His heart twisted painfully. He cupped her cheek with his free hand, eyes wide with a flicker of panic.
"I'm so sorry," he rasped, his voice breaking. "Did I hurt you?"
Her lips curved into a faint, sorrowful smile that pierced him deeper than any...
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Author's POV :
Tina's lashes fluttered as she slowly lifted her head from the table, barely a few seconds after she'd drifted off. The warm blur of the room returned-dim lights, low music, and that ever-present din of muffled voices. She blinked, straightened in her seat, then glanced sideways.
Arnav was still there, in front of her sitting sipping drinks.
Leaning slightly back in his chair, silent, his glass untouched since she'd dozed off. His expression remained unreadable-stoic, watchful-but not unkind.
Tina ran a hand through her hair, pushing a strand behind her ear, and whispered with a small sigh, "What time is it?"
Arnav didn't check. "Late."
She nodded absently, fingers tapping once on the table. A soft pause stretched between them. Then she opened her mouth, as if to say something.
"I feel like Suman's...going too deep..she should-" she began, but stopped just as suddenly. Her brows twitched like she was debating her own words.
She blinked twice, shook her head lightly and gave a faint chuckle under her breath. "I... really need to use the washroom, excuse me.."
Arnav's gaze didn't move. He simply observed as she stood up with the grace of someone trying very hard not to look drunk. Her steps weren't wobbly, but they weren't exactly straight either.
He exhaled, barely audibly, and muttered to himself, "This isn't her..."
Not the way he knew her, at least. Calm, sharp-witted, calculated a little goofy maybe. Right now, she was none of those things. Just a strange, floaty version of herself that made him unsure whether to laugh or be concerned.
He leaned forward slightly, elbows on his knees, watching her disappear toward the hallway.
He thought about the words she nearly said.
Then stopped.
There was something there. Something she didn't say. Something she wasn't supposed to.
He didn't press. Not now.
Meanwhile
"What if I do feel?"
Suman's breath hitched. She wasn't sure if it was the alcohol in her veins or the sharp way his voice cut through the room, but something inside her froze.
Her back pressed against the cold bathroom wall, Yuvan standing too close, like always. But tonight... it wasn't teasing. It wasn't playful. It was raw.
