"Bonds beyond blood"(on Hold)

chapter 22: kiss

Hey my silent readers tell me how's chapter after reading it

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The morning sunlight streamed into the dining room as everyone gathered around the breakfast table. Dadaji, Dadi, Aarti, Reyansh, Aditya, and Adwait were already seated, waiting for Anaya to join them. The table was set, the aroma of freshly cooked parathas and chai filling the room. Everyone appeared to be in a relaxed mood—except Adwait, whose expression was cold and distant, as always.

Finally, Anaya walked in, slightly hurried but composed. She scanned the table, noticing the two empty seats—one beside Reyansh and one beside Adwait. Her eyes flickered momentarily toward Adwait but then, without hesitation, she moved to sit next to Reyansh. Anaya quietly slid into the seat beside Reyansh, trying to ignore Adwait’s icy gaze. Reyansh’s smirk widened as he noticed Adwait’s clenched jaw. He was always quick to pick up on these small details and loved making the situation worse.

Leaning back in his chair with a smug grin, Reyansh threw a glance at Adwait and then turned to Anaya. “Ah, Anaya, you always pick the best seat, huh? Smart move sitting next to me. Safer territory, after all,” he teased, nudging her lightly.

Anaya forced a small smile, trying to brush off the tension in the room. “I just didn’t want to sit in the middle of the chaos,” she said, half-jokingly, though it was clear she was trying to avoid the brewing storm between Reyansh and Adwait.

Adwait didn’t say a word, but his knuckles whitened as he gripped his fork, the tension in his shoulders growing by the second. He didn’t like Reyansh’s constant interference when it came to Anaya.

Adwait’s face darkened, his eyes narrowing. He clenched his fists tightly under the table, trying to suppress the surge of irritation that coursed through him as Anaya settled beside Reyansh. He stabbed his fork into his food, chewing quietly but with a tight jaw. The tension in his shoulders was visible, though no one seemed to notice—except Reyansh, who was clearly enjoying himself.

The breakfast continued in peaceful silence, with only the sound of clinking utensils until Reyansh, ever the joker, decided to lighten the mood. He leaned back in his chair and grinned.

“Why don’t eggs tell jokes?” Reyansh asked, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

Everyone looked up, confused. Reyansh paused for dramatic effect before delivering the punchline, “Because they might crack up!”

Dadaji chuckled a little, but Aditya groaned loudly. “Reyansh,” he said, rolling his eyes, “if you can’t crack a decent joke, then please, for the love of God, shut your mouth!”

Reyansh grinned, unaffected, while the others snickered. But before anyone could respond, the familiar bickering between Aditya and Anaya began.

“Aditya, you think you’re so funny?” Anaya shot back. “At least Reyansh tries to make us laugh, unlike your sour face!”

Aditya arched an eyebrow, giving her a challenging look. “Oh, please. You want to talk about faces, Anaya? Yours looks like it needs a good night’s sleep!”

The banter between the two escalated, filling the usually quiet breakfast table with laughter. Reyansh egged them on, while Dadi and Aarti watched with fond smiles. Even Dadaji cracked a smile, enjoying the lively atmosphere. But through it all, Adwait remained silent, his eyes glued to his plate, his expression unchanged.

After a few minutes of back-and-forth, Anaya leaned over to Aditya and said, “Hey, Aditya, can you drop me off at college today? My car’s broken.”