Page 103 of No Boss
She turned and walked away. His eyes followed her until she was gone.
Naina looked up just in time to see Meera go. Then her gaze shifted, slowly, deliberately, to her brother.
Abhinav walked into the courtyard.
His sister’s eyes dropped to his shirt, paused, then returned to his face. Her mouth opened.
“Don’t.”
She shut it. Opened it again.
“I said don’t.”
“I haven’t even said anything,” she replied, deeply offended.
“You were about to.”
“I was going to ask how your morning was, Bhai.” Her lips pressed tight, holding back several thoughts that had nothing to do with his morning.
Sarita looked up then. She took in the lime-streaked shirt, the dust on his sleeves, the faint white at his knuckles… and something else. She said nothing. Just pulled out the chair beside her.
Abhinav did not sit. He glanced at his hands, flexed his fingers once, the dried lime stretching against his skin. “I’ll wash.”
“Of course,” Sarita replied.
Naina tracked him as he turned toward the corridor. “So,” she called, voice sweet, “lime plaster.”
He kept walking. “Yes.”
“On a shirt that costs more than my monthly allowance.”
“It was worth it.”
That… That made her sit upright.
“Who are you, and what have you done with my brother?”
He stopped. Turned. Walked back. Before she could react, his hand caught her ear and pulled, not harsh, just enough.
“Bhai!” she protested, swatting at him.
“Stop.”
“I am not doing anything!”
“You are doing the face.”
“I don’t have a face!”
“You have a face.” He released her. “Stop making it.”
She rubbed her ear, dignity restored with effort.
Then, very carefully… “Does Meera know you’re this terrible at plastering?”
He looked at her. Properly this time.
She froze.
