The next morning being a Saturday Akshi had a small skip in her step, just these two more days and the big day would be here. As she walked out of the room and went towards the kitchen she could feel the brooding air that was hung around.
But more than the misguiding and irritated look that kartik married due to last night's talk and revelations she was worried with the things that she was going to tell him today.
And with his reaction to the things last night, she knew she couldn't stall with not telling him things anymore, especially things as important as these.
Hence with deep breath, she walked towards the kitchen fetched herself her breakfast of cornflakes and fruits and walked towards the table and seated herself in her regular place.
For a long time none of them spoke of anything, rather just stared at their food and then began to eat it aimlessly.
Though Akshi wanted him to start with something even if it had to do with stalling her from doing what she was doing, she wanted him to be the first one to talk for that would make way for her talk as well.
With no response from him for a long time, she looked up at him and cleared her throat a bit louder than needed and waited for him to reply. When he didn't she did the same again this time even louder.
And finally after a few more attempts Kartik looked up at her and asked, "what is it?"
"I want to tell you something." She smiled at him in a very sweet and innocent manner. The smile only gave kartik a near heart attack, for he knew these smiles meant what she was going to say he was not going to like and if ever he didn't she would make sure he would accept it. His sister was stubborn but the level of stubbornness was something he wouldn't like to know.
"No, I don't agree to whatever it is ... Akshi you have already –"
"I met Abhishekh, he is in my college and is the G.S of our college." With her sudden declaration, kartik's words died down in his throat. What was he supposed to say to that?
All he could see and think was of the night when he had to take away his broken sister from the arms of that boy whom she held as if her life depended on him. He was impressed by Abhi, for what he did, how he did, he could have never been as thankful as he was to him, but he as well knew that Abhi was someone that could influence his sister like none.
Once he had made her so strong that she found herself, she found the deepest of the secrets of her family which even his prying eyes had failed to notice... and now that he was back in her life he dreaded what was it that would happen now?
He surely couldn't see that broken sister again, the one who cried in his arms as she lost her first love. How broken was she for so many days... and then he looked at her, the way she behaved for a few days now, somewhere she had that small smile on her face, how confident she was to know that she would win over their parents.
Now did he realized, it wasn't her but the existence of Abhi in her life once again. He kept on looking at her and analyzing things, learning each of new things, the realization dawning at him, a spark of happiness, relief flooded through him and soon faded as worry etched his features.
"Are you guys together?" he asked straight away. Right now all he wanted was to know how deep were they in this relationship of theirs?
"We just met a few weeks ago and since have been quite busy, but yesterday was hectic and filled with drama, we had a few talks, and then was it that he explained what he wanted..."
Akshi with a small voice and a reluctant smile explained all that happened from the day she met Abhi, it was when she narrated him all the things did she realized such a rush and drama was filled in her life. As her story came to end and she explained what happened yesterday especially editing her fainting expedition, a big smile stretched on her face.
"I am ready for a relationship with him, I am going to have a talk with him after the pre event and explain him my situation. If he is ready to fight for me I would know that he is worth my wait, my love and the fight that I am as well going to put up with everyone. He has all the answers now bhai, and as much as I know him ... he had been the answers to so many of my questions, he is my only hope." She explained.
Kartik looked at his grown up baby sister and smiled, he leaned his hand ahead to hers and held it lovingly and said,
"I believe in your belief Akshi, you have known him better than any one of us... talk to him and once you get a green signal get him here for dinner, we shouldn't prevail his tests what say?" kartik winked at a gaping Akshi and picked up his plates and stood up from his place followed by Akshi.
"you can't do that, I am being clean here bhai, trust me I am very much serious if ever you go under any kind of interrogation with him I will kill you." Akshi wined all the while warning him as well.
"Akshi this is to come, trust me right now he would be handling just me, think what will happen when everyone will be there dadu, chotte papa, my dad, sid, Dhruv, especially your dad... you keep on thinking I am getting late for office." With that he walked out of the room towards the door leaving a horrified Akshi standing with her breakfast eaten plates in her hand.
The two days that were followed by the talk with kartik, Akshi was agitated, she would have second thoughts about having Abhi involved in her messed up life, but every time she would see him talking with any of the pretty girls from college or the number of confessions that came on his name she would feel a devastating pain, it would make her think if this pained her so much what could be the pain of separation even after knowing that he loved her.
That would only fasten her decision to take a next step closer to him, to have come clean to him, to ask him the questions and lead him to the path where their love would be tested.
Yet her thoughts would always come to a rest as she would work her ass off for the event. And with each of their hard work the day was finally here, though only the pre-event yet a biggest milestone in their life.
Akshi walked in a jiffy towards their room to go fetch for some cello tapes and scissors when she banged into a hard chest and was about to fall right on her but, but thankfully the person to whom she stumbled had a quicker reflexes as they quickly brought their hands ahead and got hold of her hand and pulled her towards them.
In the frightened state that she was Akshi still had her eyes closed when she felt the warm breath on her ears that gave her chills and soon the voice that was so familiar and made her feel even more giddy than was possible.
"You need to watch out battery, I won't always be there to get hold of you." Abhi teased and saw how quickly Akshi's stanza changed as soon as his words registered in her mind.
The speed at which she opened her eyes and looked at him accusingly made him regret his words.
"You aren't helping me out here with your words Abhi... right now along with actions your words are the most important thing for me... so be ware what you speak of."
Abhi was surprised at her outburst he had never seen her this confused and unsure of herself, he took hold of her hand ignoring the fact that they were practically in the corridor of their college and might as well become the hot gossip, but at this moment his girl needed his assurance and he will surely give her that.
"Akshi, I will be there always with you, but sometimes there would be such moments and times that I wouldn't ... if not now than may be times when I would not be in this world after all I am no immortal being."
"can't you just shut up, why is it that whenever you open your mouth you have to speak rubbish... grow up Abhi, I know very well that no person is immortal, but please no jokes related to death, losing a person to death is no joke."
Akshi closed her eyes trying to control her anger and looked at him and said,
"I have to talk with you, once this event is over and the whole after party thing... can we just go somewhere?"
"somewhere romantic or private?" the way Abhi raised his eyes in suggesting manner made Akshi want to be there, let the time stop and keep on looking at him, his playful manner, his comebacks and specially be as close as she was to him.
"Some where we could talk and no one could disturb us."
"How about Bund garden?", Abhi suggested, liking the place Akshi nodded her head vigorously with a bright smile on her face as Abhi kept on looking at her with a contented smile on his face.
"Okay I have to go duty calls." Akshi said as she untangled herself unwillingly and walked away from their position towards the room.
The rest of the day went off in a jiffy, while each of them ran from one place to another trying to get things done at their best. And finally when the time was up for the audiences to be let in, the amount of response they had received was unbelievable.
The target for that day was of about 90 – 80 students which was successfully Broken with about 120 to 150 students all excluding the volunteers and the members.
To say the show was a hit was an understatement.
And the smile that Akshi saw on Abhi and Parthiv's face was the proof that their hard work had paid off well.
As soon as the whole auditorium was emptied and the chairs were moved aside and the whole room was turned into a dance floor, Akshi found Abhi walking towards her as if he was searching for her for a very long time.
She saw him with big smile on her face as with large steps he decreased their distance and with one swift movement he held her in his arms lifted her up and twirled around in utter glee as if showing off his happiness for their success and her being with him.
As for Akshi, she was in a complete shock, with this act of his, Abhi had very well erased all the confusion that had laid in the eyes of the people around them.
Yes though they weren't together yet, they haven't spoken about their feelings in exact words, but their hearts had done the talking, so had their eyes and somehow both of them knew that nothing was there that could stop them now.
The only thing that was left to be unturned and to announce it officially was their talk.
As Akshi was brought back to the ground and let go from the tight hug, she could see the huge smile on his face, as he extended his hand and asked,
"The last time when I had asked you for a dance I was unsure if I would ever get a chance like this again, but now I would like to know Akshi, that after this dance today or starting from today can every first dance of yours will be for and with me... will you dance with me?"
The tears that pooled up in Akshi's eyes were difficult to be kept at a bay, but she did and with a bright smile on her face extended her hand and kept it in Abhi's as she said a delighted yes and let him guide her to the dance floor while each and every person in the room hooted for them.
As the afternoon went on Akshi danced with each and every person in the room, the rowdy way in which they all danced reminded her of the farewell party and her school mates. She did missed them a lot, and she knew after this evening the hunt for them would as well begin as the next path of her life was to begin.
After about an hour when finally Parthiv took hold of the mic and declared the success of the event each and every person in the room had Goosebumps. For this was their first event, something they had organized with their blood and sweat, and nothing in this world would ever make it replaceable.
As the packing was done and every one began to make plans to leave, Akshi felt the smooth tingling at the nape of her neck as she felt Abhi standing behind her.
"If you are ready shall we go?" he whispered in her ears only for her to hear, but the raised eyebrows of Maithali made her think otherwise. Akshi nodded her head without looking at him and bid a quick bye to everyone as she felt the Goosebumps all around her with the close proximity at which Abhi was standing.
Once seated in the car, Akshi called up kartik and informed him that she was with Abhi and would be coming late, and felt relieved that her brother got the message as he only asked her to take care of herself and feed her stomach on time. With a small chuckle and bye she hung up her phone only to find them already seating outside the gates of bundh garden.
"shall we?" Abhi asked as he smiled at her. With a small nod the two got down from the car and walked towards the entrance.