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The Child In Her
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Juhi walked through the familiar corridor in search of her best friend who had gone missing after the silly argument. It was evening already, classes were done for the day, yet there were no traces of Sonakshi. After dialling Sonakshi's number several times & still not getting any response, Juhi gave up on it. Almost everyone had left for their homes except Aiira & Juhi who roamed from class to class in search of Sonakshi.
"What if she has gone home Juhi? Knowing how sensitive she is, you shouldn't have pissed her off. I have always warned you to control your big mouth in her presence. See what you have done now" Aiira scolded Juhi making her regretful. Juhi thought Sonakshi would take her rants lightly. Her friend wasn't someone who took humour into heart. Atleast with her, Sonakshi was open to jokes.
"But her car is still there in the parking lot. She has left few of her stuffs in the classroom. Also she wouldn't go without letting us know"
"Whatever Juhi. It's getting late. I'm leaving. You can stay here all you want & continue searching for her. After all you're the one at fault!"
"I shouldn't have called you at the first place. Just leave" Juhi spoke disappointed & annoyed at the same time.
Aiira's taunts were nothing new to her. She was habituated to Aiira's bad friend accusations irrespective of Sonakshi's presence or absence. At the beginning, she used to feel really bad about it but then she had learned to not pay any heed to them. When Sonakshi was aware of her intentions, there was absolutely no need to prove the same to a third person, even if the third person was her own best friend.
"What do you mean by that? Sona is my friend as well" Aiira raised her voice offended with Juhi's indirect outburst.
"I can very well see that Aiira" Juhi remarked walking back to their class. Collecting Sonakshi's books that were scattered on the table, she neatly stuffed them inside her bag. Grabbing both their stuffs, she moved out of the place with a very furious Aiira tagging behind her.
"Let me look for her one last time. Meanwhile, you can leave" Juhi didn't wait for Aiira's response as she proceeded towards the library still dialling Sonakshi's number.
"Common Sonakshi. Pick up the call already" Juhi murmured all worked up as she exited the place still not able to spot her best friend. She bit her lips & sighed defeatedly. Sonakshi was nowhere to be seen. She didn't have the heart to leave for home without finding Sonakshi's whereabouts. Her inner conscience didn't favour doing that. She helplessly slumped on the nearest bench.
That was when she heard muffled sobs coming from a class nearby. A very unpleasant feeling surged through her body making her extremely tensed. Juhi didn't think twice before getting up & running towards the source of the voice. The sight she saw before her painfully stabbed her heart as she felt her own eyes getting teared up.
Sonakshi was balled up in a corner while she cried her heart out. Gut wrenching sobs escaped her lips as she tried to suppress the sound of her hiccups. She had wiped her eyes several times that they were red & swollen. Her shoulders shook & lips quivered as she mumbled incoherent words in her own painful language.
Juhi dropped her stuffs & immediately rushed towards Sonakshi. Taking her best friend in her arms, she patted her back affectionately in an attempt to calm her down. Her heart squeezed in pain when Sonakshi clung to her like a kid deprived of love, which she really was.
"Ohhh Sona. What is wrong baby?" Juhi questioned in the softest way possible. She was always aware of Sonakshi's tender side but never really witnessed her breaking down in all these years. And when she did, she realised how much of an agonizing sight it was.
An involuntary whimper broke out of Sonakshi's lips as she recalled his words yet again for the day.
"You're a bad luck Sonakshi"
"You deserve to be all alone, with absolutely no one by your side"
"A woman so vicious like you deserve no love"
"You.. should stay away.. from me Juhi. I am a bad luck. I.. I.. I.. will only bring you.. destruction" Sonakshi weeped holding Juhi more closer if that was even possible. Her actions contradicted her words. Instead of detaching & keeping herself away from Juhi, she snuggled more towards the source of relief. Call it her selfishness! But Sonakshi could never cut ties with her best friend who meant the whole world to her.
"Who fed you with all this nonsense Sonakshi? Okayy, Stop crying now. You know I can't see you like this Sweetheart" Juhi cooed holding her best friend closer. She stroked Sonakshi's hairs & found her slightly relaxing. Juhi's gestures had the much needed assurance & warmth that Sonakshi was seeking for right then. The child in her could be convinced even with smallest acts of love & that worked. Sonakshi's tears came to a closure.
"You want water?" Juhi enquired for which Sonakshi nodded negatively. She had now stopped crying. Except for a few hiccups & occasional whimpers, she looked fine.
"Wanna talk about what happened?" Juhi asked further for which Sonakshi shook her head again. She was not in a state to talk of what that happened a while ago. His words had carved a fresh wound deep in her heart. In the long list of people who hated her, he was a recent addition, the reason unknown. How easily he had broken the promise given to her.
"I will die before hurting you"
He had broken the promise. Did he die? Not at all!! He was very much alive. Didn't he deserve death? Yes he did. He deserved the most painful death ever. Not just for going against the promise, but also for putting her through yet another heap of humiliation & agony.
If he was worthy of something for his staged drama a while ago, it was death that comes with sheer torture, pain & suffering. She was there at the other end to make him go through that.
"I want to drink to my hearts content Juhi" Sonakshi stated getting up from the floor & dusting her clothes. She badly wanted a drink, no a lot of them! At present, only alcohol could calm her emotions & make her forget the fateful encounter with him.
"NO WAY SONAKSHI" Juhi shouted knowing how much of a disaster Drunken Sonakshi was. The last time she got drunk, Juhi had almost gone mad. It took her some few days to gain back her lost sanity. Handling a very drunken Sonakshi was equal to crushing herself under a running train or even worse feeding herself to stray dogs.
"Last time you have almost got me killed insane woman. No way I'm going to let you drink. I would rather die by myself" Juhi crossed her hands in disagreement.
"Please, Just a few glasses. I won't go overboard. Please. Please. Please Juhi. One last time please" Sonakshi showed a puppy face making Juhi sigh. She was a goner for her friend's cuteness. More than anything else, the dry tear stains on Sonakshi's cheeks melted her heart. How could she refuse when Sonakshi was keeping the world's most innocent face. So unlike of her!
"Fine" Juhi sighed giving up. Sonakshi smiled, a genuine one this time. Juhi was contented with the fact that her friend wasn't crying anymore. If a few glasses was what that costed Sonakshi's smile, she would merrily indulge.
"But only two or three glasses Sona. Nothing more"
"Ohhh Ju, you know I love you so much. You're definitely the bestttt"
"But someone wanted to keep herself away from me a few minutes ago" Juhi raised her eyebrows making Sonakshi chuckle.
She felt like laughing over her own stupidity. Keeping Juhi away from her? Over her dead body! Just because an unknown bastard whose words bore zero value spat some mean remarks at her doesn't mean she would weep at a corner forever or cut all the strings with her best friends. But it did hurt, A LOT. His words did create an impact on her & she knew getting over them would put her through a hard time.
She wondered whether it would have pained the same way, if there was someone else in his place. Her reaction must have been entirely opposite. Why did she cry before him? Why did she show herself as a doormat? Sonakshi had always learned to live with hatred & rude comments. What changed?
"Don't exert your brain too much Sona. Let's move out. It's getting late" Juhi spoke finding her best friend pondering over something seriously. From her expressions Juhi could easily figure out the matter wasn't anything pleasant.
"As you say my queen" Sona faked a bow whilst collecting both their stuffs that were dropped on the floor.
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Sonakshi dived through the crowd ahead of her holding Juhi who followed her steps rather nervously. The pub was packed more than usual today. Neither Sonakshi nor Juhi was so fond of alcoholic stench or the cramped vibes the place gave. Sonakshi normally repelled crowd. Very rarely she showed up at the place either with Aiira or Juhi to let loose her worries & find the much needed solace. Alcohol unbelievably calmed her senses by acting as the longed for refreshment.
"Don't you think we should have asked Aiira to accompany us?" Sonakshi asked occupying a comfy seat near the counter & pouring the first glass, making Juhi grunt in irritation.
"So that both of you could have turned the place upside down" She retorted. The rate at which her friend was sipping down the contents made Juhi doubt if following Sonakshi to the place was really a good idea. Within seconds, Sonakshi had emptied three glasses & poured the fourth one as well. Juhi was about to grab the bottle without her notice when she glared at her & swatted her hands away hastily.
"This isn't fair Sona. You promised me to stick with two to three glasses"
"Did we come all the way to just have a few glasses? Oh come on Ju, not always we get to do this" Sonakshi shrugged off Juhi's comment & began consuming the expensive liquor directly from the bottle. Within split seconds she had poured the whole thing down her throat. She could feel her insides burning. Even that didn't stop her from ordering two more of them.
"SONAKSHI STOP IT PLEASE"
"You want some Juhi darling?" Sonakshi giggled extending an empty bottle towards her friend who in turn passed her an unbelievable look. The effect of alcohol had slowly started showing up in her. Whenever she got excessively drunk, she giggled a lot which was so unlike of the real Sonakshi.
"Sona baby, please listen to me. We will pack all these bottles & you can drink all you want once we are home" Juhi tried to pester the crazy woman before her who shook her head vigorously in denial. Sonakshi whined pushing Juhi away & hugged all the bottles together to her chest as if they were her babies.
"See how cruel this aunty is. She is trying to separate Momma from her babies" Sonakshi complained to a guy nearby, pointing towards Juhi. The guy who was equally drunk passed a pitiful look to her & went back to doing his work.
"Momma loves alllll her babies" Sonakshi slurred kissing the bottles one by one. She then gave Juhi a hard push making her fall flat on her butt. Juhi howled in pain catching the attention of the entire people in the pub. All the eyes were now focused on the woman who sat like a queen near the counter. Most of the people easily identified Sonakshi. Who wouldn't know Deeksh Singhania's daughter? A few hefty drunkards even started recording the whole show, passing nasty remarks at both the women especially Sonakshi.
Juhi knew, Sonakshi was all set to give headlines for the next day's newspapers. She breathed out whilst getting up from the floor. She immediately dialled Sonakshi's brother who didn't even bother to attend the call. Having no other option, she defeatedly sat next to Sonakshi.
"I'm going to break this on your head if you come close to my babies" Sonakshi threatened holding an empty glass & hurling it towards her bestie. Juhi didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Sonakshi was being dangerously insane. And she was stuck as the sacrificial lamb over & over again.
That was when a thought struck her. She decided to give it a try. Relaxation coursed through Juhi's veins as she recalled the guy who could tame her best friend in nick of time.
She took out Sonakshi's mobile phone without her notice, surfed through the contacts & heaved a sigh of relief finding the right number. Dialling it, she impatiently waited for someone to pick the call up.
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Aadyanth was locked up in his room, sleeping soundly on his stomach after the disastrous confrontation with Sonakshi when his phone rang displaying her number on the screen. He tossed & turned in the bed before reaching out for his mobile phone from the bedside table.
"Hello" He answered in his sleepy baritone without looking at the caller ID.
"Hiii Aadyanth. This is Juhi, Sonakshi's best friend" Juhi spoke nervously.
She was scared of the reaction from the other end. The loud music echoing throughout the pub made it hard for her to hear him. Aadyanth's sleep swiftly flew away with the mention of her name. He sat up & stared right into his mobile phone. Sakshi 🔐, it read.
The anxiety in Juhi's voice suddenly made him restless, he didn't know why. Was Sonakshi okay? It was the first thought that crossed his mind.
"Is Sonakshi alright Juhi?" Aadyanth tapped his fingers impatiently waiting for an answer. A yes from the other side could only calm him down right then.
"Not really" Juhi answered in a muted tone.
His chest went tight & throat dried at that. A lot of probabilities played before his eyes. He sat back for a moment, heart pounding at the prospect of what might have happened to her. How badly he had hurted her today. A strong headed woman like Sonakshi had broken down before him, that could define how inhumane his behaviour was. Instead of comforting her, what did he do? He left her all alone in that desolate classroom. When did he turn so remorseless, stone hearted & inconsiderate? His own brutal words played on loop in his ears making him feel like the most callous man alive.
"What is the point of living such a worthless life Sona? Why don't you end everything, once & for all?"
"Holy fuck!" He cursed spranging out of the bed whilst buttoning up his shirt.
"You there?" Juhi asked totally clueless.
"Where is Sonakshi? Pass her the phone Juhi" Aadyanth demanded in a rush.
He wanted to hear her voice to act sanely. He was not the one to panic real quick. Only stuffs related to Rohaan or Harsha could make him all worked up & restless. The thought of something bad happening to Sonakshi made him feel the same. He now realised, she was a new inclusion in the list. She had found a space in his life even without trying.
"She is not in a state to talk. I will text you the address. Please come fast. It is really urgent" Juhi spoke before hanging up. She could sense the worry in his voice. He genuinely cared for her. She or anyone else for that matter could soundly deduce that.
Seconds later Aadyanth's phone beeped with a text. He didn't wait a second more as he grabbed his wallet & car keys & whooshed past his brothers who passed him strange stares.
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"Hey" Juhi feebly waved at Aadyanth who took long strides as he spotted herself & Sonakshi near the bar counter. It was upon seeing Sonakshi, his breath fell right. His shirt was soaked in sweat & he was panting heavily as if he had just finished the London Marathon.
His eyes took in the sight of Sonakshi who laid on the counter with tears glistening her eyes. He didn't even mind Juhi's presence & gathered her in his warm embrace. Kissing on top of her head, he muttered a lot of sorrys in her ear. Juhi looked away, a faint hue covering her cheeks as he continued showering his affection on Sonakshi. Surprisingly, Sonakshi didn't protest or push him away like she did to Juhi a while ago. She was hardly in her senses to distinguish who was who.
"Ahem" Juhi cleared her throat to gain the attention of her bestie & her supposed boyfriend.
"She is being so cranky & violent after drinking a lot. Can you help me take her home?"
"You scared me Juhi. You have no idea what I felt when you said she was not in a state to talk"
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that" Juhi apologized.
"It's okay. Don't feel bad" Aadyanth spoke whilst threading his hand lovingly through Sonakshi's curls.
"Hey Sakshi, let's get you home Sweetheart" Aadyanth strived to mollify Sonakshi who whined upon seeing the empty alcohol bottles.
"I want more" She poked his chest with her index finger & forwarded an empty glass towards him.
"I will buy you a lot on the way. Just come with me" Aadyanth tried his best to make her understand. Sonakshi pouted shaking her head vigorously like a candy deprived kid.
"I have a lot of it stocked up in my car. Since you aren't coming, How about I give them to someone else?" Aadyanth put on his thinking face staring blankly at the ceiling. Now that did it's work. Sonakshi automatically stood up muttering a BIG no. She blinked her eyes several times to adjust her blurred vision. Since a lot of alcohol had gone in her legs gave up as well. Collecting all the empty bottles scattered on the counter, she cuddled them close to her chest.
"They are her babies" Juhi laughed seeing Aadyanth's confused face. Aadyanth gave a 'she's unbelievable' look before swiftly carrying her in his arms. Sonakshi giggled feeling herself floating in the air. She clung onto to his form making him smile heartily & forget everything for the time being.
Dropping her in the car, he briskly walked back to the club. He looked murderous enough to slaughter someone into bits. His sudden agitation didn't go unnoticed by Juhi.
Juhi who was curious, followed him all the way inside to see him thrashing a few guys black & blue. Upon taking a closer look she identified the men. It was that same nasty bunch who were passing crude comments at Sonakshi & taking her pictures & videos.
Juhi's admiration & respect for him escalated many folds. She knew her friend was finally in the right hands. If there was someone who deserved unconditional love, it was Sonakshi who was denied of the same from her very childhood. Only Aadyanth could give her that or even much more.
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"I hope you won't mind staying with Sonakshi for the night" Juhi asked Aadyanth who instantly choked on the water he was drinking. He started coughing vigorously at her statement. They had finally reached Sonakshi's penthouse. Luckily, she had slept throughout the drive thus giving both of them a space to breath freely.
"Since my dad is out of town, Mummy is all alone at home. I have to go. I know you will take care of her. Nevertheless, I will come early in the morning to check on her" Juhi excused herself. Staying there along with Sonakshi anymore might cost her life. It was wise to flee.
She hesitated a bit before continuing with a slight blush on her cheeks.
"Let her rest for the night. She is so tired. Don't exert her too much. Uhmm.. You know what I mean"
Aadyanth gaped at her as if she had gone mad. What was her rant all about? He wondered. That was when the fact struck his brain. Juhi still thought himself & Sonakshi as a couple who were so in love with each other. All thanks to his silly prank the other night. He had brought the trouble upon himself.
Just like two sides of a coin, the stay had an advantage as well. He could spend some quality time with Sonakshi. He could stare at her pretty face all he wanted. Above everything else, maybe he could make up for his animalistic conduct towards her.
"You want me to drop you?" Regaining his composure, he asked Juhi.
"No. Just be with Sonakshi. We will meet in the morning, if at all you aren't murdered by her" Juhi murmured the last part to herself. Collecting her stuffs, she fled the place in the quickest pace ever.
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"I HATE YOU FOR KILLING MY BABIES" Sonakshi wailed throwing her clothes, sandals, the vase nearby & all that she got in her hands at Aadyanth who winced in pain, everytime he was hit by something hard.
Minutes ago, Sonakshi had woken up & asked for her babies. She was still very much under the influence of alcohol. Aadyanth had thrown the bottles away during their drive back which became a bane for himself. She had attacked him mercilessly with her heels when he informed her of the same. His entire body was aching especially his neck & hands that were imprinted with her nail & bite marks.
"They are not babies Sonakshi. They're empty good for nothing glass bottles. Get that in your thick skull you annoying little whiny prick"
"NO, NO, NO. THEY'RE MY BABIES. I WANT THEM BACK. GIVE IT TO ME ALREADY!!!"
"Gone is gone Sweetheart. All I can do for now is give you a real baby to compensate your loss. Infact plenty of chubby cute girls & boys. But for that you will have to cooperate with me on the bed whole night Mommy Sona" Aadyanth naughtily grinned at Sonakshi who looked confused & clueless, both at once.
She covered her mouth with both her palms as an immediate response. Aadyanth who thought she was feeling shy because of his blunt remark, advanced towards her taking his own good time. He wanted to play with her. Sonakshi eyed him to stay right where he was. But who was she trying to convince? Aadyanth almost caught her when she threw up everything on him drenching his shirt & herself.
"What the hell!!!" He leapt ahead examining his wet shirt & himself when he saw her covering her face & sobbing. Keeping his inspection aside for later, he tried to console the wailing baby before him.
"I'm.. going to.. die" Sonakshi sniffed stomping her foot on floor.
"I'm going to die. Do.. something please" She flailed her arms in air concurrently.
Aadyanth felt weeping over his ill fate. No wonder why Juhi put forward a lame excuse & fled the place. How was he going to take care of her whole night? Having zero experience in handling babies he didn't know what to do when Sonakshi acted like one. If someone had told him Sonakshi had such a shade hidden underneath her, he would have bursted out laughing at their face. Even a very whiny Rohaan was far better than drunk Sonakshi.
"Yuck! You.. are.. stinking" Sonakshi scrunched her nose in distaste detaching herself from Aadyanth, keeping ample amount of distance between them. Her previous worry long forgotten.
"I know I am. All thanks to you" Aadyanth rolled his eyes at her. Getting up, he removed his shirt & carelessly discarded it at a distance. Through the mirror, he saw Sonakshi checking him out with her mouth slightly open.
Walking to the washroom, he was about to shut the door when she pushed him hard & walked past him. Washing her sticky face & arms, she settled comfortably in the bathtub. Getting her top out through her head, she casually sat before him just in a transparent white camisole as if it was no big deal.
Aadyanth gulped hard taking in her appearance. She looked like a sexy seductress with just a thin piece of cloth that stuck to her upper half like a second skin. Wait! Was she by any means trying to seduce him? He instantly looked away feeling heat creeping up his system.
If she was hardly in her senses, his body was hardly in it's control as well. His mind visualized all his dirtiest fantasies with the alluring woman before him. How would it be like to strip her naked & have her under the shower? Ok, stop right there. He chided his thoughts, abruptly taking his eyes off her.
When Aadyanth was busy fighting with his brain, Sonakshi sneaked in & left the shower open. She stuck her tongue out & giggled at him who was completely drenched now. That was it. His last string of control was long gone.
Aadyanth pulled her so close that the softness of her breasts crushed against his bare torso. She gasped as a shiver ran down her breasts all the way towards her womanhood. He could feel her hardened nipple poking his chest through the flimsy material of her camisole.
He lost it when she wrapped her arms around his neck & planted a soft kiss on his collarbone, lingering her lips at the spot for a longer time, leaving him wanting for more of her delicate touches. Sonakshi didn't stop there. Leaning down, she left sloppy kisses on his chest. She was struggling to keep her droopy eyes open. But nothing could stop her from relishing the hot man before her. Blame it on the alcohol, blame it on her fluctuating hormones, she was insanely turned on.
The tables turned when Aadyanth slammed Sonakshi against the cabinet. He wanted to feel her the same way she was doing seconds ago. He hungrily buried his face in the crook of her neck & placed wet kisses there. He was anything but gentle. If her kisses were soft with traces of innocence, his was rough & passionate without an ounce of tenderness. She moaned when his hands sneaked inside her top to fondle the bare skin of her waist.
It took him all his self control to not tie her to the tub & fuck her senselessly. He wanted to make her chant his name in ecstasy. He fancied the feel of gluing her strark naked body on his so tight that not even air would have a room to pass through. His dick twitched to life at the thought. He could feel his pant tighten. Sonakshi was turning him on without even trying. He badly wanted a cold shower, a long one!
Sonakshi was new to the mind numbing sensations. His kisses felt like a dream. The kind of dreams she was inclined to lately. She was never fond of them. Infact her body held off their occurrence. But reality was contradictory & pleasurable. Experiencing his smooches for real aroused her to peaks. She didn't feel like withdrawing, not even once.
"Tell me that you are mine Sonakshi" Aadyanth demanded grazing his jaw line against her shoulder blades. Sonakshi giggled again swatting his face off her body. His stubble was tickling her sensitive skin. She couldn't help but squirm in his embrace.
"TELL ME SAKSHI"
"You.. are.. mine" Sonakshi repeated the exact lines making him sigh. That was not what he asked for.
"Tell me that 'YOU' are mine" He pointed at her & then at himself.
"You - are - mine" Sonakshi chuckled shrugging her shoulders as if saying it was nothing massive.
"Ok. Wait! Uhmm.. I'm yours. Tell me, I'm yours" Aadyanth wanted to get those words out of her mouth at any cost. He was insecure ever since he knew about her truths. It was his much needed assurance. The need of the hour.
"Uhmm.. You are mine" Sonakshi spoke whilst laughing at the faces he was making. He was clearly pissed off. Aadyanth now realised she was playing with him. Even when she was not in a state to take steps without faltering, she couldn't do away with irritating him. If she did, she was no Sonakshi.
Aadyanth buried his stubbled cheek in her neck & began nudging her soft flesh with it. Scrapping them over & over again, he made Sonakshi giggle. When the strokes fastened, Sonakshi's giggles escalated as well. She wiggled in his arms when his tickles heightened thus not giving her a space to breath. Her giggles echoed throughout the closed place, melting Aadyanth's heart.
"You are either telling me the words or I'm tickling you until your skin hurts"
"No way" Sonakshi snickered making his torture more vibrant.
"COMMON TELL ME SWEETHEART"
"Ahhh! Enoughhh. Stop doing that. Okayyy. I'M - ALL - YOURS!!!" Sonakshi finally gave in before his demand.
The very next second, Aadyanth seized her lips for the second kiss in the day. Unlike the first kiss that was crammed with hatred & anger, the second one was so full of love & affection in it's purest form. Droplets of water blend with the flavour of her lips was the most intoxicating combo ever. Nothing could taste better. Her inexperience was so obvious that Aadyanth couldn't help but wonder if she was ever kissed before.
His assault on her mouth only aggravated when she tried to copy the movements of his lips. When he darted her lips upon with his, she struggled to do the same with his. When he sucked onto her tongue, she vaguely imitated the movement earning indistinct squeaks. He smiled into the kiss at the sounds she was making. Tugging her lower lip meekly, he was about to break the kiss when she bit him rather hard. Aadyanth instantly pushed her form away as he felt his lip stinging.
"Fuck Sonakshi! I never thought you were such a bad kisser. You don't even know the basics of a French kiss. Long long way to go" Aadyanth admonished her once he was done observing his sore lips. They were swollen already.
Her face lost it's previous glow at his blunt statement. Her lips curved downwards & she looked like she was going to cry at any moment. Sensing the dejection in her eyes he spoke softly,
"But you can ace at it with ease. Always at your service Madame"
Sonakshi couldn't fathom the hidden meaning behind his words. Nevertheless she nodded her head like a good girl.
"I'm sleepy" she stretched her hands in the air & yawned. Her eyelids drooped as she supported herself catching hold of his form.
"Take a quick bath Sakshi. Meanwhile, I will freshen up & order something for you to eat" He helped her settle in the tub once again & left the tap open. Grabbing fresh set of night clothes from the room, he placed them along with the bathrobe. He then laid all other essentials within her arm's reach, so that she wouldn't move around the place.
Aadyanth exited the place & took a long breathe. Staying there anymore wouldn't do any good to both of them. If she had expressed atleast a faint distaste, he would have stopped right then. Instead, she encouraged him to go forward. She was equally responding to his touches as if pleading for more. He doubted if their romance went overboard. They were neither couples nor in love. Heck! There were not even in friendly terms. If anything existed between them, it was hatred & enmity. They might probably be the first rivals to romance so passionately.
If Sonakshi was in her sane state, she would have never approved what that happened a while ago. Did he just regret their deeds? Would she have done the same if there was some other man in his place? Probably yes!
She didn't even take his name once. Which means anyone in his position would have been fine with her. His heart raced at the thought as a sense of possessiveness washed over him. However, he decided to not ponder anymore. He had already hurted her enough for the day. Atleast this night deserved to end on a pleasant note.
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By the time Sonakshi was out of the shower, Aadyanth had set the table & changed into one of his casuals. Luckily there was a set of spare clothes in his car. Or else he would have had to spend the whole night in the clothes Sonakshi dirtied. He then helped her to settle in a chair. She instantly yawned & laid her head on the table, masking her face with her hands, making her reluctance to have the pizza slice obvious. Aadyanth tried his ways to butter the not so small kid before him. Finally she had to give in when he himself fed her the slices without an ounce of objection.
With a slice still in her hands, Sonakshi walked towards the open balcony & comfortably settled near the railing. It was her favourite spot in the entire house. The place always evoked pleasant vibes in her whenever she felt left out in the enormous building.
Dangling her legs in the air, she gazed at the star stretched night sky & the dimly lit city ahead of her. The full moon shone right into her face summing up the faint red hue on her cheeks. Her eyes gleamed as if appreciating the view before her. The frame was so captivating that Aadyanth suddenly had an urge to capture it. And he did it at the very next second.
Turning back, Sonakshi signalled him to join her. Surprisingly, the void that used to engulf her every other night was long gone. With him beside her she felt unusually serene. So did he. Perhaps these were the kind of moments that deserved to be treasured for a lifetime. Lifting her hand to his face level, he planted a soft kiss on her knuckle as a gratitude for being the very essence of his life. She might or might not remember the night but he would forever secure their moments for this was the first time Sonakshi reached out to him without any hesitation.
"I don't know why but I don't miss them anymore" Sonakshi broke the silence still staring at the starry sky. He had never heard her speaking so softly. Her usual distinct & dominating tone was replaced by infirmity.
"You know what, Amma used to say, the brightest among these handful of stars is my Annie. She had a similar glow. But unlike her who left me without a word, this tiny angel never leaves"
"Nobody stays with me for a longer time. When she broke the promise of not leaving my side, I thought atleast Amma would stay. But no! She had to go as well. I can never get over her sudden demise. Her beautiful smile still haunts me. Nobody has ever seen me with so much of affection, not even my own mother. I still can't figure out why I'm being denied of all the happiness. Now that I have lost her only memory, I might be able to move on from the past" Sonakshi whispered moving her hand through her empty neck.
A lone tear rolled out of her eye followed by plenty of them. Very soon, she was crying uncontrollably in his arms. The day had opened many wounds that Sonakshi thought were healed with time. Her heart constricted in pain. The only difference was the night saw someone beside her to share the burden of her woes. The same person who mercilessly tore open all her insecurities.
Aadyanth couldn't decipher what Sonakshi was speaking about. Nevertheless, he listened to her. Her tears made him uneasy. He had an urge to stop their ceaseless flow. But Sonakshi's oblivious confessions hardly gave out her worries.
"Everything will be alright Sweetheart" Aadyanth kissed her hairs & then her forehead.
Seeing her fast asleep in his chest, a small smile grazed his lips. She was a bundle of cuteness, the missing piece of bliss in his life. She was no curse nor a badluck but the only source of colour & happiness. Colliding with her though out of vengeance had to be the best part of his life.
There were a lot of shades in her which he wasn't conscious of. He wanted to unveil them bit by bit & discover the whole of Sonakshi. It was hard to stay angry or offended with her for a longer time, no matter how grave the mistake she committed was.
That was the moment he realised he was in love, he had always been.
He had fallen for the woman in his arms really deep that nothing else other than her mattered to him right then. It was no attraction or infatuation. It wasn't a mere crush that would fade away with time but pure love that had no boundaries, limits or whatsoever!
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This chapter can be taken as a filler before the storms that are yet to come. Hope I didn't mess this one up!
Your thoughts on this update & of course on our not so innocent couple? ;)
I have left an important clue in this chapter, not sure if you guys have noticed it!
Please don't forget to hit the star & leave your precious feedback ♥️