The silence stretched between them as Astha focused on the road. The city lights flickered past in a blur, but Arin’s thoughts remained fixed on the conversation. He had never expected to feel this angry—this protective—over someone else before.
Astha, of course, acted like it was nothing. Like the cruel words, the bets, the cheap remarks rolled off her like water on stone. But Arin had seen her—really seen her. He knew how much she gave to her work, how fiercely she loved her family, how much she shielded herself from unnecessary pain. She had built walls, not because she was cold, but because she had no interest in entertaining nonsense.
And yet, the fact that she simply expected this kind of behavior, that she had learned to brush it off, made his blood boil.
“You’re brooding,” Astha said suddenly, glancing at him. “Stop it.”
“I’m not brooding.”
“You are.” She smiled. “Should I get you a cape so you can complete the look?”
Arin exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. “This isn’t funny, Astha.”
Astha shrugged. “It’s not serious either.”
“It is serious,” he insisted. “You shouldn’t have to put up with this.”
Astha sighed, tightening her grip on the steering wheel. “Arin, listen to me. I learned a long time ago that people will always talk. They will always gossip, always assume, always judge. I could spend my entire life fighting it, or I could just live on my own terms and ignore the noise.”
Arin studied her, trying to understand how she could be so indifferent to something that filled him with frustration.
She glanced at him and smiled again. “Besides, you getting all worked up over this is quite amusing. Who knew Arin Verma had a temper?”
“I don’t,” he muttered, looking out of the window. “Not usually.”
Astha chuckled. “I must say, it’s quite entertaining to see Mr. Cool-and-Collected actually ruffled for once.”
Arin shook his head. “Glad you’re enjoying yourself.”
“Oh, I am.” She grinned, but then her tone softened. “Seriously, though. I appreciate what you did. But I don’t need a knight in shining armor, Verma.”
“I know.” His voice was quiet but firm. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll stand by and watch.”
Astha blinked, slightly taken aback.
They pulled into their apartment complex, and for a moment, neither of them moved. The tension between them had shifted into something quieter, something undeniably real.
Finally, Astha broke the silence. “Are you going to keep sulking about this?”
Arin scoffed. “I don’t sulk.”
“You do sulk.”
He sighed and shook his head. “Go inside, Mehra.”
She grinned. “Goodnight, angry young man.”
With that, she stepped out of the car, walking toward her building. Arin stayed seated for a moment longer, running a hand through his hair.
He had crossed a line tonight—not with her, but within himself.
And there was no going back.
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