Twin Flames: a YRKKH Abhira ff

Chapter 25

Abhimanyu watched in fascination as he saw Akshara interact freely with her friend as they swapped internal jokes back and forth. He had never been around people who were this unguarded, granted his main interaction had always been with his immediate family and all of them were as guarded as they came, maybe not with each other but definitely in public because they were taught to uphold the great Birla name from a young age by Tauji and Buaji but more importantly by Abhimanyu's late dadi and HIM. Abhimanyu couldn't help but ponder bitterly over his upbringing because he was willing to bet his surgical hand that meals at the Goenka house would look nothing like they did at the Birlas where everyone was forced to never talk on the dinner table or laugh and giggle loudly in the main house at all. As Akshara turned to him to ask a question he tried to remove the lingering bitterness from his face, but he was sure Akshara caught something in his eye because her brows rose questioningly.

"Can you repeat that?" He asked her to divert her attention and god forbid ask her what he was mad about now. He didn't want any of her pureness to be rubbed away because of his fucked up life.

"Oh I was asking if it was okay if I brought Suds to the dinner at your place tomorrow?" Akshara asked giggling, her questions forgotten in her inebriated state.

Abhimanyu was stumped "My apartment? Uh sure but huh?". His response seemed to have set Akshara off because she let out another loud giggle before she gently whacked him on the shoulder. Nobody had been this casual with him because granted he always had the stay away from me by atleast 5km vibe going for him on his face but he couldn't help but smile at her amusedly. When he saw Sudhanshu catch that smile on his face and respond with a knowing smile on his own face he knew he had to do something about his feelings. He couldn't have everyone see it so blatantly reflected on his face especially when he himself hadn't had the time to dissect it for what it was.

"No Abhi at Birla mansion? For the dinner before the roka ceremony this weekend. Manjari aunty called this morning and said it was just going to be a small family dinner just us and you guys... Did you not know about it?" Abhimanyu panicked internally when he heard her question because of course he didn't know about it and even if he did it's not like he was going to go. He wasn't going to stop by the house unless it was absolutely warranted and unfortunately this was not one of those times. Just the thought of her in that place sent him into an enraged spiral which he had to fight hard to suppress.

"oh I wasn't aware about the dinner. I don't go to family dinners at that place Akshara" He wanted to kick himself for the downfallen expression on her face but he couldn't compromise on this. He tried to appease her and gentled his tone "it has nothing to do with you, I told you Akshu that I'm not like the rest of my family."

"But why" She groaned loudly breaking their eye contact. Abhimanyu started panicking still not willing to unpack his trauma on her, and god willing he never would have to unpack it. He wanted to keep her in the dark forever if he could. His panic must have reflected on his face because Sudhanshu intervened their conversation suddenly with a "Akshu express it's ok he must be busy, let it be. Plus I am so excited to meet Aaru, can you believe I still haven't congratulated her for her residency." Akshara's mind was diverted just enough for Abhimanyu to shoot Sudhanshu a thankful look.

"So you won't come to the roka as well?" She suddenly asked him after a few minutes of mindless chatter with Sudhanshu, her big doed eyes blinking up at Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu couldn't think straight when she was looking at him like that. "ofcourse I'll be there plus it's at your house which is not the same as the Birla mansion" He winked at her trying to ease the tension. What the hell was he doing? He never winked...this girl was turning everything upside down. At his response, akshara grinned up at him before turning back to her conversation about Aarohi with Sudhanshu.