Page 64 of Born in Sin

“You don’t want to know what I’ve done for you, Celi.”

The words were an unvoiced, broken whisper that lay between him and his conscience; never spoken, never heard.

Crestwood

Celina leaned back on her hands, her legs stretched out in front of her, her head tilted back as she studied the stars. It was an exceptionally beautiful night, not a cloud in sight. Virat had his head in her lap, his eyes closed, his face for once relaxed and devoid of the permanent stress lines he seemed to sport like a wizened old man. She stifled a smile, running her fingers through his hair, gently massaging his scalp.

Always so serious, so stressed.

One good thing she’d noticed was that he wasn’t being hurt anymore. She’d pestered him for years to tell her who was doing it but he hadn’t. Virat never told her the bad stuff. It hurt. The fact that he kept hiding things from her, protecting her. She didn’t want to be the fragile one, the one he kept safe. She wanted to be the one who stood by his side and helped fight his battles. But Virat wouldn’t even tell her what the battle was or where it was being fought.

Her fingers clenched in his hair and his eyes opened immediately, searching hers for the source of her anguish.

“What’s wrong?” He sat up, her fingers slipping from his hair with the abrupt movement.

“It’s nothing,” she shrugged, smiling sadly. “I’m fine.”

His gaze raked over her face, taking in every minute change in expression. “If you tell me, I can help.”

Of course. Her smile grew tight, her face flushing. “You know,” she said softly. “I am capable of taking care of things too.”

Virat reached for her hand, clasping it between his big ones. “I just want to help you Celi.”

She tilted her head to one side, her braid slipping over her shoulder, her eyes searching his face now. “But you won’t let me help you.”

His face tightened, those stress lines reappearing like they’d just been lying in wait for their moment.

“Celi.” He sighed.

“No.” She jumped to her feet. “Don’t Celi me. Why won’t you confide in me?”

He dropped his head in his hands, not meeting her gaze.

“I can help. I want to help. But I can’t do that if you won’t let me in.”

Virat’s hands lowered. He looked away from her, his shoulders tight and tense. “When I try to tell you something, you’re not willing to listen.”

Celina made a screeching noise that would have frightened any birds in the vicinity. “This is about Majid again? Why can’t you let that go?”

“Why can’t you hear what I’m trying to tell you?”

Chest heaving with indignation, Celina prodded him in the ribs with one finger. “I can’t hear what you’re saying because you say nothing. Vague comments about him not being a nice person or bullying other kids doesn’t mean anything to me. Not when he has been nothing but a good friend. Who has he bullied anyway?”

“All of us,” Virat snapped.

Celina rolled her eyes at him. “Your gang and his gang have some kind of boy testosterone thing going on. I know you guys, Amay, Ishaan, and you do just as much shit to them as they do to you. Does that make you all bullies too? For that matter, my mother is constantly telling me what a bad boy you are. Should I listen to her?”

He fell silent, a muscle in his jaw ticking.

“Well?” Celina threw her hands up in the air. “If I should listen to your vague comments about him, then I should listen to hers about you. Right?”

For a second of charged silence, she thought he wouldn’t say anything. And then he snapped, “Right. That’s exactly what you should do. Listen to me and listen to her. Stop talking to both of us.”

For a long moment Celina stared at him, hurt and anger making it hard to form an argument.

“Are you breaking up with me?” she asked, the words coming out strangled and hoarse.

“No.” Virat clasped his hands at the back of his neck, a defeated sigh escaping him. “I’m telling you to break up with me.”

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