue walking away when something else blurted from my mouth.

"The only person I've ever been with in my entire life was Varun. I wanted to let you know that I have an answer to your question from a week ago." I swallowed. "I've moved on."

Romir hadn't left yet so that must mean I was doing something right. "I'm not in love with Varun anymore."

I wanted him to say something, anything, to confirm that he was relieved—a sign that maybe he liked me back.

But he just stood there, staring at me emptily.

"I'm going to call my uncle," he said instead, turning away as if that conversation had never happened. He was as stoic as he always was. The best thing to do was play along. Clearly this was a road to heartbreak.

Why do you always fall for the people that don't love you back?

There was no answer to that. "When?" I asked, trying not to look like I was about to break down and cry.

"Now."

Obviously because he didn't want to speak to me and sit in awkward silence. He dialled them up and I hesitantly made my over to him. We sat on the couch, a significant gap between us. I didn't feel like being energetic talking to Jose uncle this time. My heart was too heavy in my chest to do that.

"Hi, Jose uncle," I said with a small smile. "I've missed you."

"It's been so long. Where have you two been?"

"We should ask you that," said Romir. "You look like you're enjoying some fresh air."

"I am," he turned the camera around to show us the view from their front yard, "isn't it beautiful?"

While Romir spoke, I stared at him. At the way he fondly looked at Jose uncle and spoke to him like he was his whole world. I wished he would look at me like that. My chest tingled, and the back of my eyes throbbed. I sniffled, turning away.

"What's wrong, Arshia?" Jose uncle's face was zoomed in and I chuckled a little. "You look so down. That's unlike you."

Unlike me? Down was the only word to describe me nowadays.

"I'm just tired," I said before trying to distract him. "Have you spoken to Preethi?"

"Not since you both le—oh, actually, I did hear from her that...wait, first, have you two spoken to Pravin or Saanvi yet?"

Romir's forehead creased. "Why?"

Jose uncle licked his lips. "Apparently, Saanvi is pregnant."

Pregnant?! Romir and I, despite not being in a talking mood, glanced at each other out of instinct.

"Pregnant?"

"Who's the guy?" asked Romir, brows knitted in the middle.

"Pravin, who else?"

Woah.

I knew they had chemistry and probably even something more but I wasn't expecting it to turn out like this. I thought it was just an unreciprocated crush on Pravin's side, but apparently not. The expression on Romir's usually blank face told me he was thinking the same.