A New Beginning

Chapter 26: Everything Will Be Alright

I never knew that coming back to my hometown would bring so many problems for me and Akku.

All that happened felt like a nightmare, yet I knew that we both had to address the issue before it became unbearable. I had wanted to meet Akku at a neutral place and so I called her at a cafe that had only recently come up.

I checked my phone for any alerts and realised that there was a mail from my manager telling me about a tri series being held between India, England and Australia that I was chosen to be a part of right after the New Zealand series. It was going to be a very long season away from home.

The bell at the door of the cafe chimed and I looked up to see Akku walking in. She was wearing black jeans along with a white tshirt with had Believe in Black written on it and a black snapback. She had slight dark circles underneath her eyes that she had not even bothered to hide under makeup.

"Hey." I greeted her as she came closer but she didn't reply, instead she threw herself in my arms and hugged me tight. I put my hand on her back and rubbed it for a while before we both separated and sat down in the booth facing each other.

The server came along right then and we both ordered a cold coffee each.

I looked her over and she seemed a little frail since the last time I had seen her, as if she hadn't been eating properly. We both didn't utter a word, me looking at her and her tracing patterns on the table top.

The server came by again and put our coffees in front of us before walking back and we still had not spoken. When it finally got too much to bear I cleared my throat and began.

"Akku, I..." But she interruped me.

"RJ, listen to me. If you want to break up with me and leave me I completely understand. I made you go through so much and you didn't deserve any of it." She spoke up and I just looked at her shocked.

"Are you crazy? You idiot! Here I am worried sick about you and you think I will leave you! You dumdum, I will go to hell and back for you! I wanted to go there with you and given the chance I would do it again! If someone tries to harm you they will have to go through me before! Not that you need me, but because I want to!" I didn't even realise when my voice rose and by the end I had stood up from my seat and was practically screaming at her, breathing erratically.

She glanced a nervous look around before holding my hand and pulling me back down.

"Dude, chill! I was just asking..." She murmured.

"Well don't ask me stupid questions! You're my girl, my responsibility just like I'm yours and I will never leave you alone." I said and pulled her hand in mine before squeezing my eyes shut. I was on the verge of crying and the thought of her own father trying to kill her kept coming back to haunt me.

"Hey hey hey, I'm ok. Look at me." She put a finger under my chin and made me look up.

I was supposed to be consoling her and here this smart, beautiful, strong girl was helping me.

I just reached over the booth and pulled her mouth to mine, giving her a passionate kiss. When her lips touched mine I felt like I finally started breathing for the first time since the day everything had happened with her father. She kissed me back feverishly, equally passionate, both of us not bothered about the staring eyes or people clearing their throats or the table digging into our stomachs. I pushed myself back a few moments later and threw a five hundred rupee note on the table before I pulled her out, our coffees forgotten.

I slid inside my car after opening the passenger side door for her.

"Talk to me. Tell me how you feel. Take it out." I say to her waiting for her to take out everything building up inside her, but she just stares at me for a moment before silent sobs start racking her body. Slowly, she is full out crying into my chest as I whisper non sensical things into her ear and rub her back or run my hand over her hair.

That is how I know she will be fine, we will be fine. Just being together.