She knew what she had been feeling lately, and suddenly, she knew exactly what was hiding in that burning look of his tonight. Maybe it was a little hurt, after all… but, more truly, it was a dark, heavy emotion that definitely shouldn’t have been there between siblings.
She felt… she couldn’t even complete the terrifying thought.
And she saw him feel…
Urvin bit her lower lip hard as she began to remove her makeup before starting her nightly skin routine. She shook her head aggressively to clear her dangerous thoughts.
Eh… eh nahi ho sakda. Hai na? Maybe if I dated more guys, I could get past this sick feeling. Maybe if he dated more, or, let’s be honest, dated at all, he could get past it too?
Sleep did not come easy that night for either sibling.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw that intense, possessive look on his face and recalled how at one point during her dinner date, she had genuinely wished she wasn’t sitting across from Karan, but instead at home on the couch, wrapped in a blanket with Vyom.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her in that dangerously tight Indo-western dress, heard the wet sound of her kissing Karan in the dark, and remembered how he had groaned his own sister’s name as he furiously masturbated over his desk.
In the morning, she tossed on some loose gray sweatpants and walked slowly to the kitchen, finding Vyom leaning heavily over the counter with a half-empty mug of black coffee. The dark purple skin under his eyes said more than any words could have.
As she poured herself coffee from the pot, an idea began to form in her mind.
“Neend nahi aayi theek naal?” she asked softly.
He grunted. “Zyada nahi soya,” he said, staring blankly into his coffee cup.
“Tainu thodi dhoop di zaroorat hai.”
“Mainu aur caffeine di zaroorat hai.”
“Negative,” she said flatly. She bent down and pulled a woven picnic basket out from the lower cabinet. “Tainu Vitamin D chahida. Chal mere naal. Sukhna Lake. Lunch. Thodi shanti.”
“Tainu pata hai na ki public vich jaana meri akele rehne di aadat de bilkul khilaaf hai?”
“Oh, chal ab nakhre mat kar. Apni books le aa, main apna sketchpad laungi. Hum lake de paas dhoop vich baith kar ek dusre nu ignore karenge. Relaxing hoga. Teri dull skin nu thodi dhoop mil jayegi waise vi.”
He stared at her for a long moment, then sighed in defeat. “Theek hai. Par sirf tab, agar tu apne haathon naal mainu angoor khilayegi.”
“Chhoti jehi keemat hai. Deal.” She grinned brightly.
Though the heavy heat of summer was now gone from Chandigarh, it was still warm and absolutely perfect for a day out. Sukhna Lake was wrapped in a quiet, golden afternoon glow. Urvin carried a canvas bag of art supplies and a thick blanket, while Vyom slowly followed behind with his heavy backpack of study material and the food basket.
Vyom was dressed in his standard, boring clothes: baggy gray cargo shorts, old and dirty gray sneakers, and a black t-shirt that said “Got Lassi?” in white text. Meanwhile, he openly admired Urvin’s outfit walking in front of him: She wore flawlessly white sneakers; fitted denim shorts that hugged her wide hips and thick thighs like a second skin; and a bright white, short-sleeve crop top layered under a vibrant, unbuttoned Phulkari jacket, playfully exposing a highly attractive, smooth slice of her waist and a sparkling silver belly ring.
