The Twisted Knots

25.

"Okay, that's enough," Yash intervenes, taking the glass of alcohol from my hand.

"No! Give it back!" I protest, but he takes a sip instead, making me pout. Yash smiles, stating, "You've had enough for today, Tara."

"No, I need more," I insist, yearning to drown the hurt and betrayal caused by Rajveer. How could he? I glance at him talking on his phone in the corner of the living room. As our eyes meet, he offers a warm smile.

He's smiling? I scoff at the gesture.

Yash takes my hand, diverting my attention. "You should stay here tonight, Tara," he suggests, aware that I'm not in a state to go home.

"Not here!" Yash exclaims as he spots Radha almost throwing up on his new sofa. He rushes to her aid and leads her to the bathroom, leaving me alone. The seat beside me is now occupied by none other than Rajveer.

"Hey," he greets. "Why do I feel like you've been avoiding me?"

I am avoiding you.

"I'm not," I reply, not meeting his gaze. Opening a new bottle of alcohol, I pour myself another glass.

"I don't think you should—" I gulp down the entire glass before he can finish. The burning sensation in my throat intensifies. My cheeks warm up. I'm aware that I've had enough, yet I can't seem to stop.

"Tara, are you okay?" he inquires, and that's when I turn to face him. His expression is filled with concern, and my anger momentarily fades before I regain my composure.

He's just playing games, acting all innocent, but behind that mask is an ugly person, I find myself staring at him a little too long, and his gaze shifts from my eyes to my lips.

Perhaps influenced by the alcohol or spurred by his words, I lay both my hands on his cheeks.

"You're warm," I observe, feeling the heat of his skin beneath my hands. A laugh escapes me, the reason unclear. It might be his expression, the way his eyes widen when my hands touch his face. Playfully, I squeeze his face, causing his lips to part slightly. Laughter continues to bubble out of me. His face resembles that of a duck, a surprised duck.

My laughter comes to an abrupt halt as I notice the intense gaze Rajveer directs at me, sending a shiver down my spine. Swiftly, I withdraw my hands from his face, placing them on my lap as I turn away. Clearing my throat, I proceed to reach for another glass of alcohol.

However, before I can grasp the glass, Rajveer seizes my hand with authority, declaring in a commanding tone, "That's enough!"

"You should go and rest now," he suggests, nodding towards the bedroom as he releases my hand.

"I won't," I declare, challenging him as I draw my face closer to his. Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass interrupts us. I glance up to see Yash standing near a table, a broken flower vase beside him. His gaze is fixed directly on me.

"Yash," I rise, hoping he didn't harm himself. "Are you okay?" I ask, holding his hand in one of mine. Checking for any wounds, I'm relieved to find none.

"You should be careful," I caution, meeting his eyes. He smiles, assuring me that he's fine.

"Are you okay?" Rajveer inquires, to which Yash nods.

"Yash, I think we should go," Naina suggests, supporting Radha who seems completely intoxicated.

"You all should stay here. It's quite late," I propose, checking the clock – it's past midnight. Naina glances at the time and agrees with a nod. I smile at her.

"We girls can sleep in one room, and boys in another," I suggest. I sense Yash's displeasure, his face falling, but I need this – maybe I can find information about Rajveer.

Everyone nods, and we start making our way towards our respective rooms.

Naina gently places Radha on the bed, removing her heels and pulling the sheets over her. She sighs, sitting next to her. I close the door and get straight to the point.

"Naina, how is Rajveer as a person?" I ask.

She looks at me, raising one eyebrow. "Why do you ask?" she questions. "Just curious. I want to get to know my brother-in-law better. I mean, I rarely know anything about him," I explain.

Naina chuckles and says, "That's Rajveer for you. He rarely speaks. I've never seen him smile, to be honest. He kind of scares me too."

I understand that Rajveer can come off as rude because he doesn't speak much.

"How are the relations between Rajveer and Yash?" I inquire.

"I don't really know," she responds. She continues, "But, for some reason, it feels like Rajveer is jealous of Yash."

This time, Riya interjects, asking,

"Why? You don't know?" Naina question, surprised.

"Know what?" I questions. Naina straightens herself and says, "You really don't know?" Her eyes widen in surprise as she adds, "Rajveer and Yash are not real brothers."