What If? (An AbhiRa FF)

Chapter 2 : Revelations and Secrets

"Kya kaha tumne?" Abhimanyu asked, incapable of believing that what he heard was true and that Akshara actually loved him, while Akshara stood there with her hands covering her mouth, horrified at what she had just blurted out. She wasn't supposed to say it. She was never supposed to embrace her feelings in front of Abhimanyu. And yet, here she was. Standing in front of him, entirely powerless of taking her words back as she saw hope bubble in Abhimanyu's eyes while he waited for her reply.

"Ku-kuch nahi," she tried to cover up, praying to God that Abhimanyu would forget what she had just admitted and let her go. Just the way he had when she told him that she didn't love him. But the ecstasy that Abhimanyu felt at those 3 words were precisely the kind of feelings he had never experienced in his life. Forget experiencing, those were the exact feelings he did not buy. The ones that would make you skyrocket while your feet still stayed rooted to the ground. And now, each one of them had found their way into his life and his heart, only because of that one melodious voice he had heard and the woman that it belonged to. Love had found a way into his heart and it wasn't one sided anymore. And there was no way on earth he was letting it go, if it came to that, without giving the toughest fight of his entire existence. Akshara was about to sneak out while Abhimanyu basked in the sheer happiness that her confession had brought in but criticize the way their souls were connected, his reflexes were always on edge whenever she was around. They had to be, especially because of her undying affinity to all kinds of slips and falls. So before she could take as much as one step, he wrapped a hand around her waist and yanked her forward, in a way that she banged into his chest. Her eyes widened in shock at his action but Abhimanyu's stance didn't falter.

"Tum pyaar karti ho mujhse? Do you love me?" he questioned with the utmost sincerity, his eyes giving away every emotion brewing in his soul. And Akshara's heart broke a little as she weighed the pros and cons of lying to him, once again, even though it was of no use. Abhimanyu's entire demeanor had changed with mere words that she had let slip in a fit of annoyance. His smile was growing bigger with every microsecond that passed between them and Akshara did not have the heart to snatch it all away. All over again. She couldn't do that anymore.

"Abhi, please mujhe jaane do," she begged with averted eyes and tried to push him away. But he was far too strong for her feeble self. And when she couldn't get him to budge, she looked back in those eyes, the ones she could stare into all day long and never be tired, and pleaded without words. But he shook his head in response.

"Please, tell me that you love me, Akshu," he beseeched desperately as he rested his forehead against hers and his hands cupped her cheeks. "Please ek baar firse bol do ki tum mujhse pyaar karti ho. Please Akshu," he entreated as he shut his eyes. Tears streamed down Akshara's eyes on watching Abhimanyu come to his knees, only to hear her say those 3 words again. As soon as something wet touched Abhimanyu's thumbs, his eyes snapped open. And seeing Akshara cry was like a dagger wedged deep inside his heart. But before Abhimanyu could ask about the reasons behind Akshara's tears, she crashed into his chest and wrapped her hands around his back. Abhimanyu immediately gathered her in his arms and stroked her hair. She hated it. This state of his where he deserved the world but still had to beg someone, someone like her, for trifling moments of happiness. And she hated how he still cared about her. How he was still the one consoling her while she was the one to rip his heart right out of his chest and trample it under her feet. But above everything else, she hated herself for denying him the love that was rightfully his. For lying and pushing him into the pit of endless suffering only because she was cowardly enough to not stand up for herself or own up to her feelings. But not anymore. No more will he have to beg anyone for the things he deserved. As long as oxygen filled her lungs and her heart pumped blood, there wouldn't be a day where Abhimanyu would have to plead. And she would make sure of it. Starting with the words that would make his birthday the most memorable of all.