Love Rivals: The Day I Saw Your Tears

8. Can't Run Forever

Ryan shot her a sharp glance, moving toward her as he whispered, “They’re my guests. Please, don’t make a scene here. Just stay out of it. I really don’t want any scene.”

My dad, ever the curious one, chimed in, "Is she your friend?"

Ryan turned, offering a tight smile. “Yes, Uncle. This is Nitya. We studied together in medical school. Our dads are good friends too.”

Dad nodded, clearly impressed. “If Sarah had cleared NEET, she’d be working in a place like this too, alongside you kids.”

Nitya’s lips curled into a smirk, her condescending laugh making my skin crawl. “I get it, Uncle. Not everyone’s cut out for it,” she said in a tone dripping with false sweetness.

My eyes narrowed. “Just like painting isn’t for everyone, right?” I shot back. I glanced at Ryan, silently begging him to back me up.

Instead, he turned to me, smiling. “But Sarah, Nitya’s actually pretty good at drawing.”

My heart sank in embarrassment, but I wasn’t about to give up. “But she’s not good at everything,” I snapped, my voice tight with frustration.

Ryan chuckled lightly, “Well, she’s good at a lot of things.”

That was it. I felt a flush of anger shoot through me. “But she’s really bad at picking her words,” I shot back, glaring at Nitya, who finally seemed to register the sting in my voice.

Before leaving, I turned back, trying to keep my tone as neutral as possible, “I know every doctor can check blood pressure. We all learned how to use a sphygmomanometer in our first semester practicals. I just didn’t want to bother you.”

I could feel Ryan’s eyes on me as I left the room, but I didn't look back. As soon as I stepped into the hallway, I heard his footsteps behind me. “Sarah, wait," he called, catching up quickly. “By the way, about that day in the hallway… Nitya could have handled it better. She didn’t have to drag the matter out like that.”

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For two blissful days, I lived without the gnawing anxiety that had been haunting me lately. It felt like a glimpse of my old life -- the carefree version of me before everything got so complicated. But, as always, the peace was short-lived. My heart sank the moment I saw some of my old schoolmates stroll into the café.

What now? I thought, gripping the edge of the counter. I had managed to avoid Ryan these past couple of days, barely scraping by without another awkward encounter. So why were they here again? What was drawing them back into my life, one by one, like some unshakable shadow from the past?

I tried to busy myself, but my hands felt clumsy as I wiped down the counter. All I wanted was to keep my distance, to avoid that uneasy mix of guilt, memories, and the strange tension that now colored every interaction.

I glanced at the door, debating if I should just slip out the back and avoid this completely. But I knew I couldn’t run forever.

I put on my best smile and approached Rima, giving her a quick hug to hide how much I really just wanted to retreat. "Hey, Rima! So good to see you!" I said, trying to sound upbeat, as if this was a casual run-in and not some nerve-wracking encounter from my past.

"Sorry if we’re causing any inconvenience," Rima said apologetically, her eyes darting around the café.

I waved it off, plastering on my customer-service smile. "You guys are welcomed anytime!" I said, feeling a bit robotic. As much as I wanted to avoid this, I had to play along. No need to let them know they were rattling me.

Ryan, of course, jumped on the opportunity. "Did you hear that?" he teased, smirking. "We’re welcomed here anytime. I’ll hold you to that, Sarah."

I forced a small laugh. "Sure, sure," I replied, maintaining my composure. "Just make sure you order today’s special. Amreesh is working on a dessert that’ll knock your socks off."

"Sounds good," Ryan said, still watching me with that sharp gaze of his. I didn’t need to guess -- he probably noticed the tension I was trying to hide. "We’ll take a seat. You’ve got this, right?"

"Of course," I said with a nod. "You guys sit comfortably. I’ll bring out your dishes soon."

I quickly turned and made my way to the counter, exhaling deeply. This was going to be a long day.