ADHOORI DASTAAN

Chapter 6 - Best Friends Forever

"SURPRISE!!!" Abhinav shouted. Akshara stood up shocked. He hugged her, "I missed you so much Akshu" Rest of the family came hearing the noise.

Bade papa - "Abhinav! When did you come?"

Abhinav - "Just now Bade Papa, and as soon as I came, I said sorry to your beloved Akshu"

Abhinav went and touched the elder's feet. "Mimi you are becoming younger day by day!"

Everyone giggled while Akshara stood there numb. The confusion settled in. The surprise was from Abhinav, Abhimanyu had neither said sorry nor just called her to resolve the argument. She was now annoyed to an another level. 

Bade Ma - "I hope this time you have come leisurely and will be with us for some time."

Abhinav - "Yes, for a month. I have even booked the hotel."

Mimi - "And you are cancelling it right now. You are family Abhinav. You will stay with us."

Abhinav tried to resist but they all persuaded him to stay with them. 

"I have brought something for all of you!"  he exclaimed and started giving them gifts. Finally he removed two boxes and gave it to Akshara.

"Arre Abhinav, you gave everyone one gift but two for Akshu, this is cheating" Vansh teased, who knew he liked Akshara."

Abhinav blushed, "Actually, there is one more, which is coming. I was confused so bought all three." Just then a person came with big rectangular box. 

Akshara opened the first box, which had a beautiful watch and a note 'Best Friends Forever till the end of time'

Abhinav's mind pointed how he had almost written love you till the end of time, but later corrected. He quieted his mind, 'Tomorrow, he affirmed to himself, I will propose my Akshu.'

She opened the second box which had a diamond bracelet and 'Shine like a diamond' note.

Finally she opened the the third box which had an expensive guitar with 'Akshara' inscribed on it.

"WOW!" Everyone exclaimed. Akshara smiled at him. 

Abhinav held his ears, "Sorry Akshu."

Surekha - "But Abhinav, why are you saying sorry?"

Abhinav - "Because I did not attend Aarohi's wedding. Akshara is my best friend and I missed her sister's wedding, who is also such a good friend of mine. I knew she will be angry, so brought these flowers, pastry and sorry card. After all she is  badbad queen and a queen should always be pampered."

He continued, "But now that I am here, we both will go and meet Aarohi and... I forgot her husband's name".

Everyone looked at each other with a question mark on their face. Abhinav felt that there was some issue, "Is everything alright?"

Bade papa revealed the truth to him. How on the wedding day Akshara and Abhimanyu eloped and confessed their love and Aarohi left for Mumbai to start afresh.

Abhinav felt the ground slipping beneath his feet. 'Akshara loves someone else' kept ringing in his mind. He was planning on proposing and now he got to know that she loved someone else. He had loved Akshara even before he knew what love was. 

Even in his wildest nightmares, he had not imagined this. Since childhood there were no secrets between them, she would tell everything. She would always go the extra mile for him. And he felt that she also loved him but was shy to confess. But his feelings were just one sided.

There was awkward  silence. Mimi - "Abhinav beta, you go to your room and freshen up. Akshara take him to the guest room."

***

Disturbed by the engagement fiasco, Abhimanyu went to the hospital. His argument with Akshara and Anisha's words were going on in his mind. Till now he was blissful being in love but now realised that in relationships there are arguments and ego clashes. 

He remembered the time he first met Akshara. She resembled his mother. Soft, vulnerable and a music lover. While Aarohi reminded him of his father, whom he hated. Stubborn, practical and ambitious. He wanted to show his dad how a happy relationship is.

'Maybe that's why I irrationally hated her. Should I call Aarohi, but what will I say?' he wondered. 

Walking through the hallway he heard two nurses gossiping about him and Akshara and feeling pity for Aarohi. 'Fine we have made mistake, but why is everyone making us villain and hailing Aarohi. She is not a saint either' his mind irritatedly stated. 

Now along with his dad, he wanted to show Aarohi that his and Akshara's relationship was perfect.

Ego clouded his mind. He wanted to vent his anger and but didn't know how, so he opened his phone and wrote Aarohi a message, on how happy he was with Akshara. That their relationship was perfect. He was glad that she left for Mumbai and she would never get true love because of her nature.

He calmed himself and felt it's stupid idea to send this message, so tried to delete it. But by mistake pressed send. 

"Shit!!" Abhimanyu gritted his teeth. 'What will she think now?'

***

The opposite attracts concept always fantasised Akshara until she was in relationship with Abhi. Being with someone who has completely different view is not as romantic as people perceive.

Akshara and Abhinav walked to the guest room which was adjacent to her room. The walk felt like an eternity. She was extremely happy that Abhinav had returned from London. She remembered their promise that they would never keep secrets. She had broken her promise. She had not told him about Abhimanyu. He had every right to get angry.  

She looked fondly at him. Abhinav is a gem of a person. He apologised for something that's isn't even a mistake. They reached the guest room. He stepped forward but Akshara held his arm to stop. He froze and looked at her.

Akshara jumped and tightly hugged him, making him lose balance. He took the door's support to not fall.

"I am sorry Abhinav. I know you are angry. I should have told you about Abhimanyu.Everything happened so quickly, that I couldn't tell you. Please forgive me, I can't lose my best friend." Tears started to form in her eyes.

The best friend rang in his ears. That's what he was and will always be in Akshara's life. He pulled her from the embrace, "Remember the note, I gave with the watch - Best Friends Forever till the end of time" Abhinav forcefully smiled.

Akshara smiled and again hugged him tightly. "Thank you for being in my life".

***

And this sight was witnessed by Abhimanyu.

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Author's Note - How is the chapter and Abhinav's character? Hope you all liked it. Do vote and comment.