A considerable amount of time had passed when Hiya didn't come out of the changing room. Ahil knocked on the door, "Hiya... Hiya!" Upon hearing his voice, she quickly wiped her tears and hurriedly came out, "Yes...!"
As soon as she came out, she collided with his broad chest. He held the back of her head and looked down at her. Ahil couldn't take his eyes off her, making Hiya feel extremely embarrassed. As she felt his intense gaze, she nervously looked down at her nighty, which she forcefully pulled down towards the floor.
His subtle smile in response hinted at his satisfaction with her reaction.
The moment her face came to his sight the first thing he noticed was the tears in her deep, dark eyes, a clear sign that she had been crying. Gently, he held her shoulders and guided her towards the bed, paying no heed to the tears streaming down her face.
The mere touch sent shivers down Hiya's spine, and beads of sweat were visible on her forehead. He carefully seated her on the bed, his gaze scrutinizing her from head to toe. Hiya, in turn, became increasingly uneasy under his intense scrutiny.
Attempting to shield herself from his gaze, Hiya instinctively covered her body with her hands, contemplating, "What is this person planning to do that he's studying me so intently from top to bottom?" His intense observation only heightened Hiya's anxiety.
In an effort to protect herself from his penetrating gaze, Hiya draped her hands across her chest, putting a shrug. Meanwhile, Ahil placed a first aid box in front of her, extracted a gel, and remarked, "What...? Why cover up like that? Remove your shrug."
As he uttered those words, he took the initiative to remove her shrug, unveiling Hiya's delicate form. Ahil, confronted with the sight of her fair skin, found himself momentarily caught off guard. A subtle sense of unease lingered, prompting him to whisper to himself, forming fists as he sought control, "Steady, Ahil... Today, you don't need to do anything."
Turning his gaze away from her, he began the meticulous task of applying medicine to every visible mark of injury, tracing the path of the bruised areas. His hands moved with a gentle precision, tenderly addressing each wound on her body. The sincerity of his care became evident, and her eyes betrayed a hint of moisture.
A girl desires both love and care, and although the concept of love might be elusive, today, Hiya could unmistakably sense the manifestation of genuine care in every action.
Unaware of the depth of Ahil's caring nature, Hiya silently reproached herself, reflecting, "What was I thinking? But you've truly surprised me, Ahil.”
Hiya gazed at Ahil with eyes brimming with tears as he concentrated on applying the medicine, seemingly oblivious to her emotional state.
Abruptly, a vivid recollection surged within Hiya—a haunting memory from a past encounter with Utkarsh. On that distressing day, in a state of intoxication, Utkarsh had subjected Hiya to a brutal beating. When she was writhing in pain, he deceitfully offered to apply medicine. However, instead of relief, he cruelly inflicted further suffering by burning her with a scalding iron, prompting agonizing screams.
As these traumatic memories resurfaced, Hiya couldn't contain her anguish. She screamed, "Ah... it's burning... my hand is burning!" With an instinctive jolt, she extricated her hand from Ahil's grasp and sought refuge near the sofa, continuing to sob in pain.
Ahil, perplexed by the sudden turn of events and misinterpreting the situation, looked at her with confusion, contemplating, "What happened to her?" The unfolding scene left him utterly shocked and bewildered.
Quickly rising from the bed, Ahil approached Hiya with a cautious demeanor, lovingly running his fingers through her hair as he spoke, "I won't do anything to you, Hiya... Come with me here."
With a gaze filled with affection, she cast a glance at Ahil and swiftly got up, running toward the bed leaving Ahil at his place. She gets inside the blanket as she lies down. And seeing her lay down Ahil came walk to her side, urging her gently, "Hiya, wait. First, take the pain medicine so that you won't feel any discomfort, then go to sleep."
Despite her reluctance, she had to get up again at his insistence. As she rose, she took the medicine from his hand and offered her water. Ahil personally assisted her in taking the medicine.
Afterward, he covered her under the duvet and, while soothingly patting her, reassured, "No need to be afraid. You can sleep peacefully now." With those comforting words, he tucked her in, encouraging her to rest without worry.
After soothing Hiya to sleep, Ahil turned off the lights and carefully settled down next to her, conscientiously avoiding any accidental touch. Despite lying down for rest, Hiya's behavior had left him unsettled. Thoughts swirled in his mind, "This girl is concealing something from me, but what...?"
___________
The next morning
Upon awakening, Ahil's initial action was to scan his surroundings, expecting to find Hiya next to him. To his surprise, she was not on the bed.
A sense of urgency compelled him to rise quickly and embark on a thorough search throughout the house. He calls out her name looking around yet she remained elusive within the confines of the bedroom.
Scared, he starts descending the stairs in haste, and Ahil was met with a delightful aroma that beckoned him to the kitchen. Following the scent, he discovered Hiya there, engaged in some morning activity.
In a light green cotton kurta paired with white palazzo pants, her hair cascading in an artful display, and wearing a white apron, Hiya was not only in the kitchen but was also the one preparing the meal.
As she continued to cook, she hummed a tune, adding a musical touch to her culinary endeavors.
"You're the light, you're the night
You're the colour of my blood"
After singing these lines, Hiya paused for a moment. There was no doubt that her voice was truly melodious. Ahil's heart urged him to hear more, to prolong the musical interlude.
At that moment, Hiya began singing again,
"You're the cure, you're the pain"
Then, she mumbled, "What were the next lines? Why can't I remember?"
A deep smile graced Ahil's lips as he held her in his arms, singing the next lines to remind her. Placing his hands around her waist, he gently bound her hands over her stomach.
"You're the cure, you're the pain
You're the only thing I wanna touch
Never knew that it could mean so much, so much"
The sound of the music resonated, and Hiya felt Ahil's breath so close, her ears turning slightly red.
YOU ARE READING
TERE AA JANE SE
Romance"I don't merely experience anger, Hiya. My feelings towards you go beyond that - it's a perpetual hatred. While anger may subside in a moment, this kind of hatred lingers for a lifetime. No matter how much one desires, such hatred cannot be eradicat...
