Akshita
It was so awkward sitting in the car silently with my cousin for the whole journey to my parents' place. I have never shared a good relationship with any of my cousins but since I was having too much fun with my new family for the past few days, it felt boring and annoying to sit silently in the car.
After we reached my parent's place, I sighed in relief but my relief was short-lived when I saw all my uncles, aunts, their kids, their sons and daughters-in-law still present there.
God! Why didn't I think it before, they all wanted some gossip about my in-laws? I huffed silently and touched the feet of all the elders as a sign of respect after which I had to sit with them which was awkward as well.
"Your saree is pretty, Akshita. Who gave it to you?" Reva di asked with a hint of jealousy in her voice. It is Ashish's choice, I smiled to myself.
"Umm, it is their family ritual to gift clothes and accessories to the daughter-in-law so my in-laws gifted it to me," I said the same thing Ashish told me on my first day. I didn't want to tell them that my husband gave it to me because they won't understand the love and respect we share. Then someone or the other kept asking me random things about my new family. They didn't use to even feel bothered to talk to me before and now suddenly, they were showing interest to have a conversation with me.
After some time, I started to feel tired and hungry but so far no one has offered even a glass of water to me.
"Uh, I am hungry. Can I get something to eat?" I asked suddenly and my mother looked at me shocked.
"You know the way to the kitchen." She snapped at me.
"Yes, right," I said and hurriedly went to the kitchen to avoid talking to everyone. My phone rang in my clutch which was placed in the hall so obviously, it was seen by everyone. I cursed at myself for leaving my clutch in the hall. I went outside again and under the scrutinising gaze of every single person present there, I picked my clutch but saw my phone in my cousin's hand.
"So you have a new phone, is it a gift too?" She asked sarcastically.
"Yes, it was a gift too," I said meekly trying to avoid looking into anyone's eyes. The phone stopped ringing but after a second, it rang again.
"Here." She scoffed and handed me my phone back. I smiled seeing Ashish's call and went back to the kitchen.
"Hello."
"What took you so long to pick? Is everything alright?" I smiled at his concern for me.
"Yeah, everything is fine. I was in the kitchen and I left my phone outside."
"You haven't even been there for an hour and you are already in the kitchen." He said angrily.
"I was hungry, that's why," I said timidly.
"So? No one could give you anything to eat? I knew it was a bad idea to send you there alone." He was getting so worked up over it.
"Please don't be angry, Ashish. It's just two days." I said sweetly.
"I am sorry. I just can't help it. Don't mind me but I hate that family." He said angrily.
"Ashish...please." He sighed in response.
"I miss you, Akshita." He said softly. I was in the seventh sky hearing his words.
"Already?" I said trying to tease him but it was a failed attempt obviously.
"Yeah, so? I can't miss my wife now?" He teased me back.
"I didn't say that," I said shyly.
"Are you eating now?"
"No, I am just taking the food to my room." I took the plate of sandwich into my room ignoring the heated stares I was getting for being so cool and casual.
"Reached?"
"Yeah, in my room now," I said locking the door properly.
"Your room is still pink?" I giggled at his question.
"What do you think?" I asked still giggling. It's not that we both hate pink but the pink in my room is gaudy. We normally associate pink as a soothing, simple colour like that of my saree but in my room, it was a disgusting shade.
I ate my sandwich while talking to him and we continued to talk for a long time.
"Akshita." I heard Reva di's voice from behind the door.
"Coming," I replied.
"I will call you back. Reva di is outside."
"Okay bye. Take care of yourself."
"You too. Bye."
After I hung up the call, I opened the door for my cousin.
"What were you doing? Why did you lock the door?" She asked annoyed.
"Nothing. I was just talking on the phone." I replied to her.
"Oh, yeah right. You have a phone now so you will take advantage of that. You and your different ways to show off." She said sarcastically. I looked down, feeling hurt at her words.
"Come outside if you are done with your chit chat." She scoffed and left from there haughtily. I went outside and sat with everyone again.
"All of your family is here especially for you and you are busy chit-chatting in your room. Have some manners, at least or you have pledged to insult us at every possible occasion." My father scolded me in front of everyone. I shivered at his loud voice. It is not new for him to scold me in front of others. I have been embarrassed like this my whole life. And these insults were the first words he spoke to me the whole evening.
"Sorry," I murmured and sat on the sofa. They all kept asking me questions about my in-laws which made me so angry. I missed Ashish so much and Khushi and maa-papa too, they all are so loving to me not like these people who are selfish and mean. When no one was looking, I sent an I miss you message to Khushi, mamma and papa.
Not even a minute later, I got a call from mamma. I smiled and picked it up excitedly.
"Hello, mamma," I said excited, completely forgetting about the people who were staring at me as if I was an alien. My father glared at me so I told mamma that I would call her later and hung up the phone.
"You are being so rude. Keep that phone of yours away. Stop showing it off so much. And have you forgotten how I told you to behave with your in-laws? You are not showing them any respect, calling them so casually, huh? I am so ashamed of you. You are such a disgrace." My mother shouted at me mercilessly. My eyes burned with unshed tears but I didn't let them pour out. I felt so humiliated but my mother kept going on and on about my inappropriate behaviour.
I saw my cousins smirking at me when finally my mother stopped insulting me in front of everyone. Not even a day has passed and I feel like the old mute and defenceless Akshita again. I helped the cook in preparing dinner for everyone and after everyone went to sleep, I went to my room and sobbed. I was getting a call from Ashish but I didn't pick it up and sat on the windowpane for hours, crying. I didn't want him to know that I was unhappy here.
************************************
Ashish
I missed Akshita so much and I kept asking myself 'why'. Why am I missing her so much? Why is her presence so crucial to me? I kept checking my phone every minute for any messages or calls from her. I have become immensely protective of her and it didn't sit well with me that she had to go to her rude and obnoxious family again.
Arghh! I am so frustrated. Gosh! Why do I want to see her so badly?
At night, after eating dinner grumpily, I went to my room. I dialled her number twice but she didn't pick my call. I slept thinking about her.
_______
The next day after having breakfast, I tried calling her again but she didn't pick my call.
"Maybe she is busy." I heard Khushi's voice from the door.
"I just called casually," I replied to her, acting cool in front of her.
"Don't try to act smart in front of me. I know you are missing her badly."
"I am not," I said defensively.
"Keep denying. But do ask yourself why is it bothering you so much that she is not here with you."
"Khushu, please," I said sighing.
"Fine." She sat with me on the bed silently.
"I am sorry." I finally mumbled after some time. She grinned at me.
"It's okay." I kept my head on her shoulder.
"I really miss her and I don't fucking know why," I said annoyed.
"I know." She said smugly.
"How come you always know everything?" I asked making a face and she just shrugged her shoulders in response.
"This is all your romance books talking," I said poking her arm.
"Nothing like that, bhai. I am not a fool like you. I can see how much you care for her, how concerned you are thinking about her well being. I am not blind. I can feel the 'I miss her so much' vibes from you." I looked at her, dumbfounded after her explanation.
"I can see how much you love her." My mouth went dry as she added the last sentence.
"Khush, no you are..."
"Bhai, admit it already. You are in love with her." She said frowning.
"I...I mean... I..."
"It's okay. Take your time. She will be fine. You can go to their place anytime because you are their invincible son-in-law. Their beliefs of male supremacy will work your way." She said winking and left me with some chaotic thoughts.
In just one moment, I felt so many emotions clouding my mind. Our late-night conversations, the pain in my heart when I see her tears, the flutter in my stomach when she laughs, the beautiful sound of her giggles, everything about her fascinates me.
Of course, I love her. Idiot, Ashish!!!
How could you be so dumb?
Why didn't I realise it before, she means the world to me? I hate to see her crying, I hate it when anyone talks ill about her, the rush I felt when I saw her on our engagement, on our wedding.
Oh God, I love her. I love her so much. Shit! She also loved me. She confessed to me. I should have been the one to say first. But it's never too late, I am going to confess my feelings to her.
I got up from bed and changed my clothes as early as possible then packed a few things in my bag. I went outside and saw my parents and Khushi sitting together. They saw my bag and smirked at me.
"Mamma, I am going to Akshita's place," I said waiting for her reaction.
"Oh, finally. I was starting to wonder when will this idiot realise his feelings." She said rolling her eyes. Dad and Khushi chuckled at me.
"Mom," I whined. They laughed at me and I left after facing a hell lot of teasing from my family.
When I reached outside Akshita's place, I sighed.
This is it, Ashish.
I went forward and rang the doorbell. Their maid opened the door and joined her hands in greeting. She took me to the hall where Akshita's family was sitting. In fact, all her relatives were present literally like her uncles, aunts, their kids and their arrogant sons-in-law. I plastered a fake smile and greeted them all.
As Khushu said, they all jumped to welcome me, no questions asked. I was rushed to sit and in a minute I was offered everything to drink and eat. The only person who I was actually there to see was not there. They started extremely rubbish conversations with me and I was bored like hell.
After some time, I finally saw her coming to the hall looking lost in herself. I grinned and standing up immediately, went to her. Her sad face brightened immediately like a kid when she saw me and I threw my arms around her.
"I missed you," I mumbled making her giggle.
"It's not even been a day." She muttered giggling.
"Yeah, I still missed you," I said pulling from the hug and kissed her cheek. She looked behind me with wide eyes and nudged me. I looked behind and saw her family looking at us with an open mouth. I glanced at Akshita and saw her looking down.
"Akshita, get Ashish something to eat." Her mother said, interrupting the awkward silence in the hall.
"What would you like?" Akshita asked me stammering.
"Why are you asking, just get something to eat from the kitchen? He came after travelling for so long." She snapped at Akshita like she was a nobody. Akshita flinched at her tone and went to the kitchen.
"Don't mind her dumbness, Ashish beta. This girl can behave idiotically sometimes." She said with a sickly sweet smile. I fumed in anger at the way she talked about my Akshita. Before I could say anything, Akshita came back holding a tray of eatables. Her hands were literally shivering. I could see that she was not frightened, she felt humiliated.
"Akshita, just give it to me and sit." I held the tray from her hand but she held on to it. She pleaded with me to be silent through her eyes. I sighed and sat on the sofa while she treated me like I was her master.
She was about to go but I held her hand and made her sit beside me.
"How is your work, Ashish beta?" One of Akshita's uncles asked me smiling.
"It is going good, uncle. I haven't joined the office back yet but I keep track of everything."
"Why haven't you joined the office back?" It was such a dumb question.
"Because I would like to spend some time with my wife. Work won't go anywhere and with God's grace, I have capable employees to handle everything." I said holding Akshita's hand. They looked at our entwined hands while Akshita turned red.
"Wives won't go anywhere either. If you give so much attention to women, it goes in their head." Akshita's brother-in-law said smirking. I felt disgusted at his words.
"I believe women should be treated like queens because they rule the world. And they rule the hearts of men too." I said smiling at Akshita.
"Everyone has different opinions, Akash," I told him with a simple smile.
"Of course, Ashish. Akshita is a rather sweet girl, she deserves to be loved." He said looking over at Akshita in a sick way. I would have ripped him to shreds if it was not Akshita holding my hand tightly.
"Excuse us, please. I would like to rest for a bit." I said standing up and took Akshita with me.
"God, he is so disgusting. Akash is sick in his mind." I ran my fingers in my hair in frustration.
"Relax, Ashish. He has always been like that. Ignore him." Akshita said keeping her palms on my face. I looked at her and she removed her hands from my face.
"I am sorry." She said pulling away immediately.
"I asked you for a promise, Akshita. Please don't break it." I murmured keeping her hands back on my face. Her smile widened and we both said it together, "Our rules won't change."
We both laughed and hugged each other.
"God, I love hearing your laugh," I whispered kissing her forehead.
"I love your laugh, too. It's magical." She said confidently looking into my eyes. I felt like I could get lost in her eyes forever. I smiled and pulled her through the waist. My sudden action made her gasp but before she could say anything, I pressed my lips onto hers shushing her down.
________
Hi guys,
Today's question-
Q- What is your age?
A- I am 23.
I hope you are having a good weekend. In the coming chapters, there will Ashish's romantic love confession and lots of other twists. Keep loving the book❤
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❤K