ADHOORI DASTAAN

Chapter 14 - A New Journey

Akshara sat in her room shocked at Abhinav's confession. She didn't know how to react. "I will not go to Jaipur with Abhinav" she affirmed to herself. 'But what purpose will it solve?' her inner voice asked. 'Was she planning to avoid Abhinav for the rest of her life coz that would be an impossible task'. 

She picked her phone to call Abhimanyu but stopped herself. Abhi already didn't like Abhinav, if he got to know about his feelings for her, he would probably kill him.

Abhinav entered her room, "Akshu, can we speak? We had promised to never have secrets. I revealed my truth but I promise my feelings will never come between our friendship... Please talk to me... Your friendship is very important to me Akshu..." he said kneeling down in-front of her.

"I love Abhimanyu...." she said more as a way of re-assuring herself. It pinched him, "I know and I respect it... I will never come between you two.. I promise..."

She met his eyes, which were full of honesty. She was getting affected by his presence, by his words and it wasn't a good sign. Unable to face him anymore she stood and went near the balcony. 

"Akshu say something.. please... your silence is killing me... "

She knew she could neither avoid him for the rest of her life nor bring herself to hate him.He was her best friend. Her first true friend. "Let's go"

Abhinav - "Where? Are you throwing me out of the house... Please don't... At least not now.. It's midnight.."

Akshara chuckled... Despite the serious situation he had managed to make her smile with his bad sense of humour. "If I wanted to throw you out, why would I say 'let's go'... I would have said 'get out'... and what do yo mean by not now... so tomorrow I can throw you out?"

"Umm no, I am just nervous... I don't know..." Abhinav said pulling his left ear which he used to do when he used to get stressed.

"Let's go to your room, you wanted help in packing... tomorrow we will leave after lunch..."

Abhinav smiled broadly, "So, you have forgiven me?"

"Forgiveness is asked for a mistake and you haven't made one... You shared your feelings and you don't need to be sorry for it... In fact I am sorry for not reciprocating them... Now shall we pack? I don't want to be awake all night.." saying she went to his room. Abhinav gave a relief sigh and followed her.

***

Next day after lunch Akshara and Abhinav got in the car and headed to Jaipur. It was a 6 hour journey and they were to be reaching the destination by the night. After half an hour Akshara fell asleep, her hair stands falling on her face. Abhinav's heart fluttered at this cute sight. 'Control your emotions Abhinav, you have promised that you won't come between them' he reminded himself. He started the radio which jolted Akshara from her sleep.

"Yaar Abhinav, why are you playing the radio?"

Abhinav -"So that we don't meet with an accident. You are such a horrible co passenger, slept the moment the car started... I am feeling sleepy looking at you... Also its better to hear music instead of your loud snores..."

Akshara punched him on his arm, "I don't snore... Don't talk rubbish.. And I am a great co passenger... Now all through the journey, I will keep talking and bore you to death...". Abhinav nodded his head in disappointment.

"You have been driving for a while, let me drive now.."

Abhinav gave a look which was clearly stated his apprehensive thoughts. 

"Why are you giving me that look? I know how to drive..."

"Off-course, the lat time you showed you expert driving skills, we almost landed in the hospital...t."