Page 22 of She will Always be Mine

Besides, even if it gets leaked, nobody can tell we’re cousins except our family—our relatives. It will only take one person to recognize us and to spread it so fast that my head will spin. With a family as huge as ours, it’s bound to happen and when it’s an Indian, the scandals spread like wildfire and the judgment is tenfold. Riaan and my parents will be shunned in the blink of an eye.

Then my sacrifice—the pain and the separation—will be all for nothing.

It leads to another disarming conclusion…He and I never stood a chance.

I was too naïve to believe otherwise.

The stopping of the cab pulls me out of my dark realizations and I stare at my beautiful two-story home through the window.

It didn’t always have a second floor with separate bedrooms for me and my sister, and also a guest room. It was years later that my parents built it with their savings once my father got promoted to a higher position in his firm. I can still remember the pride and happiness I saw on their faces after it was finished.

The sun has settled by now so all the lights are on, making the house look brighter and welcoming.

Despite the circumstances, I’m so happy to be here and a small smile plays at my lips.

It feels like ages since I last smiled genuinely and before my mind can take me back to happy memories of Riaan, when I was the happiest, I push it down.

Sighing at my ping-pong of emotions, I slide the door open. Before I have even taken a step outside the cab, the front gate of my house bursts open and I watch Priyanka come stumbling out with a huge, delightful grin on her face.

The force of her hug, as soon as she wraps her arms around me, knocks the breath out of me and I can’t help but laugh at her excitement and the love that pours out of her.

She and I have always been close—only three years separating us—even though we didn’t talk a lot after I went to Pune. Sneaking midnight snacks, staying up late and gossiping, all those memories come rushing back full throttle. I haven’t been a good sister while I was gone.

I spent half my days focusing on classes while the rest was spent obsessing over and craving Riaan. I let him become my entire world, my days starting and ending with him.

“I missed you so much, Di,” she cries, making me feel guilty. I promise to myself I will make it up to her now that I’m here.

“Me too, Pri,” I say, hugging her tighter and soaking in her warmth. “I’m back now and I can’t wait to spend time with you. It feels forever ago.”

She pulls back, our fingers interlocked, and smirks. “It is. I’m dying to hear all about Pune, your college, your friend Monica. Everything!”

I try not to let the smile die from my lips as I listen to her, wishing I could confess everything to her. I just know in my heart she will be the one person who wouldn’t judge me but I also can’t bring her into all this mess. She’s too young to be burdened with it anyway.

It dawns on me that nothing will be easy even while I’m here, so, I need to harden myself if I want to survive the next few weeks. I can’t faint every time someone mentions Pune.

“Let her get inside the house first, Priyanka. We’ve had a long day,” my mom points out, making our heads jerk toward her. “Come on, help me with the suitcases.”

“Wow. How long are you planning to stay, Di?” Pri questions while staring at my luggage in surprise. “Won’t you miss your classes?”

How do I tell her that it’s not a normal, friendly visit? And more like my imprisonment for the coming weeks or however long Mom sees fit. Instead, I roll my eyes at her and joke, “Is that your way of saying I should go back soon?”

“Of course not.” She laughs.

I playfully narrow my gaze and suspiciously ask, “Did you hog my room while I was gone? ’Cause if you did, I’m throwing out all your stuff. It’s still mine.”

“Then I’ll burn all your books.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” I warn. My romance collection is very sacred to me and I don’t even like anybody touching them unless they are a fellow bookworm. Only then I would trust them to hold my books because they’ll know how to treat them right. That’s why I keep my bookshelf locked away and I don’t care if that makes me look like a lunatic.

It’s mostly a precaution in case anyone snooped and saw the kinky and smutty stuff I read. Though, lately, I haven’t picked a book since I was too busy living it and I can safely say that reality is—was—so much more naughty and filthy.

Riaan has totally ruined me for all men, fictional and otherwise.

“Hey! Already daydreaming about your book boyfriends,” Priyanka teases as I blink back to focus. Oh yes, she knows all about my edgy taste in romance and I even managed to get her hooked to the ones that are age-appropriate. Thankfully, she prefers e-books, so she doesn’t bother breaking into my sacred stash of paperbacks.

“Shh…” I nod behind her. “Don’t let Mom hear you.”

“Oh relax! Mom is cool.”Not anymore, I want to say.

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