Laughter.
Hollow. Unstable.
What the hell?
“Advik?”
When he turns to face me, his eyes are glassy. Wet. Like something’s finally cracked.
I square my shoulders—trying to stay grounded. He parts his lips and finally speaks.
“I get why you’d think that.”
His voice is low. Steady. But laced with barely contained rage.
“That Aarohi getting married wouldupsetme. But I assure you, I feel nothing about that.Nothing.”
He takes a menacing step toward me.
“Whatdoesupset me—what makes me want to fuckingscream—”
Another step.
“—is that you left. And then youdied.”
My chest tightens. A rare sting burns behind my eyes.
Oh god.
I’m not ready for this.
“The only thing that fuckingupsetsme,” he grits, “is that I was too blind to hold on to you. That I mademistakeaftermistakeand you still—”
“Advik—”
“No.” His voice breaks as he begs. “Please. Let me just—”
He steadies himself with a breath. Eyes locked on mine.
“I didn’t sort my shit out. I didn’t love you right. And Ihurtyou. Enough that you had to walk away.”
He presses a hand to his chest, as if trying to calm the ache.
“I’ve lived with your ghost this whole time. But even now, when you’re standing here—alive,real—Istilldon’t deserve you.”
He exhales, voice crumbling.
“That... is what upsets me.”
FIFTEEN
Advik
“Nothing slips past me.”
The words won’t leave me alone.
I’d had that sudden, reckless urge to rip the goddamn band-aid off. To just tell her. But then I remembered... she told me she’d let me have that conversation when she was ready.
