Loving You

Chapter 16 - Akshara - Coconut

Friends. Friends! Friends? Friends... The word kept reeling in my head since last night. Since the moment he left the apartment. We were friends. Just friends. But then why did the thought of being just friends leave such a bitter taste in my mouth?

I should be happy right? Happy that we had finally come to conclusion about labeling the awkward relationship we shared. Friendship. That's all it was. And that's all what it was going to stay as. Nothing more, nothing less. Just friends.

I heard someone clear their throat beside me. "Late again, I see?"

His voice brought me out of my daze. I glanced up to see him standing beside me, wearing his white lab coat over his dark navy scrubs. His hair was gelled back in a sleek manner while his stubble was starting to make an appearance. He didn't look bad. Didn't look bad at all. In fact, he actually looked quite handsome.

"What?" He asked again, breaking me out of my dreamland again.

I shook my head as I lowered my lashes to avoid his gaze. "Nothing."

Stop it, Akshara! Stop it! Just friends, remember? You're the one who pushed for it too, you numbskull! I needed to remember that there was no way I was going to be jeopardizing my career or my newfound friendship with Abhimanyu because I was having some very uncontrollable inappropriate thoughts about him —about us.

"So what're you doing here? Now?" I checked my watch to see the time being 9:45am. "Don't tell me you're late to your own work!" I questioned, with a mocking smile.

"Is that any way to talk to your boss?" He replied, with raised eyebrows. "And I should be asking you that question. Aren't you late? Again?"

Before I could reply, the elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Abhimanyu pulled me to his side as we waited for the elevator to become empty. I slammed my back into the front of his body due to the incoming traffic. He wrapped his arm around my arm, settling it gently on my stomach to shield me from incoming traffic.

My heart started to race at the close contact. I could feel his chin resting on the side of my head as I felt the warmth of his breath blowing into the lose strands of my hair. My breathing became laboured as my cheeks started to flush. Why did his hold on me feel so intimate? So protective?

I was ushered out of my thoughts when the elevator was empty. He pulled me in front of the elevator and we both got on it. A few other people got on the elevator after us too but we just stood beside each other, my small head brushing against his shoulder pads while our hands remained tangled like the wires of my EarPods after I take them out of my bag.

His eyes fell down to where our hands were resting in each others palms and I followed. He blinked a free times before he let go of my hand, abruptly, as if shaking off a bad nightmare. I raised my eyebrows and tried to hold back a giggle.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to —" Abhimanyu whispered.

The elevator doors closed and Abhimanyu and I were pushed closer to each other due to a swarm of nurses and interns who had joined us. I tapped on the button for 6th floor and turned my attention back to Abhimanyu who was standing in very close proximity.

"What were you saying? Sorry? Hmm?" I rolled my eyes. "Again with the apologies. You know as a wise person one said, 'Dosti mein no sorry, no thank you.'" I whispered back.

"Oh, and are you the wise person offering these pearls of wisdom?" He asked raising his eyebrow, flirtatiously.

I shook my head. "No. Wiser. These are the words of my hero Prem ."

"Hero?" Abhimanyu asked, confused. "Wait a minute, are you talking about a fictional character?"

I gasped dramatically in feigned surprise and hurt. "How dare you call him fictional?"