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"Yunah, just listen to me!" Gaurav barked, bracing his hands against the door so she couldn't slam it in his face.
"There is nothing left to hear, Gaurav. Have you no shame at all?" Yunah strained against the door, trying to force it shut, but her strength was no match for his. Between her throbbing ankle and her bandaged hand, she was losing the physical battle.
"At least give me a chance to speak. Just once," he pleaded, his eyes doing that practiced, pathetic trick of looking wounded. His gaze dropped, landing on her bandaged foot. "What happened to you? How did you get hurt?"
"How I got injured is absolutely none of your business," Yunah snapped.
"I tried calling you a dozen times," he continued, ignoring her bite. "But that kid kept picking up. I'm guessing he's the one who blocked my number, too..."
Yunah's push on the door faltered. "When did you call?" she asked, her confusion momentarily overriding her anger. "And who picked up?"
"Your boyfriend... or your fake boyfriend, whatever he is," Gaurav said, his voice dripping with irritation. "Look, I know he isn't real. I know you're both just putting on a show to make me jealous—and fine, it worked. You won. I broke up with Meena, Yunah."
Yunah stared at him, her arms crossing over her chest in a protective, defensive gesture. "So? You broke up with her. What do you want, a trophy?"
"I want us to get back together," he replied. There wasn't a hint of hesitation or guilt in his voice. In fact, he looked proud of himself, as if he were offering her a grand prize. "I know it's what you want, too."
Yunah let out a sharp, dry scoff that quickly spiraled into a laugh of pure disbelief. "Wow. You really are a special kind of trash, Gaurav." She glared at him, her eyes burning with contempt. "I didn't think it was possible for a man to be this delusional. What on earth made you think I'd ever want you back?"
"Yunah—"
"And for the record? Noah is my boyfriend. He did exactly what he was supposed to do by blocking you. Now, get out. I don't ever want to see your face again."
She tried to shove the door again, but Gaurav was faster. He shouldered his way past her, forcing himself into the apartment without an invitation.
"Oh, come on, Yunah. Don't play hard to get," he said, his voice terrifyingly calm as he scanned her living room. "I know you still love me. You only picked up that kid to get a reaction out of me, right?"
"I actually cannot believe this guy..." Yunah ran a hand through her hair, her blood boiling. "Get out of my apartment right now, Gaurav, or I'm calling security."
"I'm not going anywhere," he said, casually seating himself on the couch.
Yunah felt like she was losing her mind. She wanted to physically haul him out, but her leg screamed every time she shifted her weight. She was trapped in her own home with a ghost she had already buried.
"Meena," Yunah said, her voice dropping into a cold, serious tone as she sat in a chair as far from him as possible. "Did you ever actually loved her, Gaurav?"
"No," he denied instantly. "To be honest, you were the only one I ever wanted. I just got... swayed by her."
"Swayed?" Yunah chuckled, the sound devoid of any humor. "You were 'swayed' by her for seven years? You really are a different breed of pathetic, I have to admit that."
"You can call me whatever you want," he said with a shrug. "I know I shouldn't have cheated on you with your best friend, but she was the one who was always clinging—"
"Stop the nonsense!" Yunah shouted, her voice echoing in the apartment. "Do you think I'm an idiot? I know you were talking to her long before you were even with me. You wanted both of us at the same time, and you failed miserably."
"But I only want you now," he insisted.
That was the breaking point. Despite the white-hot pain in her leg, Yunah struggled to her feet. she grabbed his arm, digging her nails in, and hauled him toward the exit with every ounce of strength she had left.
"Get. Out!" she hissed, shoving him toward the door. "Get out of my house and never come back. If you show up here again, I swear to God, you will regret it."
"I'll leave for now," Gaurav said, straightening his shirt as he stood in the hallway. "But I'm not going to stop, Yunah. Not until you realize we belong together."
Yunah slammed the door and threw the bolt, the sound of the lock clicking into place providing the only comfort she had. She limped back to the couch and collapsed, leaning her head back and closing her eyes as she tried to stop her hands from shaking.
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An hour passed in heavy silence. When Yogesh finally returned from school, he found Yunah fast asleep on the couch, her breathing shallow and soundless. His eyes lingered on her bandaged foot, a flash of worry crossing his face, but he didn't wake her. He moved quietly, retreating to his room to change and freshen up.
A few minutes later, as he walked back into the living room, the floorboard gave a small creak.
Yunah stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She looked at Yogesh with a dazed, sleepy expression, her voice barely a murmur. "Is Noah back yet?"
"No," Yogesh replied, shaking his head as he headed toward the kitchen. "He had to stay late. Something about his duties as the Student President."
"Oh..." Yunah let out a offended cold sound before her eyes drifted shut again, pulling the blanket tighter around her.
Yogesh paused at the kitchen island, leaning against the counter as he watched his sister fall back into a deep slumber. He shook his head, a small, knowing chuckle escaping his lips.
"Unbelievable," he muttered to himself, his expression turning suspicious. "She's asking for him the second she wakes up? He's been glued to her side this whole time. Did he do something to provoke her again, or... Ayy! No way." He shook his head in denial. "I'm definitely overthinking this."
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The sun eventually dipped below the horizon, replaced by the pale glow of the moon and the hum of streetlights. Inside the apartment, the atmosphere was deceptively quiet. Yogesh was busy in the kitchen, the clatter of pans masking the tension, while Yunah sat on the couch, her eyes fixed on a Netflix show and her bandaged leg propped up on a pillow.
Then came the rhythmic beep-beep of the keypad.
The door swung open, and Noah stepped inside. He was still in his school uniform, looking every bit the diligent Student President returning from a long day of meetings. Yogesh's eyes widened as he peered from the kitchen; he hadn't actually expected Noah to commit so hard to the "school" act even though he was absent today just to make his sister believe him.
"Di, you're back," Noah said, a bright, rehearsed smile on his face. He set his bag down on the floor near the couch, leaning in toward her. "How's the leg? Does it hurt? Do you want me to—"
He was cut short by the sharp click of the TV remote. Yunah turned off the screen and fixed him with a glare so icy it could have frozen the room.
"Yogesh..." Yunah's voice was low and alarming. "Go to the convenience store. Get me some ramen."
Yogesh stopped mid-motion. He didn't ask questions; he knew that tone. He turned off the stove, grabbed his phone, and made a beeline for the door. As he passed Noah, he gave him a sympathetic tap on the arm and whispered, "Fighting!" before vanishing out the door.
Noah stood frozen in front of her. The confident "Jay" persona was gone, replaced by a genuine, growing dread.
"Di... don't scare me," Noah said, his voice actually stammering as he felt the weight of her silence. "Did I... did I do something to make you this angry?"
Yunah leaned forward, her eyes never leaving his. "Did Gaurav call me while we were camping?" she asked, her voice like a razor. "And did you take it upon yourself to block him?"