What If? (An AbhiRa FF)

Chapter 8 : Is Happiness Really Temporary?

A.N. - I wasn't aware that the fandom hated Aarohi so much😂 You guys, seriously! I laughed so hard as I read those comments on the previous chapter🤣 So, go ahead and read the chapter! Y'all are in for a treat😏

Kairav's words snatched the earth beneath Abhimanyu's feet and made his heart stop for the longest time before it started to pound capriciously against his chest. A million thoughts raced in his mind and each one of them only ended at one person, his Akshu. This wasn't how he had planned to tell her about the unpleasant shenanigans along with the silver lining that kept him on his toes all morning. Hell, it wasn't even the way he had thought she would ever know. But the damage had already been done and he could only hope that it wasn't beyond salvageable. Because if it was, Abhimanyu would lose his mind and Aarohi would be the object of his inconceivable eruption. So, he swiped past Kairav and dashed toward her room without a word.

In Akshara's Room

Akshara slid down the wall she was holding on for support not before slipping the lock on the door and pulling the string of the curtain on the window as her entire world came crashing down to her feet and she let her spirit crush with every cascading tear as she relived the past few minutes of her life on repeat.

*Flashback*

Akshara had woken up to the stream of sunlight falling on her face with a sweet smile plastered to her face only to find Aarohi taking notes of her vitals. Her grin had grown double in size at the frame of her sister in the same room as her. This was the first time Aarohi was visiting her since the day she gained consciousness and her absence had pricked Akshara but she had made excuses about Aarohi being busy with work to placate her stinging heart.

"Good morning Aru!" Akshara chirped to get her sister's attention as she sat up with little difficulty and Aarohi shut her file before turning to face her with the most artificial smile but not before rolling her eyes at Akshara's enthusiasm that did nothing but sicken her to the gut. But all Akshara saw was the good in her sister and an opportunity to try to mend things between them, unaware of the fact that her relentless efforts were going to turn into a catastrophe that would shatter the very morale of her being.

"Teri physiotherapist thodi late aane waali hai isliye tab tak ke liye tu mere saath stuck hai," Aarohi ignored her greeting and spoke in a tone that indicated that she would rather be anywhere else than here.

"Tu aise kyu bol rahi hai Aru?" Akshara asked as Aarohi's words pricked right in the center of her heart. She wanted to add 'Agar tu yaha nahi rehna chahti hai toh kisi aur ko bhej de' but she held her tongue and ignored the 1st red flag that would pull her heart right out of her chest even before Abhimanyu could make it to her.

"Dekh, tere sawaalon ke liye mere paas time nahi hai. Mujhe jo kaha gaya hai, mujhe woh karne de warna tere chakar mei mujhe daant pad jaayegi," Aarohi uttered dismissively and tears stung Akshara's eyes but she gulped them down and kept mum. She moved the blanket away from her legs and slowly swung them around so that her feet were parallel to the ground. Aarohi held her hand out for Akshara to grab support and she placed her hand in Aarohi's before planting her feet on the floor and standing up. Aarohi helped Akshara take baby steps around the room while Akshara stole glances of her sister, not a word out of her mouth. But the lava that had started to froth in Aarohi's bloodstream the night before hadn't simmered down and Akshara's touch had only added fuel to the already burning fire. And it was only a matter of minutes before this volcano erupted and incinerated Akshara's soul to ashes. While the images of the previous night flashed through Aarohi's mind, she hadn't realized that her hold on Akshara's arms had tightened.

"Kya kar rahi hai Aru? Mujhe dard ho raha hai," Akshara hissed in pain as she tried to loosen Aarohi's grip and Aarohi stared at her with deadly eyes.