The Marriage Contract

39 - My First Kiss

But as they say, curiosity killed the cat. "Who?" Akshara asked, biting her lower lips, just as her ears perked up waiting for a response.

"A stunningly gorgeous woman." He remembered to use the exact words she did to describe Shreya Swamimaran.

The cycles in Akshara's brain started churning at Abhimanyu's words. She'd said those exact words before. But where? And to describe whom? Her eyes widened as she recalled exactly where and for whom she had used those exact words for.

"THAT BITCH!" She blurted out, hastily as she went back to the couch and plopped herself back onto the floor beside Abhimanyu.

"Daddy's rich heiress princess that wouldn't stop betting on you?!" She confirmed.

Abhimanyu nodded his head, trying hard to suppress his smile at Akshara's tipsy outrage. "Yup. Her."

"That..." Akshara paused trying to calm herself down. "What did she want? She does know I won the auction fair and square, right?"

"She is the newer board member for Birla Hospital."

Akshara's jaw dropped to the ground at Abhimanyu's confession. "Shut up! No she's not!" Akshara voiced out, in denial of the words Abhimanyu had just said.

Abhimanyu got up from the floor and made his way to the kitchen with Akshara following closely behind on his heels like a puppy with separation anxiety.

"Yes she is." Abhimanyu assured her, pouring himself another drink.

"How?!"

"I don't know. But now she is. And now she will be overseeing the opening of the children's wing and the charity initiatives."

Akshara felt as if she was seeing red. The woman, Shreya —she already wanted to get close to Abhimanyu and now —she had the perfect chance.

"And?!"

"And what?" Abhimanyu looked at her pointedly.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. There was nothing I could say Akshara. She is a board member now and if I say anything now, it'll look bad on my part. And I don't want her or anyone, not even me to be a hindrance to the children's wing and charity initiatives. So I said okay."

"Okay? Just like that?"

Abhinanyu sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Yes. Just like that."

"But are you okay with it though? You know she'll interfere right?" At this point it wasn't even her jealousy or possessiveness talking. It was just her pure unadulterated concern speaking.

"You think I don't know that? Of course she'll interfere and I have no other option but to let her." Abhimanyu was exhausted. "Today has been such a terrible day. I just needed some time to come home and relax and have a chat with you about my day because I don't know —you just seem to make my days better. Somehow. Just talking to you. But I guess that day is not today." He scoffed, before walking over to the couch and again taking a seat on the floor.

Akshara bit her lip as she watched an exhausted Abhimanyu push his head back and rest against the sofa seat. Now she felt terrible. Horrible even for being angry at him for something that wasn't even a big deal. She sighed and quickly —as fast as her drunken feet could take her, made her way over to Abhimanyu and plopped herself back down on the ground.

"Sorry." Akshara managed to get the words out of her as she tugged on her ears in apology.

"It's okay."

"Do you want to talk about that witch? Your day? I'm alllllll years!" She held one ear out for Abhimanyu, making him chuckle.

He shook his head. "No, it's okay. I'm good."

Unbearable awkward silence blanketed the room with neither Abhimanyu or Akshara making the first move to talk. However, Akshara broke first.

"Pssssst." Akshara whispered loudly in Abhimanyu's ear, almost spitting inside his ear ducts, turning him deaf.

"Yes." Abhimanyu hushed her, running a finger in his ear to make sure he could hear properly.

"Can I tell you a secret?" She whispered, loud enough for the 3 floors below them to hear.

"What?"

"You're the only one I've kissed." She confessed.

"One?! That's rude. Why? Have the other been nines and tens?" He asked in a slur, taking offense to her confession.

"No, you Dumdum!" She smacked him lightly in the arm. "You are definitely a 10! 10 on 100 for sure! Sorry! I mean a 100 for sure! No doubt!"

"Are you reviewing my kissing skills?" He asked, casually.

"Shut up! I just wanted to say that you're the first man I've ever kissed." She tried again.

"Man? Why? Have the rest of the others been women? Because if they have, then good on you! Experimenting is good!" He joked again, unwilling to accepted the truth behind Akshara's words.

Being someone's first kiss was a big responsibility. And he wasn't ready for it. He wasn't meant to be anyone's first. Ever.

"No! You're my first kiss ever. The first man —person —human I ever kissed." She confessed, for the third time, getting frustrated by Abhimanyu.

"And why are you telling me this?" He asked her, playing along the rim of his empty glass of whiskey.

"I don't know. I don't know. I just...I needed to share it with someone know, my first kiss, ever. With a man. And I have no one to share it with. No friends, elder siblings...just you."

Abhimanyu felt a sense of pride and a hint of possessiveness at her confession. He had been her first kiss. Her only kiss, until now. For some reason, the knowledge made him feel like a Neanderthal wanting to beat his chest like a drum. He felt a sense of warmth, of possession, a fuzzy feeling inside his chest at her confession. Her first kiss. She has been untouched before him. Pure. Innocent. Untouched.

"I guess...you're welcome?" He knew he was being an ass, however he was too overwhelmed with the knowledge Akshara had just bestowed upon him. But he didn't know what else to say. Should he say, 'Hey Akshara, I'm sorry I was your first kiss. You deserved to have your first kiss be special. I'm sorry I'm not worthy of your first kiss.'

"You are such a asshole. A jerk!" She hit him on the shoulder, trying not to cry. "A freaking jerk!"

Abhimanyu smirked, feeling his heart constrict at her words. Akshara got up from the floor and began to leave as he looked on, finishing the last bit of his drink. He then said out loud the one name he hadn't said in the last 10 years:

"Zaara Mehra. Her name was Zaara Mehra."

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Ahhh! Cliffhanger. I know! But I hope this chapter was better than the last. Please vote and comment!