Abhira : Short Stories

Part 6 - Solace

Akshara was caged between the tree and Abhimanyu. She tried to push him away but he didn't budge.

"What are you doing here?" Abhimanyu asked looking at her.

"Bungee Jumping!" Akshara muttered sarcastically.

"Akshara, why were you crying?" Abhimanyu said with gritted teeth.

Her name sent a shiver down her spine but it hurt her as well. Abhimanyu used to call her Akshu. So, Akshara sounds odd when he said it.

"If he has seen crying then why ask what were you doing?"  Akshara's inner self commented.

"Because I like crying. I love it when tears touch my face." Akshara's sarcastic reply came while smiling sweetly.

Abhimanyu was irritated with her sarcastic comments. He rubbed his forehead and then looked at her again.

"Akshara, I'm serious," Abhimanyu muttered slowly.

"Oh! I thought you were Abhimanyu. Did you change your name? It doesn't suit you though." Akshara blabbered giving him a sarcastic smile.

"Shut up! Stop your ramble." Abhimanyu yelled a little.

Akshara pouted.

"Now, tell me what happened? Why were you crying?" Abhimanyu said cupping her cheeks in his hands.

"I...I" Akshara knew if she told him, Rehan would be dead.

Okay, maybe it's exaggerated too much but Abhimanyu would surely punch him.

"What? Don't have sarcastic comments? Good! Now answer me." Abhimanyu said tucking her hair behind her ear.

"That doctor did something." Akshara's eyes widened. How did he know?

Her widened eyes confirmed his doubts.

"I will not leave him." Abhimanyu marched toward the hospital.

"I already warned him. If you go now the matter would become big. Stop all this." Akshara clutched his hand tightly.

"Akshara, leave me...." Abhimanyu started but was cut in between.

"No, stop all this. Do this all for your fiancee, not for me." Akshara didn't realise what she spoke. After the realisation dawned upon her, she shut her mouth putting a hand on it.

"That's what I'm doing." Came Abhimanyu's instant reply.

"Huh?" Akshara looked at him dumbfounded.

"Were you jealous, Akshu?" Abhimanyu smirked at her.

"What do you mean by that's what I'm doing?" Akshara ignored his question and fired back a question at him.

Abhimanyu showed her his hand which had the engagement ring.

"You thought you are gone so I would remove the engagement ring? You are my fiancee."  Abhimanyu whispered the last part in her ear.

"Why did you leave me like that, Akshu?" Abhimanyu asked softly.

"I...You were the one who told me to choose. So, I choose myself." Akshara looked away from his eyes.

"I told you to choose between me and Aarohi." Abhimanyu pulled her closer to himself.

"You knew how difficult it was for me to choose between you and Aarohi," Akshara yelled.

"You knew how difficult it was for me to look at the person who almost, almost killed my mother. You knew how difficult it was for me to be away from you for whole freaking two years. Still, you left." Abhimanyu whispered vulnerably.

"It was difficult for me as well, Abhimanyu. I was also away from you." Akshara retorted.

"You could have understood my situation," Akshara uttered softly.

"I can say the same Akshara." Abhimanyu looked into her eyes intensely.

"You tell me who would you have chosen between Ma and Neil or Ma and Me?" Akshara steps away from him a little.

"I...." Abhimanyu stood speechless.

"Tell me, Abhimanyu." Akshara folded her arms on her chest.

She felt bad for putting him in a situation like this where she knew he wouldn't be able to choose anyone but she was in the same situation two years back.

Abhimanyu sat on the bench still thinking about what Akshara said. Akshara looked at him.

He can't even choose anyone. He loves his  Ma the most but Akshara, he loves her also. Neil, he loves him also. He can't choose. Everyone is important in his life.
Everyone has a different place in his life and heart. How can he choose?

Everyone is important to him.

"Can't choose, right?" Akshara asked softly. He looked at her.

"I know. It's difficult to choose." Akshara sat beside him.

"I know you were not thinking about yourself only. You were thinking about me also. You thought Aarohi would hurt me. But I would still choose her. Didn't you think that?" Akshara looked at him and he nodded slowly.

Akshara smiled.

"Abhimanyu you have a special place in my heart but that doesn't mean no else is important. I know I have done wrong to you and you have that fear imprinted in your mind that I will leave you and choose Aarohi as I have done already." Akshara looked at him while speaking every word.

"It's true that I love you but it's also the truth that I was confused in starting if it was love. I realised later when you were going away from me. I couldn't see you being sad and vulnerable and at that time I realised how much I love you." Akshara looked down.

"I know I have hurt you too much and that can't be changed. I know I was the cause of your pain. I was a fool. A fool to believe that the sister who didn't love me even in twelve years can love me now. I was a fool to believe that she would forgive me." Abhimanyu hesitantly entwined his hand with hers.

"I was the cause of your pain too, Akshu." Abhimanyu smiled sadly.

"But life is all about forgiving. I hope you have realised that I can't choose anyone. Though I have chosen you now, please never put me in a situation like this." Akshara hugged Abhimanyu.

"I...I'm ready to give second chance to us." Akshara muttered in his ears and Abhimanyu hugged her tightly.

"But are you sure it will be a second chance?" Abhimanyu teased.

True, it was their third chance but they would choose each other at every chance they got because Akshara and Abhimanyu can't live without each other.

And these two years were like a decade for them. Akshara promised to herself that this time it will be Abhimanyu only.
Abhimanyu promised himself also.

And they were glad it was not Aarohi in between now and even if she tried, she wouldn't get a chance.

Akshara realised how much she missed his warmth after hugging him. Abhimanyu realise how much he missed her giggles and goofy smiles. The darkness which entered his life when Akshara left, now went away slowly leaving him with the brightness and Akshara's presence.

They were each other solace and peace in chaos, the chaos that life encountered them. They left each other in between the chaos accidentally but now they find their peace. They made their way to each other.

Whatever life gives, they hope that they stay together, smiling, laughing, goofing around with each other, even fighting but not separating. The separation was too much for them. Their souls and hearts were in pain and after two years they find relief from that pain.

Now, they were not ready to leave each other even for a minute.
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