Let's Fall Together

34. I'm Home

Rivaah's POV

The silence was loud.

None of us spoke a word after the call was cut. I was as worried as I was scared. Arth was missing and there was nothing much we could do.

"Don't worry Kartik. Arth will be fine. We'll find him-"

"No."

Huh?

I looked at him, not quite understanding what he meant by that.

"What?" I asked, waiting for an explanation.

"You'll not come with me. I'll find Arth by myself." He was looking out of the window as he said that, voice stoic, leaving no room for argument. I didn't understand what his problem was.

"But Kartik-"

"I said no, Rivaah."

What is his problem?

"Why are you acting like this? We can go search for him at his school, I'm sure he'll be right there. And we can also-"

"This is a family matter, it's better if you stay out of it." He said those words so abruptly I had to turn my head to look at him. Did he just say that?

Seriously?

Was he going down that lane again?

The hell was this guy's problem?

"Kartik, finding Arth is more important here. I'm worried for him." I tried to stay calm, despite my hands fisting tightly.

If only I could punch him right now.

"And I'll find him-" he began but I interrupted him.

"Great, we should first search in his school. Maybe he took a nap and stayed there-"

"But before that, I'm dropping you home."

"Why the hell are you so persistent on me not coming with you? What is your problem? I'm not asking for a part in your property for god's sake."

"I don't have any problem with you."

But I do.

"Then why, tell me, are you making such a big fuss about this? I just want to....help, you know."

He sighed, his coffee brown eyes staring into mine.

"Just..just listen to me."

And before I could say anything, he said again, more firmly this time.

"Leave."

It wasn't a request. It was a verdict.

An order.

I didn't speak a word.

It was like a bucket of icy cold water was dropped on me.

Leave?

What did he mean?

When he didn't get a response from me, his lowered eyes met mine with a resolution. "I'm dropping you home, I'll look for Arth after that."

I had all intentions of getting out of his damn car and asking him to go to hell.

But I couldn't.

I merely sat there in silence.

And for the first time in a while, I wasn't just physically quiet. My thoughts, it seemed, had gone quiet too.

The drive back to his house was quiet. Deathly quiet.