Abhira- The untainted love.

26. You Talk, I listen.

"Akshu." "Abhi.", they said together.

"I just wanted to...", they again said in unison and let out a chuckle.

"You go first.", she said.

"A gentleman prefers ladies first."

"I just.....actually.....that.....
Yeah, I wanted to return your blazer."

Lie. His mind screamed.
"Well, I don't any of these excuses, hence, I'll prefer to be honest.
I came here to check upon you two.
If you okay or not."

Her eyes snapped to him.
"I am okay Abhimanyu.
I too wanted to see if you are fine or not.", this time she said truthfully.

He smiled genuinely.
"I.....I am not fine, if I'll be honest and whatever I witnessed today....it just....
Let it be, you look tired, you should rest."

"You too should sleep."

"Goodnight Akshu."

"Goodnight Abhimanyu."
And with this he turned on his heel to walk back to his room.
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Sleep was the farthest thing for Abhimanyu that night.
The video he saw today again and again replayed in his mind, that tears struck face of Akshara flashed infront of his eyes every second, he just can't get them out of his brain.
The fact that she could have died and he wouldn't even get to know sent shivers down his spine.

Somewhere he found himself also guilty for not reaching out to her.
All these thoughts were driving him crazy.

Standing by his room's window, suddenly his eyes fell on someone who was going out of the main gate.
The lack of light didn't helped, although he can even recognize even this person's shadow.

"Akshara?"
He checked his watch to find out it was 1:42 in the night.
"What in the hell is she doing up so late?"
He said to himself before deciding to follow her out.
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Akira could hear some footsteps approaching her and got alerted, when she felt this person close enough, she turned around holding the burning lighter as a tool to protect herself.

"Woah, whoa, woah!.", Abhimanyu spoke putting his arms up in surrender.

"Abhimanyu?"

"Yes.", he spoke eying the lighter to be put down.

"Sorry, sorry.", she said hurriedly moving away the lighter from his face.
"What are you doing here?", she asked.

"I saw you going out at this time and thought of coming along.
What are you doing here?"

She turned around and his eyes fell on something she was burning, looking closing he figured out it was the pair of jeans and tee she was wearing earlier this day.

"Just wanted to burn some haunting memories."

"Akshara, it's okay, I am here.", he said comforting her.

"Till date I kept them in my cupboard, infront of my eyes as a reminder of the terrible thing that happened with me."

"It was not your fault."

"That is the exact thing I never told myself.
All my life, I was blamed for anything bad that ever happened, that somewhere made me believe that it was true, so I kept telling myself that whatever happened was my fault.
But when Nishtha tried to blame herself, I couldn't take it, I scolded her for even thinking such a thing, that is when it hit me, I was doing the same thing with myself."

"I am sorry that I was not there for you, with you, I am just so sorry. I could have called you, just should have tried."

"No Abhimanyu, No, don't ever put this blame on yourself, please.", as she softly wiped his tears.

"Since, sleep is not even close to us.
Can we talk?", he asked hopefully.

"Ofcourse."

He sat on the nearby grass and she sat next to him, infront of this bonfire.

He saw her keeping back that lighter in her pyjama pocket.
A new lighter, he noticed, as he saw it peeking out a little.
He again had questions, but thought against it and tried to focus on making her comfortable right now rather then alarming.

"Why did you left in the first place? How all of this happened?
I just want to you know if you are comfortable."

She didn't spoke for a while and silence took over.
As if she was gathering herself before speaking, taking a deep breathe she decided to go on.

"Remember the day you dropped at the NGO after the entire marriage fiasco."
He just nodded and asked her to continue.

"I thought after the matter will be a little cool down then I'll go home and apologise to all of our families and you too.
That is when my brother texted me, asking me to leave the city for awhile.

I agreed without arguments.
He didn't even allowed me to come inside that house to pack up my stuff, just asked me what all I needed, got it packed up and dropped off the NGO with a car that'll drop me at the airport or railway station.

That is when I decided to go to Rishikesh, it was a very important place for my mother, then after a week or so I decided to go to Goa and then finally settled in Mumbai as I got a permanent job there.

My job was fine, it was paying me okayish but not enough when I decided I wanted to go to places out of India.

Capetown was the cheapest of the three destinations, hence I chose that one.
I was looking for a job switch, that is when my college friend Maya Khera reached me out, letting me know that her brother is inaugurating a new medical facility in Pune and I can apply for the position of music therapist there.

The salary didn't had huge difference but the scope of growth was high, it would be beneficial in my resume when I'll apply for job overboard, I thought.

I packed my stuff and reached there house, the next day Maya had to leave for an event, Kunal found me alone and took the chance, the rest you know.

When I gained consciousness, I just ran out of that place but I wanted to fight.

I had enough proof against him, but before that he got me kidnapped and his two men took me to a forest to kill me, they thought they succeeded.
Neilima maa's team rescued me from there because they left me thinking I was dead.

I tried contacting my brother and you know that story.

That day I decided I'll never look back and will close this chapter. I didn't had the urge to fight because there was nothing I could have won, I already had lost everything.

But, god had other plans, and I saw my biggest nightmare as Nishtha's criminal too.

I was struck with guilt, I chose to stay silent and that led to other girls sob.
I can't imagine the number of girls who faced the same during the six months when I stitched my mouth shut."

Abhimanyu kept looking at her, his heart breaking with every word she said.
"You are brave Akshu, you are so so brave and I am more than proud of you."

He said as he shifted a little closer to her, taking the cue she rested her head on his shoulder.
Every tear of her dropped on his shoulder, he didn't asked her to stop crying, because this was needed, she needed to let go.

He tilted his head over her head, sniffing to control his own tears.

They both just sat silently in each other's company.
Truth to be told, this was the most comforting silence.
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Target- 85 likes

A/N
One of the biggest drawback of Abhira's journey had been their lack of conversations in the show.
I can hardly put my finger on any mature and adult conversation or discussion they have ever indulged into.
It was either lovey dovey talks or just arguing or quarrelling, there was no in between.

Although the one conversation I remember is their talks as they decided to give their relation a second chance, but it makes no sense after that how it went downhill.