ANIKA
I have always kept my thoughts, my dreams, my pain and my hurt only to myself. There's no one on this earth who could say that they know everything about me. Keeping things to yourself is way easier than trying to make others understand them.
In the past, whenever I thought of sharing my thoughts with anyone, the words weren't able to push past my throat. It was as if some invisible force was choking me and stopping me from sharing them with anyone.
But for some reason sharing my truth with Zane was looking easy. Actually, really fucking easy.
Maybe, it was because of the way he was looking at me with so much warmth, in those ocean blue eyes of his that I've come to love so much. Or maybe it was because deep down I knew that he'll not only understand me but also support me.
Whatever the reason was, I was fucking relieved that after today nothing will step between us. Because after this conversation we'll only have unconditional trust between us.
I took a deep breath and said, “Please, let me finish before you say anything, okay?”
He nodded his head in understanding.
And just like that I told him everything. My love for dance, my dream of opening a dance academy, my family's refusal, me lying to them about law school, deceiving them. I told him every ugly part about me.
After laying my everything out, I looked at him.
He looked a little overwhelmed.
He cleared his throat and said, “Umm…to be honest, I don't know what to say sweetheart. Do you regret coming here? Do you no longer want what you came here for?”
“No. I still want these things and I'm going to do everything in my power to make my dreams come true. I don't regret anything. The only thing I do regret is lying to my parents, deceiving them. I hate that I had to hurt them to achieve my dreams.”
I really do hate it.
“Come here, firefly.” He opened his arms and I went willingly. He hugged me tightly. I needed exactly this. When I am in his arms, I feel that I can get through anything.
“I know a thing or two about lying to your parents. It makes you hate yourself for hurting them. And when they'll get to know about this, I'm sure it'll hurt them. But if what you told me about your father and brother is true, and they are really that overprotective and over possessive, then there is no way in hell they would've let you open a dance academy. I'm not sure how they'll react when they'll get to know about all this but what I do know is that they'll eventually forgive you. Yes, it'll take them a lot of time to be able to process this and be able to trust you again but at the end they will not only forgive you but will be fucking ecstatic that you followed your heart.”
I looked at him with tears in my eyes and asked in a small voice, “You think so?”
“I know so.” He said with his beautiful smile.
Oh god, I love this guy.
The realization hit me out of nowhere.
Yeah, I love him. I fucking love him so much.
“Z…I…I think I…” Before I could complete my sentence my phone started ringing.
I jumped out of his embrace and checked my phone.
Ansh?
“Hello, kaisa hai Mera chota shaitaan?” I said in a teasing voice.
“Anu beta.”
Him? Why the fuck is he on the call?
“Why are you calling me? Where's Ansh?” I am barely controlling anger. I am trying to be civil only for Ansh, but if he's using him to be able to talk to me again then even I don't know what I'll do.
“Anu…”
“It's Anika. You lost the right to call me Anu, years ago.” I cut him off and said.
“Please don't say that. I care about you, beta.”
“What the hell do you want?” I asked in a cold voice.
I felt Z wrapping his hand around my free hand and caressing it with his thumb.
I heard him sigh over the phone and then said, “Ansh is missing you, An- I mean Anika. He wants you to come home for Raksha Bandhan. Can you do that? Please.”
I miss him too. But there's just no way in hell am I going to his damn house.
“I want to celebrate Raksha Bandhan with him too. But I don't wanna see your or your wife's face. You can drop him off at our house and we'll take care of him.”
“Fair enough.”
“If that is it then I need to go.” I was about to hang up when he said, “Wait, Anu, I mean Anika. I-I miss you too angel.”
Liar. He is a liar, Ika. Don't forget what he did. He is lying again. That is what he does. He plays with everyone's feelings. Don't you dare trust him.
“I don't. And you know exactly why. Next time just text me, no need to call me. Goodbye.”
Before he could say anything else I hung up.
Zane turned me towards him and swiped under my eyes. It was then I noticed that I was crying.
And it was as if the last thread of my patience snapped and I cried in his arms. Hard. It was the first time I allowed myself to cry because of him. I cried for my old self.
And through it all he held me tightly like he was silently promising that he would never let me go.
أنت تقرأ
Till Forever Falls Apart
العاطفيةAnika Verma : Dance is my passion. My dreams, my career, my future, my everything. To fulfill this dream, I moved from India to California and lied to the most important people in my life, My Family. I promised myself that after this, I will never...
