Love Bites!

Unexpected Serendipity (6)

Neil felt his cheeks were wet from tears by the time he finished reading all her birthday wishes. 

How could one love someone so much that they pray for their well being even on one's own birthdays?

He was afraid of being left alone, of her finding someone better. How could he just fail to see that she didn't want better. She wanted him. She prayed for him. And, it would be a shame if he let her go! Because he so desperately wanted her back!

 Neil knew & accepted the fact that life had not been fairly generous to him, but Avni's love had also helped him muster up enough courage to not let his past ruin his present or his future, with her! He knew for a fact that he wasn't probably the best man that Avni could get, but he was willing to be that man, the one she deserved & wanted to have. He was done living with this feeling of loneliness that had become a constant dull ache in his chest. He was willing to come out of his shell, for Avni! May be, he hadn't experienced happiness yet, but he could still try & find it with her besides him. 

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To say the least, Avni was miserable the last four days. The only time she smiled was when she was talking to her parents at video call. They hadn't missed the sadness in her voice & had asked her what was wrong multiple times. Neela, her mother had even asked her if it was something concerning Neil. Avni had always doubted that her mother had a hint about her feelings for him. But, not wanting to think too much over it, she shrugged the thought off as she read her book while sitting in her friend's room. 

Avni's brows furrowed in confusion when she heard her phone ringing. Who was calling her at eleven in the night? Grabbing her phone, she saw that Neil's name was being flashed on her screen. With escalating heartbeats she contemplated if she should pick the phone up or not. Before she could come to a conclusion, the ringing stopped. Sighing, she put the phone back on the nightstand only to pick it up immediately when it started ringing again.  

A - Hello. - she spoke slowly. 

N - I'm standing in front of your friend's house. Could you please come down? - she heard him say in his deep velvety voice.

Avni jumped up from the bed as soon as she processed what he had just said. With eyes widened in surprise, she walked up to the window as she pulled the curtain away. She spotted him standing in front of the building as he threw a stone with his foot while looking down at the ground. 

A - Aap yahan kya kar rhe hain itni raat ko? - she asked as she watched him walking on the pavement while he made sure that he only stepped on the brown tiles & skipped the white ones. 

"I'm seven years older than you!?" The man is still a kid. Main inse toh jyada hi samajhdaar hun! - she rolled her eyes at the thought!

N - Tumko dekhna hai, please aao na niche! - he said as he titled his head sideways. Avni wanted to kiss his pookie-self then & there!

A - Aa rhi hun! - she shook her head as she disconnected the call & rushed downstairs after informing her friend about the same. 

Neil was still busy with his march on the pavement when Avni reached there. He only noticed her when she cleared her throat in order to gain his attention. 

N - Ah, Hey! Hi! - he said with a small smile on his face.

A - Kyun bulaya hai? - she asked as she folded her arms across her chest.

N - Um, btaya toh! Tumko dekhna tha! - he said sheepishly as he stepped closer to her.

A - Dekhiye! Aap- - she started as she pointed her index finger towards him but couldn't complete her sentence when Neil wrapped his finger around hers.