Twin Inferno

43.care

Ehaan's POV:

No matter how hard I tried to be cold, to push Siya away, she somehow always managed to break through. Even after I brushed her off, she still brought me dinner with such gentleness and patience, as if nothing I did could make her care any less. I’d barely eaten all day, and now, as I took each bite, I felt a strange warmth settle in. The taste of home-cooked food... or maybe just the knowledge that she’d done this for me, made something I’d long buried stir within.

I didn’t want to feel this. I didn’t want to get comfortable, to crave it, to let my weaknesses show. Needing people was dangerous. I had to remind myself of that.

So, I decided to go for the midnight car race—a place where I could lose myself in the thrill and escape from the growing attachment that I wasn’t ready to face. As I made my way out of the office, I saw Siya coming toward me, her steps quickening as she reached me.

“Can we go together? I can’t find a cab to go home,” she said softly, her eyes hopeful.

I glanced down at my phone. “I’ll call a driver from home to take you,” I replied, dialing the number.

“It’s their leave day,” she reminded me, her voice gentle. “We always give the workers a full leave on the 16th of every month.”

I clenched my jaw, knowing she was right. I couldn’t say no, but the idea of her being near me during the race, seeing that side of me, made my guard rise even higher. “I’m going to a car race,” I said, trying to hint that it wasn’t a place for her.

To my surprise, she responded almost in a whisper, “I’ll come with you.”

“Up to you,” I muttered, knowing she wouldn’t back down.

The race was packed with rowdy onlookers, engines roaring, and the intense smell of gasoline hanging in the air. Siya held onto my arm as we made our way to the starting line, her grip tightening whenever someone bumped into us. The race started, and I was all in—speeding past everyone, the thrill filling every inch of my mind. But just when I thought I had the race, one of the guys swerved and cut me off, clearly trying to cheat. The rage boiled up instantly. I wasn’t going to let him get away with this.

As soon as I got out of the car, I marched over to him, fists clenched. “What the hell was that?” I shouted, and before he could answer, my anger exploded. One hit. Then another. I barely noticed the blood on my knuckles or his yells. I was too lost in the fury. But then, out of nowhere, his friend attacked me from behind. Pain shot through my back, sharp and burning, but I fought him off, too, each blow blurring the line between pain and adrenaline.

In the midst of it, I caught a glimpse of Siya, her face pale with fear, her hands trembling as she watched. The sight of her scared expression flickered in my mind, but I couldn’t stop. Not until they were both down. Not until the anger in me was spent.

And then... darkness.

When I opened my eyes, a dull ache throbbed in my back, and the sterile scent of antiseptics filled the room. The soft sound of sobbing pulled me out of the haze, and I turned my head to see Siya sitting beside me, her face streaked with tears.

She noticed I was awake and quickly wiped her tears, but her eyes remained wet. “Ehaan... why did you do that? You could’ve been killed,” she whispered, her voice breaking.

The doctor entered, explaining the injuries. “The blow to his back could have been worse. He needs to be careful for the next few days,” he warned before leaving us alone again.

Siya’s tears fell again, and the sight of her like this... I didn’t know how to process it. No one had ever shown this level of care for me. I’d always kept people at a distance, but here was Siya, breaking down because I’d gotten hurt. She clung to my hand, her fingers trembling against mine, and I felt an overwhelming urge to ease her pain.

“Hey,” I murmured, giving her hand a light squeeze. “Why are you crying? I’m not that easy to get rid of, you know.”

She sniffed, a small smile breaking through her tears, but her worry remained. “You scared me. I thought... I thought you weren’t going to wake up.”

I chuckled softly, trying to lighten the mood. “Come on, it takes more than that to knock me down. I’m invincible, remember?”

She let out a shaky laugh, wiping her tears. “You’re definitely not invincible,” she muttered, giving me a half-hearted scolding look.

“Okay, fine. But look at me. I’m here, and I’m starving,” I teased, hoping to see a real smile on her face.

She sniffled, the corner of her lips twitching up. “I’ll get you something to eat,” she said, relief softening her expression.

As she moved to stand, I tightened my grip on her hand. “Siya... thank you,” I said quietly, my voice filled with the sincerity I usually kept hidden. “For being here.”

She looked at me, her eyes searching mine for a moment, and nodded, her expression softening. The warmth of her hand in mine felt like a lifeline, grounding me in a way I didn’t expect. As she went to get me food, I realized that maybe, just maybe, letting her in wasn’t as terrifying as I’d thought.