Unconditional Love

6. Defiance

"Why didn't you take a cab? Were you planning to walk this far?" Virat asked Rohit, looking at him through the mirror.

Rohit didn't say anything and looked down, which meant yes. Virat just shook his head at him.

"It helps me clear my mind," Rohit said in a low voice.

Before Virat could say anything, he noticed Aman asleep, curled up on the seat. Virat saw the signal was red and removed his jacket to cover Aman.

Virat could not do it with one hand, and the signal had turned green. Rohit moved forward, took the jacket from his hand, and covered Aman with it, who just snuggled more into the seat, sleeping peacefully.

"Thanks," Virat replied, and he drove in silence.

After 20 minutes, they reached Rohit's apartment. Virat turned and saw Rohit was also asleep by the time they reached his apartment.

"Sleepyheads," Virat murmured, seeing both of them sleeping peacefully.

Virat opened the door of the car and shook him lightly, to which he woke up—not fully.

"Rohit, we reached your apartment," he said.

Rohit nodded, getting out of the car. He stumbled, but Virat stabilized him.

Virat patted his cheeks. "Wake up, Rohit."

"Sir?" Rohit asked and then realized that they had reached. Virat removed his hand from his arm and shoulder.

"Good night," Rohit said and went to his apartment. Virat waited near the car until Rohit opened the door and got in safely. Once he had, Virat drove off to his apartment.

"Kiddo, wake up. We reached," Virat said, caressing his hair, to which Aman leaned into. Virat had no option but to support him as they walked to the apartment.

Virat made him sleep in the guest room, removed his shoes, and covered him with the comforter. He caressed his hair only to hear, "Good night, Bhai," Aman mumbled in his sleep, snuggling into the comforter.

"Good night, bacha," Virat said softly, closing the door and turning off the light.

Virat took a shower, changed, and sat on the living room sofa with a glass of whiskey. He knew he had to stop these habits, at least for Aman, but he just couldn't. He dozed off on the couch.

The next morning, when Virat entered his cabin, he noticed Rohit already present there and working.

"When did he even arrive?" he thought, as no one else was in the office yet except him. Aman would come later.

"Good morning, Sir," Rohit greeted him, standing up.

Virat just sat on his chair. "I am not a teacher, Rohit. You don't need to stand up," he said, to which Rohit replied, "Okay."

"And good morning to you too. Have you got time to go through the content I mailed you yesterday?" Virat asked, checking his day.

"I am looking into the same, Sir. It would require half an hour more to research," Rohit answered, to which Virat acknowledged.

It was after lunch when Virat was talking to someone on the phone, and he heard yelling in his cabin. He kept the phone in his pocket and stood near the door to listen to what was going on.

"You are really selfish, you know that, Rohit? Others may have forgiven you or maybe apologized to you, but I will never. You pretended to help me, and then, being a rat you are, you snitched about me to the boss. And I see you are getting the reward—a new desk, working in his cabin, getting close to him. You must have slept your way through this, right? No wonder he is favoring you in mere six months. You are nothing but a piece of shit and the son of a—"

A loud cracking noise echoed through the cabin, followed by a shout, "ENOUGH."

It was Virat, who had smashed a glass in anger and stormed toward the person.

"Who gave you the right to say these filthy things to him? Do you even know how hard he has worked to earn my trust? And on top of that, he was also doing your work, which you are so incapable of, Ms. Nothing. You are a girl; that's why I am keeping a decency not to raise my hand on you, but you have just one minute to leave this premise, or I am going to press mental harassment charges against you," Virat yelled, and she ran out of the cabin.

Virat curled his fist in anger and turned toward Rohit.

"You? What the hell is wrong with you? Can't you stand up for yourself and answer back to her when she was badmouthing you?" he yelled.

"You should—" Before Virat could say more, he noticed Rohit in a daze, gripping the table, trying to stabilize himself. Trusting his instinct, as he knew Rohit was going to lose consciousness, he rushed to him before he could fall and made him sit on the chair.

"Rohit," he called, patting his cheeks, but Rohit didn't wake up. He sprinkled some water, which worked.

Virat made him stand and then took him to lie on the couch comfortably. He thought to let him rest for a while. He felt a hold on his wrist, and it was Rohit.

"I am sorry. Please don't be angry," Rohit whispered with half-open eyes.

Virat would lie if that had not melted him a bit.

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