Promised Love

32. Second chances

"That day....you had kissed Nitya?" I ask.

He nods solemnly. "To make you feel like I replaced you in a second and I didn't care about you." He explains.

"The hell Abhi! We were sabotaged! I never got your message and that Nitya, that backstabbing bitch, I had told her about my feelings for you just that day itself and she had told me how you hated me and we had no hope of ever getting together. She said that you think I look like I haven't had food in ten days and that I'm over-confident and some other things like that."

Abhimanyu grimaces. "I would never say something like that about you."

"I know that now but at that time I was insecure about my body and felt terrible that you thought that way."

"I understand. I....she actually told me some things that you had apparently said about me too, something like you pity every girl who a loser like me has liked in the past and I am too shy..." He trails off.

"Oh my god Abhi. I can't believe we let some stupid girl come in between us and ruin all our chances." I still can't believe this. How could Nitya do that. "She played well huh." I force a chuckle.

"Yeah....you are right, Nitya really played well."

"Hmmm...how long did you date her for?" I hate the jealousy that creeps into the question.

"We didn't. I only kissed her that one time. I was heartbroken and so not looking for a relationship at that time." He explains.

He was heartbroken because of you!

"You liked me?" I ask again.

He snorts. "Unfortunately, and I still do. You know what I feel?
I feel like I hid and ignored my feelings so well, that I started believing the lie of hating you."

"Ditto!" I want to yell but I bite my tongue and secretly revel in the happiness.

It would be so easy to just confess that I still like him too and run away into the sunset together. But the fact remains that why did he suddenly have a change of heart when he wanted to separate not a week ago.

I take in his handsome face, the small scar on his eyebrow that he got from a bicycle accident and the tiny dimple on his left cheek that is almost invisible if you don't see it from close enough.

"What are you thinking?" He asks leaning against his car.

"That what changed suddenly. Weren't you promising your love to Shanaya barely two weeks ago and now you're saying you still like me. Look Abhimanyu I am not stupid, if you think you can use me like a rebound then you-"

"No no stop. I understand why you would think that. But you need to know....I would never. I broke up with Shanaya for you. I broke up with her because I felt like I was being unfair to her since I knew I still had feelings for you. It just...It just seemed wrong. Believe it or not Shanaya has helped me realise a lot of things about us. And it has  always been you Saanvi. Even when I didn't accept it."

To say I am confused would be an understatement. How is he saying all the right things now? How am I supposed to believe him though? Words have burned me way too many times. "I don't understand."

He grabs my elbow. "There's nothing to understand. I just...I want us to try again. Fresh slate. We should give each other a chance. Again."

Wow. This man is infuriating. "So  then the only thing matters is what you want right? Just because you suddenly woke up and decided to give us a chance I should just obey you?"

"Saanvi that's not what I meant-"

"Look Abhimanyu it's nice and all that we've finally cleared our misunderstandings up but that doesn't change anything right now. As much as it pains me to admit this....but you did hurt me. Just like you wanted. And I can't do this anymore. I can't forgive you so easily."