YOU AND ME

Ayush

I’m supposed to be mad. She wrecked my car yesterday for God’s sake, but all I can think about is the way her lips trembled after she did it. The way she looked at me like she was daring me to stop her.

I can hear the fight from the living room as I make my way down the stairs. Kavya’s voice is sharp, cutting through the air like a knife. “You don’t belong here, Amina! You think just because Ayush feels sorry for you, you’ve got a place in this family?”

Amina’s not saying anything, but I know her. I can feel the storm brewing inside her, just waiting for the right push.

“I’ve known Ayush my whole life,” Kavya continues, her voice full of contempt. “You? You’re just a passing phase. Do you really think you’ll last? Do you really think he’ll love you the way he’s supposed to? Look at you. You’re not even worth it.”

I stop in my tracks. The tension in the room is suffocating, and I can feel the pressure mounting. My hand tightens on the railing, my jaw clenching. This is not going to end well.

Then it happens.

Amina’s silence breaks.

I see her out of the corner of my eye. She’s standing there, breathing heavily, her fingers trembling as they close around the delicate vase on the table. Her chest is heaving, eyes burning with a rage I haven’t seen in a long time. I’m about to call her name, to tell her to stop, but it’s too late. She lifts the vase high into the air, and it almost feels like time slows down.

“Say it again, Kavya,” Amina hisses, her voice low and deadly. “I dare you.”

Kavya, unfazed, looks at her with a smirk, as if this whole thing is a game. “You’re pathetic.”

Amina’s hand tightens around the vase, and for a moment, I see her snap. She lunges forward, the vase inches away from Kavya’s head, but before she can strike, Rohan steps in, grabbing Amina’s wrist just in time.

“Amina, stop!” Rohan shouts, yanking her back.

Amina freezes, her chest rising and falling rapidly, her hand still clutching the vase tightly. She’s still staring at Kavya, but her whole body is trembling. I know her well enough to know she’s trying to keep herself from breaking.

“Let go of me,” Amina whispers, but there’s a fire in her voice. “You have no idea how much I’ve held back.”

Rohan shakes her head and pulls the vase from Amina’s hand, pushing her away from Kavya. The room is thick with tension, and I can’t stand it anymore.

I cross the room, grabbing Amina by the arm and pulling her toward me. She’s shaking, her breath coming out in ragged gasps, and I know she’s trying to keep it together. I pull her into my arms, wrapping her in a tight hug. She resists for a second, but then she collapses against me, her head buried in my chest.

“Shh… calm down,” I murmur, stroking her hair gently. I can feel her heart pounding against mine, and it’s taking everything in me to hold it together. “Just breathe, Amina. I’m here.”

Her hands are trembling, gripping my shirt like she’s afraid to let go. I keep stroking her hair, trying to calm her down, but the truth is, I’m struggling too. I don’t know how to keep her at a distance. Every time I tell myself I need to stay away, something like this happens, and I’m right back where I started—wrapped around her, trying to protect her from everything

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I stand in my mom’s room, the air thick with tension as she and Kavya confront me. The weight of their accusations presses down like a heavy fog. My heart races, a mix of anger and confusion surging within me.