AVENGING LOVE

Chapter 5 : I'm Sorry

5 minutes to 9 AM, Akshara along with Riya, entered the classroom and took her seat to find a note on the table with a single white rose above it.

“Another note.” - Riya said, looking at Akshara carefully.

Akshara sighed.

It's been a week since the ‘slap mishap’ as the student body of DU was calling it, and ever since, she was receiving notes with a white rose wherever she went. And they all had just one line written on them :

I'm Sorry.

She turned her head to search him in the classroom but he was nowhere to be seen.

That was another constant since last week. Despite sending her sorry notes everywhere, be it the classroom, cafeteria, her hostel room, or wherever else she went, he was actually staying away from her like she had asked him to. He was only seen to her in class that too at a distance from her during lectures.

If she secretly watched him for 10 minutes daily, doing practice in the ground, she was guilty of doing so.

There was something in his changed behaviour that just grabbed attention. And she doubted that she was the only one who noticed that.

He had became... quiet, for the lack of a better word. Or more like, had became opposite of his behaviour before their clash. She hadn't seen him getting into fights for which he was famous for, he came on time for every class, he didn't scare any student away. And the list just went on and on that made her surprised and surprised still!

“Akshara... you alright ?” - Riya's voice broke her reverie and she nodded.

Instead of throwing the card and the flower away, like she was doing for the past week, she kept them in her bag and sat. Paying attention to the lecture that was about to start.

But a certain hazel eyed ‘bad boy turned good boy’ was in the back of her mind throughout.

***

“I'm famished. Order something heavy please.”

It was lunch time when Akshara said that to Riya after collapsing on a chair in the cafeteria. Riya chuckled at her friends antics and went to grab their desired food.

“...that is going to start tomorrow and we've just one week to complete it.”

A girl's voice behind Akshara, grabbed her attention and she instantly understood that she was talking about the assignment they had been given last week. That needed to be done in pairs.

And her partner was...

“I'm Sorry.”

The cafeteria became quiet in a heartbeat and the sound of spoons and forks dropping on the plates or on floor, rang throughout in a chorus.

Akshara froze in her place. She knew that voice. Knew that pitch. But the surprising thing was, it lacked the malice and arrogance that was present whenever he talked to her before.

Taking a deep breath, she stood up and turned towards him, only to be caught in an eye-lock.

He was standing half a foot away from her and her turning around caused them to come chest to chest. Leaving mere inches between them. He was wearing a plum coloured, long sleeved, that were stretched upto just below his elbows, T-shirt over black jeans but she didn't notice his dressing. She was unable to because his gaze was holding her gaze captive.

“I'm sorry...” - it was said with such softness that felt like molten gold.

Even being used to their jaws dropping to the floor by now, the students still went into shock at hearing those words coming out of his mouth.

Did Abhimanyu Birla just apologize ?

His gaze was firm. Unwavering. Like a person who speaks truth and it becomes evident in his eyes.

“I really am sorry. I shouldn't have done what I did. And trust me, I was going to apologize to you right that instant when you came to me that morning but...” - he trailed off, looking at her earnestly as he took a step back and raised the white-rosed bouquet up towards her.

“Why white roses ?” - the words left her mouth involuntarily, as her curious brain wanted to know reason behind receiving white roses throughout the past week.

“To make peace.” - he said with a slight and hopeful smile.

There was something in his overall persona that made a person unable to refuse him. Whatever he wanted. And Akshara found herself under that effect as well as her mind instantly decided to forgive him.

But her reason for accepting his apology was not only that. No. She was forgiving him because she could see the genuine guilt in his eyes.

That, and a hidden pain that she was unable to pinpoint but it was making her restless.

“Okay. I forgive you.” - she said with a small smile, accepting the bouquet from his hands and the bright smile that took over his handsome features in return, caused her breath to hitch.

It was for the first time she was seeing him smiling and she couldn't help but accept, that the sight was breathtaking.

She was not a biased person to overlook all the qualities of someone just because they had showed her their negatives.

It was a fact that he was handsome. Infact, the most handsome guy she had ever met. But his arrogant personality was what that had drifted her away and had caused her to dislike him in a heartbeat.

But now, when he had changed his behaviour, she couldn't find even a single flaw in him. And that was scary. Because his looks, high brains, with a gentleman personality was a deadly combination and her subconscious warned her to be careful.

“Akshara...”

She belatedly realized that he was waving his hand infront of her, trying to get her foucs on what he was saying, which, she had totally missed hearing.

“I got into thinking mode for a moment. I'm sor-”

“It's alright.” - he stopped her from apologizing with a soft smile, making her smile as well. “I was just saying that we're paired up for the assignment and do you want to work with me on it ?”

Her smile widened at the nervousness in his tone. He looked cute.

“It's fine if you don't. I'll... I'll do it myself.” - he said, taking her silence as a polite rejection. Although, his eyes dimmed while saying that and she didn't know why, but she didn't like that.

She wanted the shine in his eyes back. For reasons, unknown.

“No. We can work along. I'm okay with it.”

“Really ?” - his smile was so child-like and the way his eyes shined with happiness, her heart gave a tug.

“Really.” - she replied, mirroring his smile.

~

Author's Note : Thank you so much for your well wishes guys. It really touches my heart, the way you all worry about my health regardless of the chapters. I'm still having a headache but am a lot better then yesterday. So wrote this chapter right away and here we are! 💕 Tell me quickly how was it ?

I'll try to update soon but if I'm unable to, know that your author is a ‘mareez’ and must be dealing with her health issues. 🤧
With a hope to return soon,

Happy Reading! ❤️
& Hasta La Vista 😎