Her Unloved Prince [√]

Chapter 25 : Losing a Friend

One Month later 

Lavnaya Sanskar Maheshwari was in love, and so each passing day was a blur of happiness. Vihaan had been always considerate of her and she liked spending time with him yet made sure it didn't interfere with their studies.

The first two weeks Vihaan had been subdued and it was given after the turn of events, slowly he was beginning to smile and the credit was due to Akash who made sure Vihaan laugh with his outrageous humor. Lavnaya relationship with Vihaan was slowly growing in its own pace, at first he always let her initiate any physical contact like holding hands or even a welcome hug but lately he was getting accustomed to be the initiator.

They hadn't had their official kiss yet, and Lavnaya who had been excited about the prospect at first have realized that not all relationship works the same way. The romantic side of her wanted to know why it didn't happen yet but the practical side of her believed it was for the best.

She loved him, and he loved her. The rest of it they will work it out together and that what she hoped as she drove to college that day, as she entered her class, she searched for Akash but found him missing. It made her worry about him.

The last two weeks, she heard several loud arguments in his house and each time she asked him about it, he would deny any such thing. She told Vihaan about it who had indicated Akash refused to answer him as well. In all the days she knew Akash, skipping college wasn't his way.

Unlike Lavanya and Vihaan, Akash had zero interest in becoming a doctor. He had joined due to his father insistence and it showed in his lack of enthusiasm for the classes, and Lavnaya was concerned about his Mark's, but he refused Vihaan and Lavanya help when they offered .

When the class got over, she texted him and usually he would respond back in a second and yet he didn't respond back for over a hour, so she called him on her lunch break .

Vihaan had a test that he choose to study in forgoing lunch with her, she had asked him to cease doing so but with his part time job he hardly has time to study .

By the end of the day, he hadn't responded to her call or message which left her worried, Vihaan was waiting for her near the gate and she quickly shared her concerns about Akash, since she was driving back home he assured her, she can check on him in person .

Yet she remained worried till she reached her home, Vihaan had asked her to text him about Akash after she saw him and yet when Lavanya knocked the door on Akash's house , she didn't expect to see a bruised face starring back at her .

Lavnaya couldn't hide the shock in her face at the sight of Akash's mother face. She tried desperately to rein in the look of terror as she asked her about Akash, not realising her answer would upturn her life .

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Akash starred at the number of missed calls from his mom, Lavanya and Vihaan. Yet he couldn't make himself answer any of them. He had always carefully kept the rage held back, but last night he gotten close to unleashing it on his father .

His father, the man who aspired to be someone else , the man who ruled his house with iron fists, the man whom his mother loved unconditionally . Akash was his only son, the pampered son until he learned to speak up about his choices .

Akash was accepted by his father as long as he obeyed his dictates, the first disagreement would unleash his anger. He had been seven the first time when he witnessed his father raising his hand against his mother .

Before that day Akash genuinely believed her mother injuries were because she was clumsy but when she told the same lie to someone else he knew, all the injuries were caused by his father and maybe from the day he learned to hide behind a smile.