Addiction (series 2) - Avneil

Getting Re-Addicted!

Ok guys , I am really really addicted to writing this :) So I have decided to apply some brakes for good. I will continue writing (especially as I love closure!) but only after some goal posts have been crossed. If I make a goal public, it will seem like asking for it and it will defeat my purpose of this entire thing. So it will be an internal reasonable goal for me, say series getting 40-50 more votes or 300 more views or some other metric that can quantify 'time' for me. It will not be for each episode but in between bunches of episodes, idea is to let some time pass in between things .. Rationale is to get and give some breathing space!! And to write something fresh for personal gratification as well apart from AvNeil maybe :)

I guess biggest impediment to this will be my lack of self-discipline in writing this. As I am so addicted to it :P

Here is one more episode before I can try and control this addiction :)

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Neil closed the door and turned to face Avni, who was standing by the bed. She was unsure what to do now that she was here. Like normal brides she did not have anyone who had prepared a bag of clothes for her to take to her husband's house after marriage. Nor had she planned on coming here. She had expected to be kicked out and not acceptance by Khanna family!

Neil came up to pick up the glass of milk that Shweta had left and he and gave it to her. Avni looked confused.

Neil - "Tumne bhi kuch nahi khaya hoga during all this drama today. Le lo, good to take something before sleeping"( You  also wouldn't have been able to eat anything during all the drama. Take this..)

Avni was touched but she shook her head as she said - "Nahi, its ok. Bhookh nahi hai.."(I'm not hungry)

Neil rolled his eyes a bit and then drank half of the milk in one breath. Then he again offered it to her with a small smile - "Ye lo, mujhe jitna peena tha le liya. Ab waste ho jayega ya phir you can use it to quench your hunger"(Take this, I drank the amount I needed to have. Now it will get wasted..)

This time Avni took it and sipped at it. Neil smiled at this while she was not seeing him. Despite whatever she had done, she had still not lost her innocence completely. It betrayed in her eyes and her weak moments. Neil realised that he needs to not try and color her in black and white in his own readings and expectations, but to assess and analyse the grays shadowing her life.

Neil looked at her wedding dress now. Even though Avni madam had tried to do a revenge wedding, still she had dressed up heavily for the occasion. Neil thought of something and left the room.

As Neil walked out of the room, Avni looked up from her glass of milk, and hesitated in going out to check what is happening. She was feeling all alone and lost in this house after all. After what seemed like an eternity to her, but was actually just five minutes by the clock, Neil came back.

Avni - "Neil.. kahan gaye the."(Where had u gone)

Neil chuckled and said - "kyun.. already aadat pad gayi kya?"( Why. Are you already addicted to me)

Avni kept quiet at his attempt of a joke. Neil showed her what he had got, it was a sari and a night dress - "I guess tumhare paas koi suitcase to hai nahi.. So these clothes belong to my cousin sis Kareena who does not live in India. Feel free to change and relax. Kal apne kuch clothes le aana yahan", he then added almost as an afterthought , "I mean jitne din rehna ho utne kapde"( I guess u don't have a suitcase....tomorrow get some of your clothes here. I mean as many clothes as the days u want to live here)

Avni's eyes grew a little moist at this which was not seen by Neil, she was never good at taking taunts, and especially from her loved ones. But she took the clothes gratefully and quietly. Neil looked after her as she went to the washroom to freshen up and change.

Avni came out after five minutes. Neil had his back to the restroom door, but he heard the door opening and thought - 'That was quick!'

He had himself changed and had already propped up the pillow on the couch. He thought it was best that after what all happened, they should not share a bed. Neil was not made of stone, he secretly wished that all had gone well and that Avni and he had married willingly, but he knew it was wishful thinking, reality was before him, and reality was crueler than fantasy.

Neil still had his back to Avni when she spoke - "Neil.. comb hai kya?"( Do u have a comb)

Neil smirked and picked his comb as started talking as he was turning to hand it over to her - "What do you think Ms Avni Ayesha, that my smashing hairstyle stays put without a comb? Ofcourse I have a .......". And then Neil was speechless for a full ten seconds.

Avni was wearing Kareena's night dress, a knee length maxi. While handing Avni Kareena's clothes, Neil had forgotten that Kareena was still in her early teens when she had left, whereas Avni was a full grown.. Neil shook his head to stop thinking on those lines but his eyes did not leave Avni. For the first time Neil realised that it is going to be difficult to be living in the same room and to control himself.

Avni looked cute and sexy at the same time. She was wearing a knee length, sleeveless, pale pink colored spaghetti-strap maxi with lace work on it and with a pink cartoon pig made on it!

Neil did not know what to say. He decided that there was only one way to save his honor. He decided to convert his attraction into humor and started laughing at her. Avni immediately grew conscious.

Avni - "Neil.. I am warning you.. I did not have any option.. Tum bhi yahi leke aaye bas"(You too brought this only!)

Neil, wiping away his tears of laughter said - "I think main bilkul sahi cheez laaya. It is as immature as you are..", and then he burst out laughing again. (I think I brought the correct thing)

Avni walked to her bed in a huff and lied down and pretended to go to sleep.

Neil stopped himself with some effort and then switched off the lights and tried to adjust his frame on the couch.

They had been sleeping for about couple of hours, when Neil woke up due to neck pain, he had been sleeping in the wrong position! He got up and poured himself some water, and then he thought he heard something. He looked at Avni, her face was turned the other side. Neil walked up to her by the foot of the bed, and then he saw something that made him forget everything and he rushed to her.

Avni was extremely disturbed while in deep sleep. She used to live alone since her childhood, since Neela ma's death, and there was no one to comfort her or to provide her any sense of security. Hence sometimes she got scared while sleeping alone in the house and used to get nightmares. Today also Avni was sleeping in a new place with new people in the house and she was quite insecure and tense mentally. Hence the nightmare she was forced to witness right now was one of the worst she had had!