Kissing Away Insecurities | ✓

Chapter 16 - His Battles

She stepped out after a relatively long shower. From past few days she felt so physically drained due to the emotional turmoil. She didn't know what to understand from there encounter. It ached to see him so broken. His broken image was stuck in her head. She felt guilty. 

As soon as her eyes moved away from the ground she noted him standing in the balcony. He had laid out plates on the table in the balcony. She simply stared at him. He was putting efforts to make it look yet beautiful. The dim light from the lamp above made it a perfect romantic setup. 

When he steeped inside the room he noted her. Before he could say anything the bell rang. "I will get it!" He disappeared.

Anika released a breath she didn't know she was holding. She looked in the direction of balcony. Steadily she walked out. The fresh air and light breeze made her feel better. She glanced aside at the table, and looked away. It would have been so lovely if things were okay. But nothing was okay. At least not within her. Like the massive churning emotions weren't enough to trouble her. Another was added to it in good quantity. 

G u i l t.

He came back as quickly as he had left. He placed the packets on the table. "Anika, you start, I will be back in a jiffy!" Saying so he quickly ran to the washroom to have a wash. 

She slowly sank in the chair. Her eyes steadily moved from the railing to the sky. She had no heart for this. She wanted space. Time and space - to figure out which piece fit where. The pieces of the perfect puzzle - their life - had jumbled up terribly. She just from could hope and pray none was broken beyond repair.

He came back to find the table just as he had left it. Trying to seem as cheerful as possible he served her plate and then his. She simply sat in silence switching her gaze between him and some far away point in the sky.

"Shivaay. I don't want to eat." She said slowly.

He got up and pulled his chair beside hers. Taking his plate in hand he extended his right hand with a morsel to her lips. 

Their eyes met. Looking into his eyes, she slowly ate. She had really missed him a lot. So much that now when he was so close she was scared this was a dream that would vanish with no evidence behind. 

Silence followed as he fed and she ate. She wanted more of his time, more of his love, more of him. But, not heartbreak. Not the pain, again.

"I don't want to leave this place." She said softy, as he continued to feed her. 

He was quietly staring at her. Keeping his plate on the table, he picked up the tissue. 

"Anika if you don't let go old chapters, how will you make new?" He wiped off the gravy off the side of her lips.

She stared at him. Not able to look any longer at him she looked away. Was it so easy for him to leave this place, with all their memories and move on?