Something, Nothing

CHAPTER 24

a/n: happy chinese new year to everyone who celebrates !! 🎉🎉

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CHAPTER 24 — HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY

"Vin," Aaryan suddenly calls me out.

"Huh," frankly I'm surprised he calls me.

I've been giving him a wide berth since this morning. Or maybe that's why he calls me.

Hesitatingly, I approach him, but he just hands me the tools and gestures at the rolling board, requesting me to help him. I don't say anything and immediately get to work. He guides me through the whole process and it takes us about twenty minutes to repair the car.

I can't get away from him fast enough after the work but he stops me with his low voice saying, "You saw me last night,"

It wasn't a question, so I don't reply and just remain silent.

He continues, "Aarnav told me this morning. I appreciate you not telling amma or appa,"

I just nod and then a moment later, "Do you drink often?"

He lets out a small chuckle and then shakes his head, "Just when I'm with friends,"

An unwarranted opportunity right there and I grab it, "So, were you with friends last night?"

He gives me a short glace, clearly surprised at the question, and clears his throat, before answering, "Not last night, no,"

I raise my eyebrows. I did ask the question but I wasn't actually expecting him to be honest. Will he be honest no matter what I ask him? Should I ask him what I actually wanted to ask him? Do I actually want to ask him that?

"Oh, okay," and then after a little thought, "I thought you weren't feeling well,"

"I'm not," another startling answer.

"But you still went out?" and I continue digging at least until my courage stands.

He nods, "It's not my body that was not feeling well, it was more my mind-," after a beat, he adds, "-and my heart,"

"Oh,"

Usually in an inquiry, the one who asks the questions remains poised and the one who answers who stammers, but here it's the other way around. Now, I can't help but think that maybe it's Shiv who was mistaken here. Maybe he saw someone else and not my brother.

I receive slap at the back of my head from Aaryan, "Whatever you're thinking, spill,"

Since he has been frank all this time, I decide to return the courtesy, no matter the consequences and take a deep breath before starting, "Shiv saw something the other night,"

I look up to see if he was listening. He was.

"And he told me about it. I was thinking maybe he saw something else and mistook it for something else,"

"What did he see?"

"Well..., he saw you actually,"

That gets him to pause his work and turn his full attention towards me.

I push through, not wanting to back off after coming so far, "He said that you were with another man,"

"Okay?"

"He said that he saw you... kissing him?"

He brings both his hands to his face and then drags them up and through his hair, exhaling loudly, "Fuck,"