Marrying my Opposite

37- Fake Act

Raghav's POV:

My heart thudded in my chest as I went to pick Tanya. Fortunately Tanya had turned her face away. Even if she did it for herself, it gave me some breathing space. With the rate, my heart was beating, it would have been a disaster if I saw her looking at me closely. In that case, it would have been my turn to slip and fall from the staircase.

I prayed that I wasn't hurting her because of my tight grip. But I feared that if I loosened the grip, then she would fall out of my hands.

Placing her gently on the bed, I let out a relieved sigh. However, Tanya still had her eyes closed.

I waited for her to get rid of the uncomfortableness but she didn't open her eyes until she heard Trisha entering our room.

"I brought the ice pack", Trisha announced, before sitting beside Tanya.

I stood near the bed silently as Trisha massaged Tanya's swollen ankle. Just two minutes had passed when Rishi came.

"Trisha, Samar was asking for you. He spoke something along the lines of picking his brother....", Rishi trailed off.

"Oh yeah!" Trisha face palmed.

"Sorry Tanya, we need to pick up Samar's brother and his wife from the airport. Samar's parents are out of town and Samar cannot drive. So, I need to go", Trisha apologized, looking guilty.

Tanya clasped Trisha's hand with a reassuring smile, although it looked like she was in lot of pain. "Don't worry about me and go safely. I am fine".

"Sorry", Trisha apologized once again before standing up.

She handed me the ice pack and instructed, "Apply the ice pack gently. Wait till the morning. If the swelling doesn't go down, then consult the doctor immediately".

"Okay", I nodded. "Go safely", I said, before bidding bye.

"I will see them off", Rishi said, indicating about Trisha and Samar. "Call me if you two need anything. Take care Tanya", saying this, he too left, closing the door behind him.

Tanya looked here and there, not meeting my eyes. I knew talking about what happened and what was going to happen would increase the awkwardness. So I didn't say anything and just sat down on the bed, placing the ice pack on her ankle.

Tanya flinched and looked at me with wide scared eyes as soon as my hand touched her leg.

"I...I can do it myself", she stuttered nervously.

I looked at her softly, trying to not scare her more than she already was. "It would have been possible if you could freely move your leg. But as your veins got pulled during the fall, you won't be able to ice the area yourself without hurting other part of your leg".

"Dammit!" She grunted, closing her eyes for a second in frustration.

"If it is too uncomfortable, then I can call Mom for help", I suggested, not being able to see her in this condition any more.

She contemplated before letting out a resigned sigh. "No, let it be. If Mom comes to know that we are still uncomfortable even after a month of marriage then she would overthink about all this and get sad.

"You too, please don't misunderstand. I do trust you but all these feels too soon".

I blinked my eyes, assuring her that I understood her dilemma. Giving her few seconds to gather herself, I then started applying the ice pack again.

Tanya shivered and I knew that it wasn't because of the ice. To divert her attention from this uncomfortable situation, I started bickering with her. It was something we both excelled at.

"I always knew that you were clumsy but seriously, who hurts themselves like this. You should have watched your steps. Such a careless girl", I tutted at her.

Just as I had thought, Tanya forgot about everything and picked up a fight.

'I am a genius', I raised my collars mentally.

"Excuse me?" She shouted, looking appalled.

"Don't you dare put this upon me? All these—", she gestured towards her ankle, "—wouldn't have happened if you had stopped the teasing. Do you have any idea, how embarrassed I felt because of Rishi's suggestive comments?" Tanya huffed angrily.

"He was teasing both of us. Then why the hell it would be my sole responsibility to shut him up. You could have also done something", I counter attacked.

"I tried, okay?" She showed me her palm in indignation.

"I tried giving an excuse but you— you just stood there silently like a spectator", she accused.

"I couldn't think of one. Is it such a big of crime?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"You didn't even need any words. Your famous glare would have been enough", Tanya muttered, making a face at me.

"Famous glare?" I questioned with amusement.

"Of course. Even as a child you used to glare at everyone. That's how we set you and Rishi apart. Smiling one was Rishi and the one looking like a  grumpy old man was Raghav".

I chuckled at her descriptions even though she was making fun of me.

"Why aren't you retorting? Don't say, you gave up on the argument so early?" She asked with wide eyes like it was an eighth wonder of the world.

"There wasn't any need to continue. The ice melted", I answered, while showing her the now melted ice pack.

Her eyes moved between the ice pack in my hand and her ankle with shock. It didn't take much time for her to realize that all this banter was to divert her mind.

"Thank you", she whispered with gratitude.

I smiled softly at her, before adjusting her injured leg on the pillow.