Twin Inferno

8.Quite drive

Rudra's POV

It had been a few days since the incident with Ehaan and Siya in the office. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it—or her. There was something about Siya that stuck with me, and no matter how much I tried to shake it off, I couldn’t. The way she looked so fragile and unsure, standing up against someone like Ehaan. But it wasn’t just that—there was something else.

A softness. A quiet strength.

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to focus on the tasks ahead of me as I walked out of the office building, the late evening sky casting a golden glow over the streets. It had been a long day, and I was ready to head home and forget about work for a while.

As I reached the front entrance, I saw her—Siya. She was standing by the curb, nervously glancing at her phone, clearly waiting for a cab. I stopped in my tracks, watching her for a moment. She looked… uneasy. Her fingers fidgeted with the strap of her bag, her eyes scanning the street as if hoping for her ride to arrive any second.

I felt that tug in my chest again—the same one I’d felt the other day when I stood up for her. And I knew I couldn’t just walk away.

Without thinking too much about it, I stepped forward.

"Siya."

Her head snapped up, her eyes widening when she saw me. For a moment, she looked like a deer caught in headlights, her body stiffening slightly as if she wasn’t sure how to react. I couldn’t blame her—I probably had that effect on people.

"Rudra," she said quietly, almost like she hadn’t expected me to be there.

"Waiting for a cab?" I asked, my voice sounding more casual than I felt.

"Yeah," she nodded, glancing down at her phone again. "But it’s taking forever to get here."

I looked around the street—there were barely any cars passing by. It was one of those days where finding a cab was going to be a nightmare.

"I can give you a ride," I offered, watching her closely.

Her eyes widened even more, and for a moment, she hesitated. I could see the conflict playing out on her face—she didn’t trust me, not fully. And maybe she was right to be cautious. I wasn’t exactly the kind of guy people turned to for help. But I wasn’t going to force her, either.

"It’s fine," I added quickly, shrugging like it wasn’t a big deal. "If you’d rather wait, no pressure."

She glanced around, biting her lip, clearly torn. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she nodded slowly.

"Okay," she said, her voice soft. "If it’s not too much trouble."

"Not at all."

I gestured toward my car, and she followed me, still looking a bit uncertain. I couldn’t help but notice how small she looked next to me, like she was trying to shrink into herself to avoid being noticed.

Once we were both inside the car, I started the engine, the low hum filling the silence between us. I could feel her glancing at me from the corner of her eye, like she wasn’t sure what to make of me.

"So," I said after a few moments, trying to break the tension. "Where to?"

She rattled off the name of her apartment building, and I nodded, pulling out onto the road. The silence between us was awkward at first, but not unbearable. I wasn’t used to making small talk, and she didn’t seem like the kind of person who enjoyed it much either.

But there was something… calming about the quiet.

After a few minutes, I glanced over at her. She was staring out the window, her fingers still fidgeting with her bag strap. I could tell she was nervous—probably still trying to figure out why I was doing this.

"You don’t have to be scared of me, you know," I said, keeping my voice low but light.

Her head whipped toward me, her eyes wide again. "I’m not scared."

I raised an eyebrow, smirking a little. "You’re a terrible liar."

She bit her lip, looking away, and I could see the faint blush creeping up her cheeks. It was kind of… cute.

"I just don’t understand why you’re helping me," she muttered after a moment, her voice barely above a whisper.

I shrugged, keeping my eyes on the road. "Maybe I’m not as bad as you think."

She let out a soft snort, surprising me. "I didn’t say you were bad."

I glanced at her, my smirk growing. "But you were thinking it."

She didn’t deny it, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.

"Look," I said after a moment, "I don’t know why Ehaan has it out for you, but he’s a jerk. Don’t let him get under your skin."

She looked at me then, really looked at me, and for a second, I thought I saw something shift in her expression.

"Why do you care?" she asked softly, her voice tinged with genuine curiosity.

I paused, not really sure how to answer that. Why *did* I care? I barely knew her, and yet… there was something about her that made me want to protect her. Maybe it was the way she seemed so out of place in our world, so vulnerable yet trying to be strong.

"Maybe I just don’t like seeing people get hurt," I said, my tone more serious than I intended.

She stared at me for a moment, her eyes searching mine like she was trying to figure me out. I wasn’t sure what she saw, but her expression softened a little, and I felt something warm spread through my chest.

For the rest of the drive, the tension between us eased a little. She wasn’t as stiff, and I wasn’t trying so hard to fill the silence. It was… nice. Comfortable, even.

When we finally pulled up in front of her building, I parked the car and turned to her. She looked like she was about to say something, but then hesitated, her fingers playing with her bag strap again.

"Thanks," she said quietly, her voice sincere. "For the ride."

"No problem," I replied, leaning back in my seat.

She opened the door and stepped out, but before she could close it, I called out to her.

"Siya."

She paused, looking back at me, her eyes wide and curious.

"Next time, just ask," I said, smirking slightly. "No need to wait for a cab."

Her cheeks flushed again, and she nodded quickly before closing the door and hurrying toward the entrance of her building. I watched her disappear inside, a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

As I drove away, I couldn’t help but replay the moments we’d shared. The way she looked at me, the way her voice softened when she thanked me… I wasn’t sure what was happening, but I could feel it—the butterflies.

And for the first time in a long while, I didn’t mind them.