Undying Love |✔

Chapter 40- Communication Is the Key

Amit was trying to keep himself calm. But he was failing with each step he took towards the hill.

Avni was forced to walk behind him. He hadn't loosened his grip on her arm since Karma left with the news like a bomb ready to blast.

"Amit..." Avni urged him to stop, to let her move on her own accord, to loosen the hold on her arm. But, Amit's mind held so many queries, so many scenarios, and so many thoughts about what was going to happen in Panchayat Sabha that he didn't hear her repetitive plea.

"Amit! What the hell is wrong with you? My arm hurts!"

When she couldn't take Amit's silence anymore, she forcefully yanked her arm from his hold and stopped walking.

Amit turned around slowly; they were now in the vicinity of the hill, and a thick silence surrounded the atmosphere.

She looked at him with anger, her arms were now folded across her chest in a protective manner, and her eyes held so many questions she was daring him to answer for her.

Amit was looking at a city girl who hadn't thought of the after-effects of her thoughtless actions. He tried to process the mess he'd have to clean, which she had managed to create with her inanity.

"How the hell did you manage to mess everything, Avni?"

His voice was full of contempt.

"Me? I was trying to do the right thing! I was trying to help Vishnu and Savitri. These fucking villagers won't ever acknowledge anything. Ever! I had to do something! I had to!"

"Do you really think taking actions in this village would be acknowledged, and you'll be rewarded for your bravery!? The only result that will come out of this is you being punished! I'm so mad right now! I'm so disappointed with your habit of taking irrational actions."

"But, I..."

"Not only you managed to put us in limelight, but you also made my planning null. I..." he raked his hands through his hair and tried to take deep breaths. But the anger, the frustration, the emotions that he had bottled inside of him for so long was not to be calmed with deep breaths.

"I was trying hard to be discreet. Trying to do what was right for Paa. But, you? You managed to put everything on hold. Turned my planning upside down..." he was now inches close to her. His eyes bored into hers with intimidation that was always meant for others, "And flipped the idea of giving justice to my Paa!" He stopped for a moment, turned away and groaned out of exasperation.

After a beat of looking at the ground that was full of gravel and pebbles, he turned towards her again. "You know what? Right now, I'm regretting you ever came into my life. If you wouldn't have barged into my life; if I would have never known you, you never would have come to Unnao with me. This never would have happened."

With each word he spouted at Avni, he caused her heart to shrink, to ache, and to bend with the wound he'd inflicted by his verbal assault. Her nanny's words echoed in her mind, making her unable to grasp anything.

"You... regret me?" She finally managed to say.

She felt like she was looking at a man who never understood her. It was supposed to be a good cause. It was supposed to bring good fortune for Vishnu- a nine-year-old kid who now had no one he could rely on. She tried to look into his eyes for any lie, but before she could do so, Amit turned away from her without replying. Her eyes crinkled in pain, and she clutched her heart like his words had caused her an insurmountable physical pain.

She turned away dolefully with one last look at him. In her mind, one thing was set- she was going to survive this Panchayat Sabha. Then she will get away from him and from his world forever.