Page 149 of Glass Jawed
She cuts herself off, her eyes widening. “Stop distracting me!”
I smile weakly and mumble. “I don’t want to go back, Kashvi. Not yet.”
She grimaces and practically whines. “Oh god, you’re sopathetic.”
I snort. “Wow. Thanks.”
“No, really,” she groans, covering her face with her hands. “Shit. Youlookpathetic too.”
I chuckle, which instantly turns into a wince.
She peeks at me between her fingers, then mutters like it’s a curse: “She’s going to cave.”
My head jerks up. “Really?”
“Don’t look hopeful!” she snaps immediately, pointing a finger at me like I’m a misbehaving dog.
But it’s too late.
The flicker of something stupid and desperate has already crept across my face—and she saw it.
I clear my throat and school my expression. “I’m not hopeful.”
“You’re thehuman embodimentof hopeful,” she says with disgust. “It’s actually gross.”
I laugh softly. But inside? It’s worse than hopeful.
It’sreckless.
She sighs heavily, rubbing two fingers against her forehead, eyes shut like she’s trying to will away the situation—or maybe the pity.
“You love her?” she asks suddenly, voice quieter. “Like...actuallylove her? Are you sure?Absolutely fucking sure?”
The question startles me, but the answer is easy.
“Yeah. I’m in love with Aarohi. Deeply. Selfishly. Beyond a shadow of a doubt.”
I say it with more intensity than my weak body should allow. But I mean every word.
Her face contorts like I just fed her expired milk. “Ugh. Fine. Okay. You could’ve just saidyes.”
I smile faintly, staring down at my hands—shaking a little less now. “If I’d just said yes, you would’ve said, ’That’s it?’”
She rolls her eyes, mock-sneering as she stands up. “You’re both so fucking dramatic.”
Then, grumbling as she walks to the door, she mutters, “Fine. Stay. It’syourfuneral.”
At the doorway, she pauses and glances back. “Don’t wake up till eleven. I’ll handle the family.”
The door shuts.
And then opens again—just a few inches.
Her manicured middle finger pops through the gap for a good second.
And then it slams shut again.
I laugh—quiet, breathy, through the pounding headache.
