Entangled Love (6yr leap)

CHAPTER 22

After her class, Akshara stepped out into the school hallway, her mind already occupied with thoughts of the upcoming therapy session with a student. Suddenly, the soft chime of her phone drew her attention, and she paused to check the message, her fingers deftly navigating the screen as she resumed walking.

Caught up in her digital world, she failed to notice the person walking towards her until it was too late. With a sudden collision, she stumbled forward, her heart lurching in her chest as she braced herself for the impact.

But before she could hit the ground, two strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her back into an upright position. For a moment, she kept her eyes shut, the rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins, until she realized she wasn't falling.

Slowly, she opened her eyes, and there he was – Abhimanyu, with his hazel eyes filled with concern and intensity, gazing back at her. A surge of emotions washed over her, a mixture of gratitude and something else, something she couldn't quite name but which left her feeling oddly exhilarated.

ABHI - When will you let go of your careless ways? Do you love the ground so much that you fall for it every time you see it? huh.

AK - Kuch bhi ha, It's nothing like that. It was just an honest slip. Also, you too weren't looking while walking so stop nagging me.

Akshara said defiantly making Abhimanyu sigh and shake his head as he muttered "Girija Kahi ki", while Akshara got lost in his deep, hazel eyes once again.

It had been two weeks since Abhimanyu joined the school but he had already made quite an impression on her. Somehow she always found herself colliding with him and unwittingly being drawn to him. Also, looking at how he had her twins wrapped around his fingers, they inevitably were constantly in touch and naturally, she too had come to enjoy spending time with him. 

She always felt an unexplainable sensation whenever she was near him. Her heart would race and her stomach would flutter with excitement at the mere sight of him. Although she couldn't deny the attraction she felt towards him, her circumstances always made her question herself.

Also, ever since she met Abhimanyu, the voices of people in her head have grown louder. It was quite odd as it felt like his presence had triggered her memory, and it was trying to recover the lost fragments. Though this made her happy, but at the same time, she was frightened to face reality. 

As it had been so many years, and nothing was the same now. What if the people she was acquainted with had already moved on? What if it was too late to fix things? She wasn't alone now and if things went south, it would affect her babies too. She couldn't let their hearts break.

But since she, herself was not sure about anything at the moment hence she believed that maintaining a professional relationship with Abhimanyu was the best course of action for them. Despite her internal struggle, she appreciated the positivity he brought into their lives and valued their growing friendship.

With a gentle yet firm grip, Abhimanyu helped her regain her balance, his touch lingered for a moment longer than necessary while his eyes were still locked with hers, its intensity making her avert her eyes. 

She couldn't help but notice the scattered papers on the ground, a forgotten casualty of their unexpected encounter. With a sheepish smile, she bent down to gather them, while Abhimanyu looked intently at her, mimicking her actions.

While she tries to gather her wits together, she feels a flutter in her chest, an unfamiliar sensation ignited by the intensity of Abhimanyu's gaze. The world around them seemed to fade, leaving only the two of them in a moment suspended in time.