YOU AND ME

Ayush

I’m dragged into my mother’s room by her and Kavya, my head spinning from everything going wrong. The door shuts behind me, and I know what’s coming.

“Why did you let her stay in the house, huh?” Mom snaps, her voice filled with a venom I haven't heard in a while. “Didn’t we agree we wouldn’t let her stay here?”

I take a deep breath, trying to keep my composure. “We did everything to keep her out,” I respond slowly. “I guess she’s here for another reason... but it’s not good. Trust me, I even pretended to sleep with Kavya just so she wouldn’t return. But she’s still here.”

Mom paces, her face twisted with anger and worry. “What if she softens you, Ayush?” she asks, almost desperate now.

I scoff. “I hate her to the point of a coma, Mom. Nothing, and I mean nothing, she does will ever soften me. I’ll never forgive her. Never.”

Kavya stays quiet, looking away, and I know she’s just a pawn in all this. It doesn’t matter though. All that matters is keeping up the charade until Amina leaves for good.

“Let’s just keep up the pretense between Kavya and me,” I add. “Everything will be fine.”

That night, I walk into the room, and Amina’s already there, unpacking her stuff like she owns the place. She barely glances at me.

“You’re not sleeping in this room anymore. Get out,” I demand, my voice cold and sharp.

She pauses, smirking. “You must be ridiculous. If you want to leave, be my guest. But I’m staying right here.”

“It’s my room,” I snap, stepping closer.

She turns, standing her ground, her gaze challenging mine. “Take a look around, Ayush. My pictures are all over the place. Seems like it’s more my room than yours.”

Without thinking, I grab one of her framed photos and fling it to the ground. The glass shatters, and the room feels heavy with the tension. “I don’t want any trace of you in this room. Get out.”

Amina’s face tightens, but she doesn’t back down. “Make me. I’m not leaving this room or this house.”

I stare at her, fuming. This woman... she’s impossible. “Fine. Then the bed gets divided.”

She grabs a curtain, swiftly draping it in the middle of the bed. “You stay on your side, I’ll stay on mine.”

When I wake up, my body feels warmer than usual. It takes me a second to realize why.

Amina is in my arms. Her head rests against my chest, and my hand is on her waist. For a brief second, there’s an odd peace. Then, like a shockwave, we both jolt awake at the same time.

We scream, both rolling off opposite sides of the bed, hitting the floor.

“What the hell?!” I shout, glaring at her.

“You did this on purpose!” she accuses, her eyes wide with rage.

“The way you hate me, I hate you more!” I fire back. “I wouldn’t want to touch you if my life depended on it!”

Her eyes narrow, and we stand there, glaring at each other, neither of us willing to back down. The hatred between us is thick, suffocating. We don’t even try to pretend otherwise.

The next few days are filled with nothing but arguments. Every word we exchange is barbed, every glance filled with disdain. We can’t stand to be near each other.

One morning, I hear her coming down the stairs, and I look up. Amina is wearing this... off-the-shoulder dress, carrying a designer bag, her chin held high like she’s some kind of queen.

I clench my fists. Look at her. Look at her confidence. It’s infuriating.

I step into her path, my blood boiling. “Look at you, all decked up. After everything that’s happened, you’re dressing up like this? After grandma, instead of mourning her?”

She stops, her eyes flashing with fury. “You have no right to tell me what I can or can’t wear, Ayush. None.”

Before I can retort, she sways on her feet. Her eyes flutter, and suddenly, she collapses. My heart stops.

“Amina!” I forget the anger, the hatred, everything. I scoop her up, panic coursing through me. “Rohan! Call the doctor! Now!”

I carry her to her room, laying her down gently, fear tightening my chest. Rohan rushes in moments later, the phone pressed to his ear.

“The doctor’s on the way,” he says breathlessly.

When the doctor arrives and examines her, he looks concerned. “It seems she hasn’t eaten in days.”

I nod, already knowing the answer. “Yeah. When she’s upset, she doesn’t eat. It’s a habit.”

Raj speaks up, quietly. “You still care about her, Ayush. Why are you doing this? Just talk to her. You can sort this out.”

I turn on him, my voice low and dangerous. “Don’t cross your limits, Raj. Don’t.”

As soon as the doctor finishes and leaves, I stand by the door. “When she wakes up, take care of her. I’m going. And don’t tell her I was here.”

I leave without looking back. But no matter how much I try to convince myself otherwise, there’s something about her that won’t let me go. The hate... it’s burning, but there's something more beneath it.