Love Rivals: The Day I Saw Your Tears

123. Not Every Man Is A Gentleman

After lunch, I decided to head over to the hospital to check on uncle’s condition. It had been on my mind, and I wanted to make sure everything was okay. I met up with aunty and Aditya there, exchanging some quick updates before I left them to spend more time with uncle.

By the time I got back home, it was already around eight in the evening. The house had a lively atmosphere, and I noticed Sarah, Nitya, and Aditi sitting together on the floor, fully engrossed in a game of Ludo. Their laughter echoed through the room, a rare moment of peace between them.

Without hesitation, I joined them, settling into the game. It felt oddly relaxing.

After dinner, Nitya glanced at me, her expression serious. “Ryan, we really need to finish the review tonight. The deadline is tomorrow, and we can’t afford to delay it any longer.”

I hesitated, stealing a quick look at Sarah, unsure of how to proceed. “Maybe we could work here instead? It’s going to take a while, and I don’t want to keep Sarah up all night...”

But before I could finish, Sarah responded with a calm voice, “Don’t worry about it. I can stay with Aditi tonight.”

Aditi, always quick to join in, added with a playful grin, “Yeah, no problem! We’re going to have a fun night—Sarah and I are getting along pretty well.”

I turned to Sarah, a hint of disappointment creeping into my voice despite myself. “You seem pretty comfortable with her all of a sudden.”

Aditi laughed and gave Sarah a friendly nudge. “Ryan, you wouldn’t believe the effort I’ve put into getting her to open up! But she’s great, honestly.”

Sarah gave a small smile, though her eyes didn’t meet mine. There was something unfamiliar about the way she seemed to be fitting in so easily with Aditi, a strange feeling stirring inside me.

I entered my room, and Sarah quietly followed me. I tossed my clothes onto the bed, but she spoke up, “I’ll borrow Aditi’s dress for tonight.” The casualness in her voice stung more than I expected.

She moved to the closet, retrieving her blanket, and paused at the doorway. Turning to me, she said, “I put the water bottle by the bed if you need it.”

I nodded absently. Then, wanting to hold her back a little longer, I asked, “How did you and Nitya become so close?”

She noticed the disappointment in my tone and her expression shifted slightly. “You two seem closer than I thought. I figured sharing a room wouldn’t bother you. It’s not your first time spending the night together, right?”

I took a deep breath, “You’re not entirely wrong. We’ve shared a room many times before, stayed up late talking. But the door was never locked, and she never walked out of my room after midnight.”

Sarah raised an eyebrow, a hint of skepticism in her voice as she shrugged. “Why are you telling me this?”

I locked eyes with her, wanting to make my point clear. “I thought you should know. Look, I know my limits. I can confidently share a room with any girl without crossing those lines. But I don’t trust everyone’s intentions. That’s why I was so furious during the trip.”

She paused, but instead of responding, she gave a slight nod, her expression unreadable. Then, without a word, she turned and walked out of the room. The door clicked shut behind her, amplifying the emptiness that lingered in the air.

The next day, we made our way back home. I was behind the wheel, my focus primarily on the road ahead. Nitya sat next to me, while Sarah opted for the back seat. The sun glared down, the air thick with anticipation as we navigated through the bustling streets.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a small child darted into the road. I reacted instinctively, slamming my foot on the brake, but it was too late. The car swerved uncontrollably, crashing into a house by the roadside.

The impact jolted us all, but thankfully, the house was vacant, and it appeared that no one was seriously hurt.

Nitya had a few scratches on her arms, but they didn’t seem serious. I turned to check on Sarah, and my heart sank with relief when I saw she was completely fine, though her expression was a mix of shock and concern.

Nitya took charge, quickly assessing the situation and insisting on driving me to the hospital. Once there, the doctors examined my arm, and the results revealed a crack in my right hand bone. I felt a wave of frustration wash over me; I didn’t want to be stuck in the hospital.

My dad arrived shortly after, and he looked concerned as he told me I would need to stay for a full-body scan, confirming that I’d have to be hospitalized for at least three days. Nitya, determined to look after me, insisted on staying by my side, while my dad made the decision to send Sarah back home.

As she walked out of the hospital, I felt a sense of unease wash over me.