"Shhh.... Just hug me back..." She slowly whispered and hid her face in his rocked chest. The way she suddenly hugged him it was so unexpected.
It felt like a dream.... She herself getting this close to him. He was shocked. A big smile erupted on his face making every cell of his body to ignite with pure joy. Whatever was happening he wanted to capture this moment for life. So keeping all the thought aside he instantly embraced her in his arms like she was the most precious thing that he finally found.
He closed his eyes and started feeling her closeness. His heartbeat was mingling with her like a melody. He placed one of his hands on her soft tresses and started caressing them. Her scent was like a intoxication for him and he wanted to get drown in it . Having her in his arms....This feeling was indescribable. He felt peace, like he never felt before.
He was about to completely carried away with the moment when suddenly a sound broke that moment.
"Ahhmmm..... Avni....." Her mother called while looking down while smiling . She was standing at the door which was open and from there she witnessed their romantic moment.
"Huhh.... Oh ma...." Avni gasped and immediately stepped away from him. Vikrant too got conscious seeing her.
"I am really sorry Avni. I shouldn't have disturbed you but you forgot your phone in my room. I thought if you need it..... Sorry again...." She said with hesitation.
"It's ok Ma... But why are you standing there... Please come in... "She said smiling and went towards her.
"No... It's quite late... Here is your phone.." She said and after handing over her phone she immediately left from there.
As soon as she was gone Avni took a deep breath.
"Thank God.... She didn't doubt us..... "She thought and closed the door. As she came inside he saw Vikrant looking at her with a grin.
"Sorry.....sorry Vikrant......" She apologized and immediately looked down.
"Sorry for what?" He asked in confusion.
"For the hug....." She said getting nervous and started making the bed.
"Avni!! " He called her as he was surprised at her sudden changed behaviour.
"You forgot to close the door. Ma was standing there. She was suspicious about us . She had asked me if I am happy with you.I have to do that to clear all her doubts about us. She has already suffered much. I don't want her to know the truth of our marriage..... You too act like this in front of Dadi. The same goes for my mother. We will pretend to be a happy couple in front of them...." She explained while still avoiding any eye contact with him and once again made the wall of cushions in between the bed.
He was stunned listening this. Here, he was thinking that maybe she had a change of heart. Maybe she had decided to give him a chance but it was all an act just for her mother. He felt hurt for a second but within the next moment, as he looked at her nervous face he smiled slightly. He composed himself and came closer to her and instantly held her hand.
"Humm..so you were acting huh?" He asked and pulled her closer and she gasped.
"Yes..... But I just apologized..." She replied in shaking voice.
"This is not right Angel. You want me to stay away from you but you are doing everything that is compelling me to break my promise.... First, looking this beautiful and now this hug.......I ain't a saint, Angel....I do get effected by your actions" He whispered in her ear in such manner that it gave her goosebumps all over her body.
"I..... Didn't do anything .... Dadi wanted me to dress like this.... And I already told you the reason behind the hug.... Don't presume anything wrong ok....." She replied while breathing heavily. She didn't know why but her confidence was biding her goodbye and she was getting weak in front of him. She was so confused that why can't she stay calm? Why his closeness was affecting her?
She was clueless.
Drops of sweat were shining on her forehead like diamonds and her breathing was getting heavier. The way he was making her feel she never felt like that before. This feeling was so new to her.
Seeing her reaction.....a mischievous smile spread on his face. The confident, outspoken and straightforward Avni turned into a fragile, timid and shy girl and he was enjoying it. Her reaction was making him to tease her even more.
"God.....look at you....you turned all red. Are you feeling hot?" He asked while wiping the sweaty drops from her forehead and she flinched at her place.
He smiled inwardly and maintaining a calm face continued his talk.
"Hey calm down....All right if you say so. I believe you that you were acting but I was not....." He said in husky voice and she looked at him with wide eyes.
"Don't look so surprised Angel....You are my wife and whatever you feel for me that doesn't change the fact how you made me feel.... Your hug....it was magical. I am glad, whether it was for your mother but at least you came close to me and now I'll just wait for the day when you will accept me as your husband wholeheartedly....." He said looking into her eyes. His eyes were sparkling when he said that.
"Huhh..." She was stunned listening to this.
"No.... Never.... I'll never..... Accept....." She was trying to say but he cut her off by placing his index finger on her shivering lips....
"You are so stubborn Angel.... But cute too...." He said smiling while roaming his eyes over her lips.
It was getting tough for him to control his stubborn heart which just wanted him to kiss her right there. He felt like if he will spend one more second staring at them he would lose his control and he didn't want anything that would ruin their relationship anymore. He wanted to give her time. So he slowly removed his finger from her lips and sighed while tucking her hair strand behind her hair
"It's getting late...Angel.Just take some rest now..." He said and after taking one last glance of her, he stepped away and laid down in his bed and she just kept looking at him getting shocked and breathless and what not.
This man.... What is he doing to me?....He keeps manipulating me and I let him do so. Why I even listen to him? He ruined my life. I should hate him but whenever he looks at me or comes close to me, why I don't feel any ounce of hatred? Inspite of what he did... Why I feel like he has control over me, my emotions are triggered by his actions.... Why? What's wrong with me?......Although I hugged him just to pretend but the truth is, it didn't feel wrong.....actually.....actually, I felt good.....W....why?" She kept questioning herself while staring at him who was lying on the bed with closed eyes.
"Angel, I know I look handsome but stop staring at me right now and just sleep or do you want me to do that for you....." He said while still his eyes were closed.
Huhh.....how he knows that I am........s**t....."She gulped in shock and immediately rushed to the washroom to avoid him and he just chuckled.
Sun was rising up in the sky. Avni was in a deep sleep being completely ignorant of how she had became the reason of someone's restlessness. He was just looking at her innocent face and wondering when did he became so lucky to have her in his life.
Why didn't I realise this before.....who are you Angel. If I hadn't treated you badly before, things would have been much more easier now. I know you can't see what I feel for you. I know I have never confessed my feelings but it's not because I didn't want to but because I was afraid.... I was afraid of loosing you. The kind of impression you have of me... I knew you will never believe me but now when you are here so close to me as my wife. It's getting impossible for me to hide anything from you. I want you to know what you are for me. I want you to believe in me. I think I should tell you everything...... He thought and smiled when suddenly she started opening her eyes but before she could see him admiring her, he immediately left the room.
She slowly got up while rubbing her eyes and yawned while still feeling lethargic and looked around.
"Thank God.... He is not here.... Last night what got over him? And all that he said to me...... Was he serious? No he can't be.....I know for sure.... How can he?" She again surrounded herself with questions.
Stop.... Stop Avni..... God why I can't stop myself from thinking about him. He has captured my mind..... It's not right...... She said while putting a pause on her continues thoughts.
Ma is here. I should be with her. I should not let his thoughts consume me....... She told to herself and left the room.
--------------------------------------------------------------
"Di..... This is so beautiful...." Bulbul said while looking at a pastel green lehnga. They were at the designers boutique to select her reception dress.
"No.... It's too light colour.... I think you should wear something bright...." Her mother suggested.
"Look this one instead...." She showed her a zari work banarsi lehnga and Avni was just looking at them puzzled.
"What happened Avni?... Don't you like anything here. We can go to some other designers if you want...." Dadi asked when she saw her disinterest.
"No Dadi.... There is no need . These are all pretty but they are too heavy. I don't think I can carry them...." She told her point.. And all of them just giggled.
"come on Avni.... It's your reception. You are the bride. You have to look extraordinary...." Her mother tried to explain.
"Ma stop trying. I know she will only wear the dress which jiju will like. Actually she is missing jiju...He should be here.....Right Di" Bulbul said and started laughing and Avni gave her a deathly glare.
"I know bulbul......Had he not been busy with the other work, he would have definitely come with us but we just have few days for preparation and there is so much to do...." Dadi said smiling.
"No Dadi.... Please don't take her seriously. She is just joking...." Avni suddenly spoke and started checking out the dresses.
Thank God he didn't come with us... Otherwise once again he would have started bothering me with his continues stare. I don't know why he looks at me like that.I feel so weak in front of him. This is so weird that his mere presence can affect me this much..... She was busy thinking when her phone rang. As she saw the screen she panicked. It was Ayush.
She immediately cut the call but it again started ringing. She cut that again and went to her mother. Giving her excuse that she was, going to use the washroom she immediately came outside and after conforming that no one was there she dialled his number.
"Hello Avni... Thank God you Answered.... I was tring to call you, have you checked out the news of your wedding with Vikrant. Its everywhere on social media.....Media is going crazy over it...." Ayush told her as soon as he picked up the call.
"Yes Ayush I know. Dadi wanted everyone to know about our marriage so He shared this news. They are even giving a reception next Sunday and Sorry.. I couldn't attend you call before as I am with my family. You know my mother and Bulbul have arrived yesterday....." She told him.
"What? Aunty is here..... She knows about your marriage? What's her reaction?" He was shocked.
"Yes... They are here and I am so surprised how easily they believed everything he said. You know, Ma is really angry at you. She was deeply hurt . I don't know why she believed his lies.....I wanted to tell her everything but because of you I kept silent. I was so worried how will she accept all this but thank God after meeting dadi she got relieved. I think she has accepted this marriage....." She said and told him everything.
"Ayush.... I am terribly confused right now. Everything is happening so fast that I don't know how should I react. This marriage was forced on me but I have to pretend that I am happy. This is not right Ayush...I think we should tell Ma everything. When you didn't do anything wrong then why should we lie to her. I know she will believe us. " She said with heavy voice.
"No....." He immediately screamed. His reaction was confusing for Avni but he immediately composed himself and replied.
"Avni......Stop stressing out. It's only for few days. As soon as we get that file we will tell her the truth. Now forget about everything and tell me did you find the file. You know na we should have it before he misuses it against us....." He said calmly.
"I know Ayush... I also want to see what proof he has against you. You know that day when he blackmailed me I was feeling so vulnerable and helpless that I did whatever he wanted but now, Sometimes I doubt what if he was lying because he didn't show me anything.. What if he has no proof . I mean you didn't do anything wrong... So how can he have proof against you?" She asked and he gulped in nervousness as if she caught him.
"Me.... No.... I.. I... Am ...not guilty.... He made up everything. That's why I need that file to check what he has...." He replied in breaking voice. There was something weird, how he sounded. Avni felt that too but just then she saw bulbul coming towards her so she immediately cut the call.
"Di.... What are you doing here. We were waiting for you... Come dadi has selected a beautiful dress for you...." She said and Avni went inside along with her.
"Look Avni... Isn't it beautiful?....." Dadi asked.
"It is dadi but......" She murmured.
"No if but.... Just go and try it. I want to see how it looks on you...." Dadi said and she obliged like a child and went inside the changing room.
"Dadi.... Till di is trying can I see something for myself...." Bulbul asked smiling.
"Sure bulbul.... Tell me what you want.. After all you are the sister of the bride, you should look good too... " Dadi said.
'Umm... Well when we came here I saw a beautiful gawn over there....." She told and took them to gawn section.
Avni was in changing room. After wearing the lehnga she was, wearing the blouse but she was not able to tie the dories at the back.
"Ufff.... This is so difficult. Why they make such dresses which are so difficult to wear....." She said irritated and decided to call someone to help her.
"Umm.... Bulbul........ Can you please help me...." She called her while looking herself in front of the mirror but no one came.
"God this bulbul... She should get her ears checked....." She muttered while rolling her eyes and once again called her a little aloud.
"Bulbul..... Come here quickly.... I need help....." She called again and heard the sound of the door opening from the back.
"Thank god finally you came.... See I can't tie this string.... Can you please do this for me. She said while looking down and got busy in adjusting her lehnga. Sensation ran down all over her body when she felt that touch on her back. It was so different. She felt shivering fingers touching her skin and it was tickling her. She instantly looked up and her heart beat stopped when she saw that person through the mirror and as their eyes met.......time stopped!!!!!