Shades of Bonds - #Book2

22. Found Him

Athulya's POV

"What the... my dress!" I exclaimed, hastily wiping off the coffee droplets.

"Are you blind or what? Is your brain in your knees? Why do men never have brains? What are these buttons below your eyebrow for, can't you-"

We both went into shock. It was Veer. My Veer.

"V-Veer?" 

I found him. I did.

He stood there, just a few steps away. My heart raced as I took in his familiar features, the ones I'd been longing to see for so long. Tears welled up in my eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment.

In that instant, everything else faded away. It was just him and me, locked in a silent embrace that spoke volumes. The weight of all those unanswered questions, bore down on us. But in that moment, none of it mattered.

I closed the distance between us in a single step, wrapping my arms around him tightly. It felt as though the universe had conspired to bring us together, to mend the fractures that had formed between us.

There were no words, no need for explanations or apologies. Just the simple act of holding each other close, of feeling the warmth of his embrace, was enough to heal the wounds of the past.

As we stood there, lost in each other's arms, I knew that he couldn't escape me now. Not now, not ever. We had found our way back to each other, and nothing in this world could tear us apart again.

Controlling my emotions, I switched off my mood. 

"How dare you leave me alone!" I muttered, my voice muffled against his chest. "How can you do this, Veer? You are such a ..."

"Aashu..." He gently stroked my hair as I clung to him. 

"I'm not talking to you," I declared with a pout, breaking away and striding out of the shop.

"Please, just listen..." he pleaded, trailing after me, but I continued to march ahead, refusing to acknowledge him.

"Nahi karni mujhe baat. Jao aap," I insisted, my tone firm.

(I don't want to talk to you. Go away,)

"Arey, sun.."

(Come on, listen to me...")

"Bahut gayab hone ka shauk hai na? Jao, main gussa hu.. samajhte kya ho apne aap ko? Aap Prime Minister ho? Lagta kya hai aapko, kisi ko farak nhi padta? Aapko kya, aapko to mujhse matlab hi nhi hai. Jao yaha se.."

("So, you like disappearing, huh? Go on, I'm angry... who do you think you are? Are you the Prime Minister? What do you think of yourself, that nobody cares? What about you? You don't even care about me. Go away from here...")

"Aashu, ek baar sun to le.."

("Aashu, just listen to me once...")

"I don't even know you, mister, so stop following me," I snapped, crossing the road just as the signal changed to green, leaving him behind.

As he maneuvered through the traffic, a smirk tugged at the corner of my lips. But my heart was still heavy with questions.

"Why did you leave me?" I kept my gaze fixed ahead, refusing to look at him.

"How could I ever leave you?Ever?" His voice was earnest, pleading.

"Do you think you're the smartest one here? Look, I found you.." I tried to maintain my composure, despite the emotions swirling inside me.

"I knew you would. I know how smart my kiddo is." His words softened the edge in my voice, but I remained resolute.

He called me kiddo. His kiddo.