Somewhere Only We Go (Editing)

Chapter 17

Kabir

When Rishabh said everyone would be shocked he wasn't exaggerating at all. One of them choked on his drink and Daisy, the one who had a bet going on with Rishabh stared at us for 5 mins like he could see right through our setup. But real or fake, I am going to prove to them that Avi is not a bad person. He is closed off, and I don't blame him even though I don't know the whole story but I can bet my life on the fact that he cares. He has cared more about me than anyone has ever done. Within no time he had made space in my heart that no one can ever fill.

Reality check: It's fake.

With all due respect, fuck you.

Eh, I am you.

Well done fuck me.

Tell that to your boyfriend and he probably will.

Shut up.

"Want some?"

Rishabh puts a plate full of French fries in front of my face, what's with these brothers always doing this, like they are ready to shove it down my throat if I say no? When we were coming here to join the party, Avi told me to not eat much while we were here, and when I asked why he said it was a surprise. So I shake my head.

Rishabh shrugs. "Mind if I sit here?"

"No, please sit down." He grabs a chair from the other table and sits down putting the plate and the beer he had in his hand on the table. His eyes are a little glassy, so I think he is drunk. I look around for Avi and he is still on his phone, he has been on it the whole time. In the beginning, I thought he was just doing it to avoid the looks we were getting. Rishabh follows my eyes and chuckles.

"Relax, knowing him he is probably talking to his assistant."

That does not make me feel better because I don't like the woman very much. Rishabh probably sees it on my face. "Please don't tell me you are jealous of someone Avinash would never even look at in that way."

What's that supposed to mean? He doesn't date people he works with, I mean sure even just having a fling with your assistant is not something that can be seen in a good way so maybe that makes sense.

"...when he isn't even interested in women." I catch the last part of his sentence. He isn't? Rishabh is looking at me amused. Shit, did I know this, did we ever talk about sexuality? I don't know why I just assumed he was interested in women, which isn't like me. I don't assume anything about anyone's sexuality but for some reason, it didn't occur to me that Avi being there at the gay bar was not just him walking in the closest bar he could find.

"Anyways I would never do this sober and I am only drunk enough to say this in a way that makes sense and remember it in the morning so you don't have to worry about how much I mean it."

I frown.

"Thank you." I opened my mouth to ask why is he thanking me but he continued. "Avinash had a tough childhood. You know about Ishan, right?" I nod. "Even before Ishan passed away, Avinash was a silent kid, closed off, never talking to anyone. He was the complete opposite of Ishan. While Ishan knew how to be the center point of any conversation he was a part of, life of a party even before he became this rising star. Avinash was always in his shadow and he was okay with it. I think that's why it was going to be difficult for him either way and it wasn't fair. When he tried to be himself, his parents didn't see him, and trying to fill the void Ishan left was exhausting for him. You know a year after he died, they forgot Avi's birthday. I thought about surprising him since he was turning 18 and I don't know I thought even though I can't be Ishan maybe I can still be a brother to him." Rishabh stops and takes another swig of his beer. God, even I need a drink now.