And I Found Love

14. Something Like Love

~chot lagi hain usse phir kyun
mehsoos mujhe ho raha
dil tu bata de kya hain iraada tera~
________________________________________________

"You can meet her now if you want to", Shreya told Abhimanyu as soon as he returned with the few prescribed medicines that were needed for Akshara.

That's what he had been doing all these hours, running after the doctors to either ask about her condition or to take a note of whatever medicine or injection was required.....and for the time when he had nothing else to do, he just stood outside the room in which she was being treated to secretly have a look at her everytime he got a chance.

At the same time, he kept dodging and ignoring all the glares and disapproving looks he received from Shreya as he knew that none of her actions or words will change his decision.

He'll stay till Akshara is out of danger and none can stop him from doing the same. Yes, he told Shreya that he won't meet Akshara as part of his punishment till she allows it herself, but she still had no rights to actually push him away from the place either.......especially when he was being extremely stubborn and rigid in his stand.

And moreover, Shreya could notice a ray of hope in his eyes regarding Akshara's recovery that eventually gave her hope as well. She not only noticed an extreme stubbornness in him, but also the constant worry, desperation, guilt and regret which he was trying to hide from all....but was failing miserably to do so.

He also kept offering water to her, asking her to sit and rest for a while but he himself took no rest and continued to stand there the entire time without any hint of tiredness on his face.

However, the reason that lead her anger to actually fade away was the scene in the morning when the doctors came and declared that Akshara was finally out of danger after a long yet successful surgery. Shreya passed a look at Abhimanyu in that moment and she might be imagining things because she saw tears forming in his lids which he blinked back almost immediately and smiled at her as a coverup- "See....I told you she'll be fine soon", he said with an unbounded joy in his voice mixed with a hint of resisting the urge to actually breakdown infront of all.

And that was the moment she forgave him for not reaching on time since his smile was the most genuine one she had seen......and it warmed her heart as she realised that this reaction was for her best friend Akshara- the girl for whom maybe no one else would have reacted that way.

And at the same time......she realised that this smile which Abhimanyu held on his face wasn't something normal, nor was it just a reaction which anyone would possess only as a mere "relief from guilt".

It was way more.

Something different

Maybe......something like love.

Something which maybe even Abhimanyu wasn't aware of by now, but anyone witnessing him in that moment could easily tell.

He finally took a seat on the waiting bench nearby, letting out a long sigh of relief, as if he was holding onto his breath ever since he reached here. He rubbed his palms continuously, breathing in and out, trying to compose himself- trying to assure himself that everything was fine now.....since she was fine now- Akshara was fine.

He then looked at Shreya, clearly showing his desperation in those pleading eyes as if waiting for her approval to allow him atleast now to go and meet her but Shreya went straight inside the room without allowing him, to test him just this last time.

And he didn't protest at her behaviour at all. He still smiled.....even though the hurt was easily visible in his eyes, he accepted it, feeling that he deserved this treatment after what blunder he did.