Vows of Misfortune

28.

Romir sat down in his seat like he hadn't just been cursed at. He gestured for me to sit back down. Pravin, Saanvi and I exchanged glances. Preethi came back in that moment, only to pale.

"What's happening?" she whispered to me. I could only shake my head.

The guy that I slapped spat in my direction but it landed on Romir's shirt. He took a look at it and swiped at it with a tissue before shoving it back into his pocket, like nothing had happened.

What the heck? He was just going to pretend like none of this was happening? A part of me, the part that made my gut churn, told me that this was all my fault. Had I just sat there and taken it then this wouldn't be happening. Romir opened a packet of nuts only for it to be snatched out of his hands and chucked in my direction.

"Choke on that, bitch."

Romir's jaw clenched as I stumbled back a little. Preethi grasped my upper forearm, lips trembling. Why did she look like she was going to faint? "We have to get Romir out of here," she whispered. "We have to go or—"

Before she finished her sentence and could ease my sudden wariness, I heard a shattering scream; people were starting to run out. Turning, I saw that Romir had grabbed the arm of the guy that was reaching toward me and pulled him down. He fell onto the seat beside Romir with a loud crack. His back banged against the arm rest which broke off.

Romir, without any expression whatsoever, fluidly snapped the guy's arm and a sickening crack echoed in the air. I watched with my ears buzzing, my gasp getting lost in my throat.

What. The. Actual. Fuck.

"Holy shit, Romir," hollered Pravin, voice shrill. He tried to pull him back but got punched by one of the guy's friends in the process.

"Pravin!" Saanvi rushed over to him. I was frozen to the ground, watching the scene before me unfold.

One of his other friends wrapped his arm around his neck in a choke hold. Romir placed his chin down, stepped to the side and then his other fist came swinging back, slamming against the dude's groin.

The moment he bent over to groan in pain, Romir swiftly elbowed his face, the crack of his nose causing him to fall back.

"We have to go," hissed Preethi.

"We can't leave Romir here alone," I protested.

"Us being here isn't going to help him!" She paused and gave me a look that told me she knew something. "Trust me when I say he'll handle it."

Romir got punched right in the nose himself, and he stumbled back. I shrieked. Saanvi and Pravin backed off, the latter limping.

Romir grunted, cursing under his breath. "Leave," he hissed, gesturing toward the door.

Saanvi looked at me. "Come with us!"

I shook my head, gawking at the scene before me. As they rushed out with some of the other people running past at the commotion, I watched as Romir grabbed one of the other guys and punched him repeatedly—his eyes were dark, face impassive.

Another one of the dude's mates came up from behind to attack Romir.

"Romir, watch out." I pulled away from Preethi. I didn't know what the hell I was doing or thinking, but the adrenaline coursing through me forced me to help.

Heck, I'd never lifted a finger in violence in my life.

I picked up the broken arm rest and smashed it against the guy's face but seeing how that only made him stumble back, I jumped on him. The force of my weight tipped the both of us back onto the floor. My head banged against his chest, throbbing.