From the Ruins (On Hiatus)

Part 4

Another Abhira-less chapter but so so important to have💕 Thank you again everyone for the love and support you've all showered on my stories! Speaking to you guys in the comments is absolutely incredible and is the best result of starting these stories!

You're all amazing! 🤩🤩

Enjoy reading!

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Arohi sat on the floor in her room, shrouded in darkness. Pulling her arms around her knees, she leaned forward and rested her forehead.

For the first time since forever she had lost against Akshara. That too, in a race that she wasn't even participating in.

Growing up, she had always seen Akshara receive more attention and love from everyone and had right away decided that she would never let Akshara win at anything else. It helped that Arohi was more book smart, always the top of her class, while Akshara was more Artsy and less competitive. The attention she would receive after being first in any competition only reinforced her addiction to winning but today she had lost.

All of her efforts in the past year had gone to waste and she felt almost numb. She had spent  all her time not only trying to get closer to Abhimanyu but also fixing the issues between the families. The two families were now weirdly close but what was the point when Abhimanyu had not moved an inch past Akshara.

As she sat in silence she realized she couldn't even blame Akshara this time. She had left long ago and it was her own fault for not being able to win him over. Despite Akshara's multiple rejections and the physical distance between them, Abhimanyu's heart still only beat for Akshara. Did love like this truly exist?

A knock on her door broke her thoughts and she looked up to see Akshara, worriedly but cautiously, entering her room with a tray of food.

"Arohi, tu theek toh hai?" Akshara asked sitting down beside her.

Arohi had no reply. She wasn't heartbroken but she wasn't okay either. No, it wasn't her heart that was shattered, but something was and try as she might, she couldn't figure out what. No matter what though, she refused to show weakness in front of Akshara.

Akshara took a deep breath. Despite knowing their relationship wasn't one of comfort and love, she couldn't stop herself from checking on her younger sister. Old habits die hard, she thought.

Akshara had seen Arohi enter the house almost 2 hours ago and grew more and more concerned as time went on without any light or movement in her room.

Thinking back to their childhood before the accident, Akshara wished, not for the first time, that she could have her sister back. Yes, even then she was a little rude and arrogant but at least they were always able to sort out their differences. Today though, the way Arohi was behaving scared her a little.

"Arohi dekh, mujhe nahi pata aisa kya hua hai aaj jiski wajah se teri aisi halat hai lekin meri ek baat yaad rakh. Zindagi kabhi ek jaisi nahi hoti hai aur kabhi kabhi hum joh chahte hai waisa bhi nahi hota." Akshara said softly thinking about her own life and all of its problems.

"Jab tak kisi cheez ki umeed ho, humein larna chahiye. Jaan laga ke larna chahiye lekin jab umeed bhi na bacha ho toh ussi cheez se sabak seekh kar aage bhadna chahiye." Akshara looked sideways, discretely wiping away a tear. Then she turned around to face Arohi and placed a hand on her head.

"Humse behter kaun jaan sakta hai ki zindagi kitni choti hoti hai. Tum aise, ek baat ko lekar udaas bhetoge toh zindagi kab tumse aage niklegi pata bhi nahi chalega. Issi liye keh rahi hu, tu haregi sirf tab jab tu ek buri baat ko lekar apni puri zindagi ki achaiyon ko nazar andaz karegi. Aur jeetegi tab jab hazar baar girne par bhi wapas utne ko tayar rahogi."