Kyra

Sometimes I wonder whether being too nice would ever be a bad thing. Or giving too much love to someone would be a good thing. Turns out it will only always bring you trouble.

My vision blurred staring at my phone screen, my heart felt like it would never feel whole again. My eyes scan the paragraph again, and again, and a third time, only to find the same words written there.

"Tanmay Singh and Yashita Choudary finally make a public announcement of their 4-month ongoing relationship. What does this business couple have to say?"

Four months. He cheated. I felt all the love I had for him draining out my eyes. The tears flowed and flowed, I could feel the sting of pain realizing why he had actually broken up. Not because he didn't have enough time, but because his time was for someone else.

A loud sob left my lip, it hurt so badly. I could physically feel my heart breaking, it meant nothing for him, but it meant more than the world for me. How was it in any way fair? Why is it that the sweetest souls have to be the most tainted?

"Kyra?"

I take a deep breath calming down my sobs when I hear Shivyansh's voice near me. Great, besides anyone else in the whole universe god decided to land this idiot next to me while I was in my vulnerable state.

I nod my head softly, mumbling 'I'm fine' before my eyes go back to my phone screen. I feel another heartbreak coming as I stare at the words. You gave me your word that I didn't have to worry about someone, but you just ended up breaking my heart completely Tanmay. How could you be so reckless?

"Kyra, what happened?" Surprisingly Shivyansh's voice came out concerned and heavy.

I glance at him, looking at his pulled eyebrows and parted lips. He was worried. Shivyansh was worried. Shivyansh was worried about me. My brain laughed mentally hearing my thoughts. Say that to someone else and they would rather believe that fishes can walk.

"I'm fine. Leave me alone." I swat my hand at him shooing him away from my room. I wouldn't dare to cry in front of this man if it meant it'd be a joke by tomorrow morning.

A gasp leaves my lips as I feel my phone slipping from my hands and landing in his. My outstretched hand tries to reach for him but he moves to the corner of the room, staring at my phone screen as he reads what I had a few minutes back.

His concerned face morphs into a serious one as he moves towards me, keeping my phone back on my desk.

I look away from his judging gaze, suddenly feeling conscious of myself. Why does god land me into such awkwardly weird situations?

"I knew your life choices were bad but at least you should have a good choice in men to balance it out you know."

I give him a 'Are you serious' look shaking my head in disappointment. This is not what I wanted as comfort when I just found out the person I love cheated on me.

"Why are you blaming me?! I didn't do anything." Big tears flow out of my eyes as I throw another pillow at his face in anger and embarrassment. What did I even do? How is this MY FAULT?

"Nikal ja idhar se, iss sab me meri kya galti hai?" I bury my head in my hands, sobbing loudly. He doesn't even know how much this hurts. is it a joke to him?

(what is my fault in all of this?)

I hear him sigh softly and call out my name. I don't look up or give a response.

"Kyra listen."

"What? What are you going to make fun of me again? Are you goi-"

I stop protesting when he steps closer and wraps his hands around me softly. He hugs my head, comfortably laying it on his chest. His hands reach for my hair caressing it softly. My body completely stills feeling the material of his T-shirt against my cheek.

What. The. Fuck?

"Hey, it's not your fault, I'm sorry okay? I'm here for you don't worry" his voice comes out ever so softly, it makes me paralyzed. I had never seen this side of his, the caring side. He was also so cold and rude to me, that I didn't realize he could be sweet.

I bring my hand to my right arm, pinching it with my fingers to make sure I'm not dreaming. I hear a soft chuckle leaving his lips as I look up at him, laughing at my actions.

"Jyada mat soch Bachi, we'll be back pulling each other's hair tomorrow."

(don't think so much kid.)

When I say nothing, he tightens the hug, swaying us left and right. I wanted comfort, but I didn't expect it from Shivyansh, yet still, I felt my eyes stinging from tears, making me flow into a fit of sobs again. Even the person who hates me so much cares enough not to let me cry. And the person I gave my everything did nothing but make me cry.

"Yarr tu ro mat, please. Acha nhi lagta, you look better with that chudail jesi shakal you make when you're mad." His hand wipes away the water collected in my eyes. I small giggle leaves my throat hearing his words. Maybe I shouldn't have scolded god for letting him be here. He's not that bad when he's not getting on my nerves.

(please don't cry. It doesn't feel right, you look better with that witch like face you make when you're mad)

I sniff softly, cleaning my eyes from the specks of tears. I turn to him with a smile, showing him two thumbs-ups.

"I'm okay, thank you Shivyansh." My voice cracks in between, still trying to gather itself together.

He crouched down to the level of my face and showed me a bunny smile, softly patting my head.

"Kyra, just know if he loved you, he wouldn't have even tried to love anyone else." I nod while giving him a sad smile. He's right, it isn't possible for a person to love two people at the same time, and if someone does that, it's clearly not true love.

"Yea I know, he was an asshole anyways. Plus now that I think of it. Woh ghade jesa dikhta tha." An expression of disgust forms on my face making him let out a laugh.

(he looked like a donkey)

"good. Now no more crying okay?" He flicks my head with his fingers softly making me wince. Well, there went the nice Shivyansh, he's back to his annoying self.

"Ughhh ouch. Get out bitch. Get out." I push him away from my face, glaring at him and smack my hand on the back of his head. How can this be the same person who was hugging me like two minutes ago?

He sticks out his tongue at me before getting back up and moving towards the door. He gives me one more glance before saying

"Bye bye take care miss bhootni."

Shaking my head in amusement, I chuck another pillow at his head hearing the name he just called me. but it fails to hit him as he exits my room.

A smile of relief forms on my face as I fall back on my bed. I'm okay, and if not, I will be soon. Pulling the blanket on top of me, I stare at the ceiling.

Wow. What a day.

Kaynaaz

I make my way up the stairs towards Kyra's when I see Shivyansh stepping out of her door. Shivyansh is the last person I would expect to see coming out of my sister's room. What was he doing there?

"And what exactly brings you to the lion's den?" I quirk my eyebrow up at him in question. He gives me a knowing smile before ruffling my hair softly.

"Mai toh notebook lene aaya tha, woh toh mili nhi, magar Kyra ki breakup news zarur mil gyi mujhe."

I look at him with gaping eyes, as I cover my mouth with my hands. Kyra hadn't told anyone about her break-up, not even me. How come HE got to know about it? How even-

"But she didn't even tell me- not even bhaiya."

"Well, she didn't exactly TELL me. I just got to know." He rubs the back of his head as I look at him in confusion. Before I can question him again, his phone starts to ring annoyingly loud.

He glances at the screen looking at the number before patting my head.

"I gotta go, Chotu, take care of your sister." Before I know it, he's down the stairs and walking towards the main gate.

Weird.

Men are weird.

Pulling myself together I thump towards Kyra's room and burst it open. She gets startled and sits back up on her bed before looking at my annoyed face. I don't care how Shivyansh got to know but I was supposed to know first. I'm her sister bro.

"You told Shiv about your breakup Di? How could you betray me like this, I thought we told each other everything first?!" I put my hand on my heart dramatically as she looks at me with a confused face.

"WHAT? Mene uss bandar ko kuch nhi bola Kay. I swear on my love for Oreos." She adjusts her pillow before gathering all her books and placing them neatly on her table.

(I didn't tell anything to that monkey)

A pout forms on my face as I walk over to her bed and climb into her thin sheets, snuggling beside her. Her hand reaches for my head, caressing my hair softly.

"Then usne kyu bola that he knows the news of your break up?" A soft chuckle leaves her lips as she palms her face.

"He snatched my phone away and saw the screenshot Meera sent me." She picks up her phone, opening the chats of her friend.

My lips form an 'O' nodding as I understand her words. Snuggling closer I peek into her phone looking at what Meera had sent her.

"Tanmay Singh and Yashita Choudary finally make a public announcement of their 4 months ongoing relation-"

WHAT. My eyes scan the text again making sure I was seeing the right thing. Iss ghade ki shakal ne meri behen pe cheat kiya?

(this donkey face cheated on my sister?)

I glance at her face for any sign of pain or distress only to find none. Which was something new, usually Kyra is the one to have a full breakdown at these kinds of things.

"Di, aap thik ho?"

(are you okay?)

She nods her head softly and pecks the top of my head easing my worry.

"I'm perfectly fine my bacha, he was an asshole anyways, why should we cry over assholes?" I hold her hand in mine, squeezing in tightly in reassurance. She was the best sister I could have, it's hard to see her in pain.

"It's okay na di, aap ek dam perfect ho, Mard log toh we'd bhi pagal hote hai, Matlab they'll be with you one night and the next they'll disappear and then come back like two years later. Like seriously itne law-" I cover my mouth before the curse leaves my lips. Kyra looks at me with a cocked eyebrow, confused at my sudden rant.

(it's okay Di, you're absolutely perfect, men are crazy, I mean they'll be with you one night and the next they'll disappear and then come back like two years later. Like seriously they're such di-)

"Acha di.. you remember your 21st birthday?" My voice comes out cautious, and she just nods her head silently. I'm gonna get a beating today for sure.

"And you remember that guy I told you about?" She rolls her eyes as a knowing smile forms on her face.

"Ofc I remember, you kept bringing him up in every conversation for like two weeks straight. Itna pyaar Ho gaya tha tereko usse." I smack her arm before shaking my head furiously.

(you were in so much love with him.)

"Absolutely not I don't love that dude."

"Sure baby."

"Aree YRr Suno na, after that, he never contacted me again. But yesterday when I went to the hospital he was right, LIKE RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY EYES."

she looks at me with surprised eyes and sits up a bit. She nods her head asking me to continue. I rub my hands together, looking at her with nervousness. She will murder me if she finds out what I did.

"Well I saw him and I got like very angry, which- which is valid right di? Usne meko literally ghost kar diya tha."

(he literally ghosted me)

"What did you do Kay?"

"Well, I. Um."

"Kaynaaz." Okay, she is getting upset. I push away from her, backing up on the bed.

"You won't scold me di."

"I won't." She will. She's sitting up straight ready to chuck a pillow at my face.

"Well I, I kind of might have slapped him." I chuckle in nervousness putting my hands in front of my hand and wait for her to blast on me. When I don't hear or feel anything, I see her relaxing back into her bed.

"You're not mad? Or upset? Or angry?" My brain buzzed with confusion, she had a huge respect for the social workers and helps, shouldn't she be upset cuz I hit one?

"Your action was valid. I mean yes I'm upset you hit a helper, but not so much that I scold you for it."

A smile immediately makes it up to my lips as I jump on her and hug her tightly, she is indeed the best sister. She pats my head softly, smiling at my happy figure.

"Phir bhi Kay, aapne hatho ko control me rakh, or you'll lose your internship."

(still Kay, keep your hands in control)

I nod my head, snuggling by her side as we chit-chat about college and work. She writes stories, and I love to hear about them, one day she'll surely make us all proud.

"And you know the profes-"The buzz of my phone makes Kyra stop talking. She glances at my phone, before nodding and allowing me to look at the message that had popped up. Sitting up from her side, I reach for my phone which was on the side table, glancing at the screen.

My eyes scan the text and my body practically freezes. Talk of the devil, and he shows up.

Unknown number: Thapad marke tumhara gussa thik ho gaya ki mujhe bhi marne ka plan bana rahi ho?

(giving me a slap washed away your anger or are you going to kill me as well?)

Inaya

My feet press harder against the pedal of the Jeep, the wheel of the heavy car speeding against the pavement. My mind keeps repeating the question 'Why did you go there?' There, as in the fest. With Rooh. My mind hates the idea but my heart says something else. That's why most of the time I use my brain. It helps to avoid the heartbreak and pain of things.

Sighing, I rest against the seat of the car, turning up the radio, I slow down as the car reaches the same place I had been this afternoon with Rooh. I couldn't help it, maybe, maybe I could see him again, up close, and talk to him.

Not because I want to, but because he messes with my brain, messes up my thoughts when he has no right to do that anymore.

I open the car door and step outside. April was hot, but the nights were still a bit cooler, it was nice to walk around. My feet move to the entrance of the now mostly abandoned park, just a few couples and friends roaming around having their daily chats.

I walk further inside to come face to face with the same stage he had been on a few hours ago. My heart still beats, looking at his smile, his hair, the way he sings, the way he moves to the flow of the sound around him. It's fascinating in a way that cannot be explained in just simple words.

'Shut up inaya, you aren't supposed to think of him'

There it goes again, my mind scolding my heart for feeling something it's forbidden to. Then again, it's right. I am not supposed to think of him, or meet him, or talk to him. But the heart craves what it craves, and if you deny it of that, then it pains.

Sighing I sit up on the stage, tilting my head up to look at the sky. The moon had been on a high rise today, it looked so flawless. I smile suddenly remembering what Kaynaaz had once said 'Tu toh chaand se bhi zyada flawless hai' but whenever I look at the moon, I only remember him.

Minutes passed by, and soon it had been an hour since I had arrived at this place, I needed to get home or I'd be scolded. Getting down from the stage hopeless, he didn't come, not that I told him to, I was just hoping god would love me enough to let me speak to him again.

I turn my head from the stage to head back towards the red vehicle, but the cold hold around my wrist makes me pause in my place.

"What are you doing here Inaya?"